OWATONNA – The Austin Packers had two outstanding runs in the Big Nine cross country meet on the Brooktree Golf Course here Tuesday.

Wednesday, October 18, 2000

OWATONNA – The Austin Packers had two outstanding runs in the Big Nine cross country meet on the Brooktree Golf Course here Tuesday. Katie Munk ran a personal best 15 minutes, 57 seconds in the 4,000 meter girls’ race for a 15th place finish while Adam Van Proosdy beat his personal best time by 40 seconds in the boys’ 5,000 meter race, finishing in 17:28, 26th place.

In the team competition it was the Austin boys without their second and third runners, Justin Poirier and Carl Bauer, out due to injury. AHS finished ninth with a point total of 181.

"We lowered our point total from last year by 59 points without our two and three runners," Austin coach Tony Einertson said. "We also ran a lot better times than last year. Five guys finished in less than 20 minutes last year. We are moving up in the pack."

The Owatonna boys won the meet with 56 points. Mankato West finished second with 80 and Winona third with 120. Albert Lea’s Eric Beck was the top dog with a time of 15:54.

Winona won the girls meet with a five runners in the top 10. The Winhawks scored 34 points. Owatonna was next with 49 and Century third with 82.

Owatonna’s McGann was the top runner with a time of 14:46.

"Katie finished just out of the top 14 that get All-Conference honors," coach Einertson said. "Last year Sara Turvey was 15th. Her time was 20 seconds slower than Katie’s. It was great accomplishment for Katie to get under 16 minutes in her first year of running. Katie needed to pass one runner in the stretch to get All-Conference. She did but another runner passed her."

Natalie Bowers finished her season with a 27th place finish in a time of 16:22. She will not be running in next week’s Section 1AA meet. Jenna Cummins ran a time of 17:44, good for 51st.

"Natalie got a stomach cramp in the first mile that she had to run with the rest of the way," Einertson said.

The other five Austin boys runners in the varsity\race were as follows: Lee Nordby (21) 17:18, Derek Roeder (39) 18:51, Jordan Van Proosdy (46) 18:23, Matt Adwell (49) 18:30, Mike Hanson (60) 18:51.

"Jordan’s time was 20 seconds better than his personal best," Einertson said. "Things are looking up for Austin cross country. We graduate only one senior, Matt Adwell. He has been a tremendous leader for us this year and will be missed."

Adwell has one final meet left to lead his team on Thursday, Oct. 26 at Brooktree in the Section 1AA meet. The girls’ varsity race is at 3:30 p.m. and the boys’ at 4 p.m.