NORTHFIELD — Pacelli eighth grader Kayla Christopherson left everything she had on the course at the Class A state meet and it paid off for her in St. Olaf College in Northfield Saturday.

Christopherson ran a personal best time of 15:28 and she earned all-state recognition with a finish of 20th place.

“I felt like I was competing at a higher level,” Christophersn said. “The end really took my breath because there were two [runners] right behind me and I could feel them coming.”

Christopherson took 62nd at the state meet last year and she was coming in with high hopes after winning the Section 1A meet this season. Although she’s had so much success already, Christopherson isn’t about to get ahead of herself.

“You’ve got to take it one day at a time. You don’t know what could happen. Anything could happen and you’re done,” she said. “I’d like to thank everyone who came to cheer me on and God for giving me my gifts.”

Pacelli head coach Jim Parlin said that his middle school runner has a lot of potential.

“If things continue the way she’s been developing as a runner with her drive and her work ethic keeps getting better, the sky’s the limit,” he said.

Emily Donay of Eden Valley Watkins won the race with a time of 14:27,

In the Class A boys race, Hayfield senior Gabe Tempel finished 39th with a time of 16:57.3. Tempel was running in his third state meet and he’s finished better every year he’s competed in it.

“I wanted to do the best I can and now I’m really sad that it’s my last race,” Tempel said. “I felt like I finished strong, but I came out too fast in the beginning. I’m pretty happy with my race.”

Shane Streich won the Class A boys race with a time of15:46.5.