Top 5 finish for Pazdernik at State Cross Country

It must be late October in North Dakota, and the final 5,000 meters of competitive course running for statewide athletes featured the first winter weather of the fall season.

A bone-chilling temperature of 24 degrees and half a foot of snow lined the Parkhurst Recreation Area north of Jamestown to give fans and runners alike a shivery atmosphere at the Class B State Cross Country Meet Saturday, October 28.

Even with unfavorable conditions, the competitive juices were no less flowing, and several runners posted very fast times.

Carrington junior Kenadie Pazdernik made her third straight All-State run (top 20) by finishing a career-best of fifth place, crossing the line in 20 minutes, 9.8 seconds. She took seventh in 2022, and 12th in 2021.

Of other Independent-area runners, Luka Berg of Griggs/Midkota finished six places shy of top 20 status in 26th place, running 18:02.1.

Three additional thinclads placed in the top 50. Carrington senior Joe Lindberg took 48th (18:35.4) for the boys, and G-M girls' racers Kadence Spickler came in 49th (22:12.7) and Skylah Berg (22:13) 50th.

Just out of that distinction were a pair of Cardinals, Macy Fiebiger (22:15.2) at 51st, and placing just behind her in 52nd was Kaylin Pate (22:17.4).

Champions crowned

The powerhouse Bowman County Bulldogs put together a dominating showing in both races to sweep the championships, scoring 35 in the boys' division and 37 in the girls.

With their latest wins, the Bulldogs captured their 20th boys' crown and fourth consecutive, and a whopping 26th on the girls' side to end Rugby's four-year reign on the top and stop a 17-year title drought. Previous to that, the school won 25 of the first 27 state girls' races, a run which began in 1979.

Jonah Njos of Bowman County was the state individual boys' champion, leading a six-strong Bulldog contingent of All-Staters.

Brynn Hanson of Des Lacs Burlington/Lewis & Clark, a sophomore, took her third girls' championship in succession, and Peyton Gette of Kindred, the 2020 winner, came in ninth.

The Rugby girls finished second with a very-respectable 78 points, and Hillsboro/Central Valley was third with 90. Kindred and Central Cass finished one point apart, 163 to 164, to round out the top five.

The boys' contenders featured a strong second place from Kindred (60 points), and past juggernaut New Town, with 77, took the third spot. Down the table in fourth and fifth were HCV (194) and Killdeer (334).

A full listing of local runners and times at the State meet, along with All-State placers and team standings, are as follows:

Class B State Cross Country

Meet, Jamestown

Saturday, October 28

Girls Team Scores - Top 10

(plus local scores)

1. Bowman Co. 35; 2. Rugby 78; 3. Hillsboro/Central Valley 90; 4. Kindred 163; 5. Central Cass 164; 6. Pembina Co. North 199; 7. Shiloh Christian 251; 8. Carrington 253; 9. Bottineau 268; 10. Thompson 300. 12. Griggs/Midkota 346.

All-State Runners - Top 20

1. Brynn Hanson, Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark, 19:42.5; 2. Noa Sancho, New England, 19:49.5; 3. Mallory DeVries, CC, 19:57.8; 4. Anna Sarsland, BC, 20:01.8; 5. Kenadie Pazdernik, CHS, 20:09.8; 6. Jaci Fischer, BC, 20:24.9; 7. Hannah Senechal, Rugby, 20:31.5; 8. Julie Sarsland, BC, 20:47.8; 9. Peyton Gette, Kindred, 20:52.7; 10. Lily Kaldor, HCV, 20:53.0; 11. Allyson Goodmanson, Kindred, 20:55.0; 12. Keyara Lundstrom, Rugby, 20:59.2; 13. Jordyn Honeyman, BC, 21:00.7; 14. Landyn Gerbig, BC, 21:03.5; 15. Myla Kaldor, HCV, 21:04.8; 16. Taryn Roesler, Kindred, 21:05.1; 17. Shaycee Johnson, HCV, 21:08.0; 18. Adaleene Hansen, Lisbon, 21:09.4; 19. Mashae Miller, Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 21:12.9; 20. Azlynn Johnson, HCV, 21:14.6

Additional Carrington Results

51. Macy Fiebiger, 22:15.2; 52. Kaylin Pate, 22:17.4; 69. Cyrena Kuss, 22:35.4; 132. Jaedyn Lura, 24:32.3; 133. Joie Helseth, 24:34.3; 150. Molly Fiebiger, 24:58.8; 212. Nela McKibben, 27:27.4; 216. Kate Fiebiger, 27:48.7

Griggs/Midkota

49. Kadence Spickler, 22:12.7; 50. Skylah Berg, 22:13.0; 65. Tianna McCardle, 22:31.5; 101. Eryn Turner, 23:39.1; 162. Bella Dramstad, 25:23.6; 243. Lily Graber, 31:34.2

M-P-B

166. Shawna Nix, 25:34.0; 202. Nikki Hayes, 26:53.8; 206. Ky Schlecht, 27:08.3

NR-S

235. Neecie Swart, 29:20.4

Boys Team Scores - Top 10

(plus local scores)

1. Bowman Co. 37; 2. Kindred 60; 3. New Town 77; 4. HCV 194; 5. Killdeer 334; 6. Standing Rock 379; 7. Central Cass 391; 8. Northern Cass 401; 9. Griggs/Midkota 408; 10. DL-B/L&C 438. 33. Carrington 1,169.

All-State Runners - Top 20

1. Jonah Njos, BC, 16:11.7; 2. Keaton Olson, Kindred, 16:17.1; 3. Taylor Wanner, BC, 16:30.7; 4. Lance Bradley, SR, 16:48.3; 5. Gavin Lambourn, BC, 16:49.3; 6. Owen Johnson, NC, 16:51.4; 7. Ben DuBois, NT, 16:53.9; 8. Xavier Bell, NT, 16:55.6; 9. Gabe Sarsland, BC, 16:57.7; 10. Elija Deck, Kindred, 16:57.9; 11. Jekori Dahlen, Killdeer, 17:13.1; 12. Christian Brist, HCV, 17:14.0; 13. Lander Lahtinen, NT, 17:15.0; 14. Cade Westby, Kindred, 17:17.3; 15. Brad Kinzler, Edgeley/Kulm, 17:18.7; 16. Lucas Dahl, Kindred, 17:19.2; 17. Ronnie Burchill, CC, 17:21.7; 18. Tyler Gronwold, Kindred, 17:22.5; 19. Aidan Thompson, BC, 17:22.9; 20. Noah Njos, BC, 17:26.5

Carrington

48. Joe Lindberg, 18:35.4; 168. Gabe Inglish, 21:23.5; 261. Samuel Garr, 23:12.6; 345. Howie Simonson, 27:04.6; 347. Ben Gustafson, 27:30.5; 356. Eric Hallwachs, 29:03.3

Griggs/Midkota

26. Luka Berg, 18:02.1; 77. Davis Bengson, 19:25.2; 88. Ziggidy Berg, 19:51.9; 93. Jack Coombs, 20:01.2; 124. Tobias Forsburgh, 20:32.9; 127. Isaac Johnson, 20:37.3; 162. Logan Cross-Flatt, 21:15.6; 171. Tucker Fredrickson, 21:24.6; 177. Reid Ressler, 21:28.7; 222. Cainen Stangeland, 22:26.5

M-P-B

308. Carter Schlecht, 24:24.6; 311. Xander Hayes, 24:36.3

NR-S

184. Gabe Smith, 21:39.6; 335. Seth Greiner, 25:52.8