The Rugby Boys Cross Country Team came home with a second place finish in the stste which makes it the third year in a row they have earned one of the top two spots.

One of the highlights in the boys meet were: multiple (3 or more) All-State runners for the third year in a row. Erik Wangler and Kyle Volk were named All-State for the third straight year. Rugby had eight runners in the top 44.

The ten runners on the runner-up team are: Erik Wangler, Garrett Thompson, Kyle Volk, Andrew Hershey, Tyler Larson, Taylor DeMers Kyle Halvorson, Waytt Thompson, Chris Hamilton, and Tanner Bernhardt.

This year the boys were fairly healthy going into the meet. Last year they were plaqued by illness and injury.

A couple of seniors reached and even surpassed their goals in the state competition.

Garrett Thompson earned All-State honors for the first time. Thompson also ran on his third top 2 team in three years.

Tyler Larson may have surprised himself. He ran at this year’s state meet and he was the fifth scoring runner on a state runner-up team. This was a good way to end his high school career in cross country.

One of the other highlights of his career was the Jamestown Extreme Meet.

“That was so much fun,” said Larson.

Senior boys Garrett Thompson, Wyatt Thompson, and Tyler Larson haven’t decided yet if they will run cross country in college but they all agree that winning the state competiton last year was the ultimate highlight of their careers.

The other senior boy on the team is Eric Kuntz. He had pneumonia last year and could not paticipate in state. This year he had to play in the football playoffs on the same day as the state cross country.

“I’m better at football,” he said about his decision.

Coach Jansen has just one thing to say to both his cross country teams, “Congratulations on a GREAT season!”

For specific times for each athlete check the scoreboard on page 12.