ROCHESTER — The Hayfield cross country team advanced its first runner to the state meet in at least six years when sophomore Gabe Tempel finished in 11th place at the Section 1A meet in the Northern Hills Golf Club in Rochester Thursday.

Tempel finished in a time of 17:33.3 to move on.

“I’m shocked I even made it,” Tempel said. “When I came in (to cross country) as a seventh grader, I hadn’t even run in my life and now I’m going to state as a sophomore.”

Tempel thought he had to get in the top 10 to assure himself a trip to state, but it turned out he only needed to make top-14.

“I was sprinting down hill and I felt like I was going out of control and I was gonna fall on my face,” Tempel said. “I saw the finish line and my coach was yelling ‘three more guys.’ I passed two of them and then my legs went numb and the third guy beat my two seconds.”

Pacelli didn’t advance a runner to state as Madeline Kraemer took 30th for the girls.

“It was a cold and windy day and we just weren’t ready for those conditions,” Pacelli head coach Jim Parlin said. “Our times were slower than we were hoping for in this meet.”

Pacelli boys results: Dakota Biwer (94th, 20:46); Stephen Juenger (101st, 20:57); Nathan Drees (108th, 21:06); Ben Kraemer (131st, 22:51)

Pacelli girls results: Madeline Kraemer (30th, 17:03); Sarah Kahle (50th, 17:43); Katie Ethen (101st, 20:09); Tiffany Hoesing (125th, 22:06)

Hayfield boys results: Gabe Tempel (11th, 17:33.3); Jon Fleischmann (46th, 19:00.2)

Hayfield girls results: Hannah Johnson (68th, 18:14); Katelyn Severson (85th, 18:52); Sydney Schmidt (111th, 20:47); Tara Sullivan (121st, 21:31); Elizabeth Reynolds (123rd, 21:57)