Austin’s Overby headed back to state
Published 11:45 am Friday, October 28, 2011
Austin's Madison Overby finishes at the Section 1AA cross country meet in Owatonna Thursday. Overby finished fourth and advanced to her second straight state meet. -- Ian Stauffer/Owatonna People's Press
Austin eighth grader Madison Overby clinched her second straight trip to the Class ‘AA’ state cross country meet when she took fourth at the Section 1AA meet in Owatonna Thursday.
Overby finished with a career best time of 14:34 as she comfortably advanced in a tough field. Lakeville South freshman Katelyn Larson won the meet with a time of 14:05.80 and no runner with a time of 15 minutes or longer finished in the top-10.
Austin's Haley Splinter and her teammate McKenzie Besel run at the Section 1AA cross country meet in Owatonna Thursday. -- Ian Stauffer/Owatonna People's Press
“Madison really improved. It was flat out fast and it was extremely difficult to make it to state this year,” Austin head coach Tony Einertson said. “Her ultimate goal was to make it to state and now she’s healthy and ready to go.”
Overby was recently ranked No. 9 in Class ‘AA.’
As a team, the Packer girls finished fourth out of 16 teams and they were the highest placing Big Nine team at the meet.
Eighth grader Justice Tabor took 18th and Haley Splinter took 19th for Austin, which brings back it’s top five runners next season.
“It’s a nice accomplishment for the girls and things are really looking up for next year,” Einertson said.
Senior Nate Schwab took 26th for the Austin boys. He was in the top-10 for the first two miles but couldn’t keep up.
“He put his nose in there and did what he needed to do,” Einertson said. “It’s been fun to watch him grow the past two years.”
Austin's Nate Schwab runs at the Section 1AA cross country meet in Owatonna Thursday. -- Ian Stauffer/Owatonna People's Press
Boys: Nate Schwab (26th, 16:52.36); Andrew Baker (34th, 17:07.54); Mason Wallsheim (78th, 18:05.55); Sandaval Lopez (79th, 18:06.73); Ben Walker (100th, 18:41.03); Garrison Meyer (107th, 19:20.61)
Girls: Madison Overby (fourth, 14:34.30); Justice Tabor (18th, 15:33.10); Haley Splinter (19th, 15:34.20); McKenzie Besel (30th, 15:42.10); Jenna Grabau (104th, 17:39.60); Anissa Zynda (109th, 18:16.40)
