GRAND FORKS – The top area cross country teams measured how they stack up against the best from the tri-state area and Canada. Des Lacs-Burlington’s Brynn Hanson proved why she’s the two-time defending state champion by winning the girls varsity AA title, while Rugby edged top-ranked Bowman County in the A division to finish as the best North Dakota squad.

Hanson broke 19 minutes, running a 18:56.50 to edge Valley City’s Reagan Berg by five seconds. Cambree Moss, of Williston, finished in third with a time of 19:15.80. Emmi Ihry, Grand Forks Central, was fourth and Bismarck’s Bayla Weigel, 19:28.60, rounded out the top five.

Scout Ulrickson was Minot High’s top finisher, running a 20:13.90 to finish in 18th place. The Majettes placed sixth overall. Bismarck won the team title, while Moorhead, Williston, Legacy and Grand Forks Red River finished second through five respectively.

Minot High-18. Scout Ulrickson, 20:13.90. 32. Mandy Schmidt, 20:48.20. 41. Kaylee Johnson, 21:04.70. 44. Sophia Lade, 21:14.70. 49. Julie Fork, 21:21.20. 51. Lucy Harris, 21:28.60.

Girls varsity A meet

Rugby knocked off top-ranked Bowman County, sending a message to the rest of Class B schools that the four-time defending state champions will still be a force at the state meet later this month. Evyn Jacobson led Rugby with a 20:00.60 for third place, the top North Dakota finisher in the event.

The Panthers’ 124 paced all North Dakota teams, and their score put them in fourth place behind meet winner Clark/Willow Lake, S.D.’s 85. Hawley, Minn. finished three points behind to place runners-up. Milbank, another South Dakota school finished third with a 122. Bowman County finished with 129. Hillsboro/Central Valley, another key rival for Rugby at the state meet, placed sixth with a 154.

Rugby-3. Evyn Jacobson, 20:00.60. 17. Hannah Senechal, 20:45.30. 18. Brooklyn Bartsch, 20:56.90. 24. Keyara Lundstrom, 21:19.10. 85. Amelia Shepard, 23:05.80. 87. Ashlyn Dibble, 23:08.80. 148. Sara Schmaltz, 25:26.40.

Bishop Ryan’s Emily Plessas finished 161st with a time of 27:03.70.

Boys varsity AA meet

On the boys’ side, Minot High’s Benjamin Harris posted a time of 16:17.00 to lead local runners with an eighth-place finish in the AA race.

Top-ranked Bismarck (38) took the team title over Grand Forks Red River (83), with Williston (124) third and Moorhead, Minn. (158) fourth. Minot High placed fifth overall with a score of 174. Owen Sondag, Fargo North, took the individual title coming in at 15:38.70. Bismarck placed three runners in the top six to help the Demons leave victorious.

Minot High – 8. Benjamin Harris, 16:17.00. 30. Dallin Chapman, 17:03.50. 31. Cooper Fjeld, 17:04.90. 52. Conner Shaw, 17:41.40. 57. Nolan Howey, 17:48. 10. 76. Derek Oswald, 18:05.70.

Boys varsity A meet

The Rugby Panthers boys (327) finished in ninth place on the day, with Bowman County (58) edging Kindred (59) by one point to claim the win. New Town (121) placed third, and Holdingford, Minn. (161) finished fourth. Hillsboro/Central Valley (171) rounded out the top five.

Kindred’s Keaton Olson won the individual race with a time of 15:50.50. Bowman County’s Taylor Wanner, 16:13.70, and Jonah Njos, 16:33.70, finished second and third. Northern Cass’ Owen Johnson, 16:33.70, was fourth. Xavier Bell, New Town, ran a 16:36.30 to round out the top five.

Holdyn Jacobson was Rugby’s top finisher with a time of 17:40.00, which placed him 31st.

Rugby – 31. Holdyn Jacobson, 17:40.00. 36. Brayden Green, 17:56.40. 45. Jenner Johnson, 18:11.90. 117. Austin Duchscher, 19:52.30. 138. Connor Klein, 20:16.90. 139. Maddex Kirchofner, 20:17.10.

Bishop Ryan – 78. Gryphen Leier-Wangler, 18:54.90. 102. Hayden Seay, 19:24.70. 193. Branson Bosch, 22:32.50.

Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis and Clark – 85. Milo Anderson, 19:03.40. 89. Drew Roedocker, 19:10.90. 90. Zander Grover, 19:11.30. 99. Zayden Grover, 19:22.60.