Pacelli senior Kayla Christopherson has competed at an extremely high level in cross country over the past six years, and she’s also left a strong impression on most of her competitors.

Christopherson, a four-time All-Stater and now six-time state qualifier, has always gone out of her way to give a high five to an opponent, hug a teammate, or just offer a word of encouragement.

A lot of those athletes have kept Christopherson in mind as a former Stewartville runner actually sent Christopherson a letter of congratulations after she clinched her sixth trip to state in the Section 1A meet last week.

“That kind of made my day. I keep in contact with other runners and I’ve met a lot of new people,” Christopherson said. “It’s slowly starting to kick in that this is my last high school race. At sections I was talking to a lot of runners, taking pictures with them and saying goodbye.”

Christopherson took ninth in last year’s Minnesota Class A State Meet and she’s aiming to finish in that range again.

“I’m going out there competitive and I’d like to go out there and get top ten again and get on the podium and get a medal,” Christopherson said. “It is my last high school race and regardless if I do well or not, I just want to be proud of my achievements and my career. I want to come off that race with a smile on my face.”

Christopherson may run in college, but she’s going to put her educational interests as her first priority. That means this could be her last ever cross country race.

Either way, it’s a race she’s going to appreciate.

“I’d like to thank my teammates, coaches, friends and family, and of course, thanks to God,” Christopherson said.

Christopherson is now the fourth Class A girl to run in six state cross country meets. Other’s who accomplished that feat were Kristi Colbenson of Rushford-Peterson/Houston, Sandy Moyer of Lake City and Kayla Woltz of Chatfield.