The St. Peter’s Lutheran boys won the National Lutheran Cross Country Championship last weekend in Mequon, Wisconsin. Team members included, from left, Riley Wilson, head coach Jeff Niewedde, Norman Dickson, Caleb Niewedde, assistant coach Daniel Bodemann, Landon Bush, Oliver Patrick, Mason Package, assistant coach Carol Wettschurack, Cole DeVreese, Marquez Mendez and assistant coach Bonnie Wittman.
Submitted photo
After losing four runners from a team that won last year’s National Lutheran Cross Country Championship, the St. Peter’s Lutheran boys weren’t favorites to repeat last weekend in Mequon, Wisconsin.
But the Lions defended their title with 96 points. Bethany Lutheran from Naperville, Illinois, edged St. Paul’s Lutheran from Hamel, Illinois, 135-136 for second, and both of those teams had their entire teams back from last season.
“We knew that they were going to be tough to beat,” St. Peter’s coach Jeff Niewedde said. “So to lose four out of our top seven, to come back and win again was great. Replacing those guys were key, and we actually came back stronger this year. We had some new kids that were pretty close to being on the team for nationals that got to go this year.”
Norman Dickson earned second-team All-American honors after leading the Lions with a 14th-place finish in 11 minutes, 47.58 seconds for two miles. Landon Bush and Cole Devreese took 33rd and 34th in 12:15:41 and 12:15.51, while Oliver Patrick was 39th (12:24.12), Caleb Niewedde 56th (12:39.60), Riley Wilson 72nd (12:55.80), Mason Package 90th (13:09.03) and Marquez Mendez 164th (14:20.97).
Dickson, Bush, Devreese and Caleb Niewedde were dealing with sickness. Patrick had heel pain, and Wilson sustained a side stitch during the race.
“There was some adversity that they had to fight through, but to fight through that adversity and pull out the win is a testament to their adversity and courage,” Jeff Niewedde said.
Anthony Bolte, who ran for St. Peter’s for most of the season, competed for White Creek Lutheran and made All-American for sixth-grade-and-under with a 38th-place finish in 12:22.68.
The St. Peter’s girls, meanwhile, were the youngest girls team at the event and finished 12th with 265 points. Zion Lutheran from Belleville, Illinois, won with with 84.
Sydney Madden finished 38th in 13:44.90 to lead the Lions. Aaliyah Miller took 84th in 14:40.30, while Trinity Clore was 99th (14:58.43), Veronica Phillips 107th (15:05.81), Charlotte Edgren 149th (16:04.24), Audrey Dickson 165th (16:27.35), Ava McLeod 178th (17:15.53) and Mia Waltz 187th (17:53.71).
“The girls did amazing for being as young as they are,” Jeff Niewedde said. “Six of the eight girls that ran at nationals this year had never run a race before the season started. It was a good experience and a learning experience for such a young girls team. Next year, I anticipate them going back and being in the top five.”
