By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
First-year NRHEG head cross country coach Larry Nydegger announced awards and shared several memorable moments from the 2023 season during the school's Fall Sports Athletic Banquet in the high school gymnasium Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Coach Nydegger and his runners learned on the fly this season.
“This was a new experience for me as a coach,’ Nydegger said. “This was a good group of kids. We had a lot of fun little awards throughout the season, including the bright shirts competition, and tonight, we’re handing out a lot more. Included in those is a conference champion. That was special.”
Nydegger shared some memories. “It was fun watching the dynamic duo of Jacob and Devon always racing against each other.
“Our goal for the girls was to score well enough to finish in the top half of the section,” he continued. “We did that.”
For the boys, the team was just a little too small this season, but they accomplished quite a bit with four students who had never run before.
The following awards were handed out:
Boys' team
Conference Champion: Devon Nelton
Wonder Twins - Dynamic duo, Jacob and Devon
Girls' team awards
Conference 4th-place finish, 10th in sections
Individually
Letterwinners: Elle Jeno, Julianne Wobbrock, Owen Flatland, Jackson McGannon, Amilia Duryee, Madison Corkill, Holly Bartness, Jacob Karl, Devon Nelton, Annabelle Petsinger.
Manager’s Award: Lexi McGannon
McGannon was such a good manager, Nydegger said other coaches were asking how they could get someone like her to help out their own teams. Nydegger said she was poised enough to be considered a coach herself. He said this is the first and only time he intends to award a managerial award because McGannon was simply that special.
Most improved: Amilia Duryee by nearly 6 minutes; Jackson McGannon by nearly 2 minutes.
Captains Awards: Bartness, Karl.
Rookie of the Year: Bartness, Corkill.
Most Valuable Runners: Nelton, Wobbrock.
Joining the 200-mile club were Nelton, Bartness, Karl and Corkill.
First Team All-Gopher Conference: Nelton, Wobbrock and Karl.
“Thank you for a great season,” Nydegger concluded.