Tim Chapman/PCT RHS?freshman Tristin Lunde powers up the most difficult incline during the state meet.

MINOT – It didn’t turn out to be the day the Rugby High School cross country teams wanted, but the Panthers turned in strong performances nonetheless at state meet Oct. 25 at Souris Valley Golf Course in Minot.

Freshman Tristin Lunde had the strongest RHS showing of the day, finishing 20th overall in the girls 4K (2.58 miles) to earn the final all-state honor.

“I’m glad because my goal was to get top 20 and I did,” Lunde said. “It was a tough race, though.”

Top-20 performers earn the all-state designation, which isn’t likely to go to Lunde’s head. She said much improvement is needed for the middle portion of her races and with three years left, the girls team has a stronger leader emerging.

“Tristin had her best race of the year,” RHS?coach Bill Jansen said. “She’s been, kind of, on the edge since she started running. She’s been in the 21, 22, 23 area the two years before this. I’m just glad she got on the stand as an all-stater and hopefully that helps her confidence and let’s her know she belongs there. She got better all year.”

The RHS girls finished eighth as a team, a reasonable place in a meet that favored West Region teams after favorite Hillsboro-Central Valley won with 116 points. The Panthers came in at 310.

Lunde’s time of 16 minutes, 7 seconds separated her from senior teammate Allison Foster (26th) by 30 seconds. The pair ran seconds apart much of the year.

“I think it was still a pretty good end to my career,” Foster said. “I grew to love running so much and tried to improve as much as I could.”

Said Jansen:?”I feel terible for Allie Foster. She’s showed improvemnt, and been on the doorstep. She’s been just outside (all-state) the last three years. She’s been such a good leadner, such a good example at pracice and worked so hard, but she just wasn’t able to get over the edge. She’s a girl that wants to run in college and hopefully she gets a chance.”

Boys take fifth

The RHS boys took fifth in the meet, led by seniors Tanner Bernhardt and Nolan Hovland, finishing 24th and 25th, respectively. Bernhardt was two seconds ahead at 18:18.

“It felt terrible,” said Bernhardt, who hoped to crack the top 20. “I’m sick, so I couldn’t breathe.

“It was a good career besides injuries. I just couldn’t finish at state meets.”

Jansen was encouraged by the team’s performance and sympathized with his seniors.

“They were both kids that should’ve been top 20, but it was a nice race,” Jansen said. “(Senior) Brady Fossum, he’s been coming on all year and picked up something last week and he just hadn’t felt good. If you’re not well at this time of year and can’t breathe well, it’s gonna be tough to go big.