The sports editors of swnews4u.com gathered two weeks ago in Lancaster to select our inaugural all-area teams for the 2011 prep fall sports season.
As a group we decided to pick our all-area teams a little different than other publications. Instead of simply naming worthy athletes to the team regardless of position with no limit on the number of athletes chosen, we elected to build our all-area teams like they were a fantasy team or an all-star team that would actually practice and play together in competition. Therefore, we limited roster sizes and picked the best possible combination of athletes from our six-conference, 27-school coverage area giving us, the so-called general managers, the best chance to win.
Here is our 2011 All-Area Cross Country Team.
BOYS
1- Tyson Miehe, soph., Darlington – The Redbird runner had a breakout season his sophomore year becoming the school’s first-ever individual state champion after winning the WIAA boys’ Division 3 5,000-meter race in 16:02.1 to claim the title while at the same time leading the Redbirds to their first state team title in 25 years with a dominating performance at the 2011 WIAA State Meet in Wisconsin Rapids on Oct. 29.
Miehe also became a two-time individual SWAL champion by winning the conference race at Riverdale in 16:29 and a two-time individual sectional champion by placing first at the D-3 Boscobel Sectional. The sophomore finished first overall in seven of Darlington’s 11 meets this season, including setting a personal-best and a course record at the Platteville Invitational (15:35). He added a course record on his home course after winning the Darlington Invitational (16:18) back on Sept. 3.
2- Trevor Wunnicke, jr. Dodge-Point – Wunnicke claimed the Southwest Wisconsin Conference individual championship this season with a winning time of 16:51 and helped Dodge-Point run away with the SWC team title as well.
At the Division 2 state meet, Wunnicke finished runner-up (15:50.6) to New Glarus/Monticello junior Ryan McCoy (15:38.27) as the Dodgers pulled in fourth as a team. The junior also helped the Dodgers finish first as a team at the WIAA Monroe Sectional by placing third overall in the race (16:10).
3- Brett Hottman, sr., Dodge-Point – The senior finished second overall in the SWC (17:05), fourth at sectionals (16:35) and 25th overall at state (16:47.9) for the Dodgers, who won conference and sectionals titles and placed fourth at state this season.
4- Destin Komprood, sr, Darlington – The senior was runner-up to teammate Tyson Miehe in the SWAL (17:14) this season, while placing third overall at the Boscobel Sectional (17:07) and 11th overall at state (16:50.5) for the 2011 D-3 state champion Redbirds.
5- Michael Sinclair, sr, Darlington – Sinclair became a four-time All-SWAL runner by placing fourth overall at the conference meet (17:21) at Riverdale. The senior also placed fifth at sectionals (17:17) and 14th at state (16:54.6) for the 2011 D-3 state champion Redbirds.
6- Adam Niehaus, sr., Platteville – The Hillmen senior placed fourth in the SWC (15:57), then earned a state meet berth by finishing seventh overall at the Monroe Sectional (16:58). At state, Niehaus finished 32nd (17:11) in his final prep race.
7- Ryan Mindham, jr., Boscobel – The junior finished third at this year’s SWAL Meet (17:14), then helped the Bulldogs capture a team state berth by placing second overall (17:01) at the Boscobel Sectional. At state, Mindham finished 35th (18:04) for the seventh-place Bulldogs.
GIRLS
1- Molly Hanson, sr., Dodge-Point – The senior put together a spectacular season in leading Dodge-Point to their second straight and fourth overall WIAA Division 2 state team championship. Hanson became the third runner in school history to win an individual state championship by setting a new personal best and school record with her blazing time of 14:23.1 over the 4,000-meter girls’ course at The Ridges in Wisconsin Rapids on Oct. 29. The performance came 10 years to the day that her sister, Michaela Courtney, won the school’s first state title, and she joins Katrina Rundhaug (2002) as the other state champions.
Hanson, whose father Joe is a co-head coach on the team, led the Dodgers to state for the 16 consecutive season by winning the individual sectional race (14:37) at the Monroe Sectional. She was also the runner-up in the SWC (15:55) for the conference champion Dodgers.
2- Tricia Serres, sr., Platteville – The Hillmen senior was the SWC champion this year with a winning time of 15:32 at Dodgeville. At the Division 2 state meet, Serres finished sixth overall (14:44.3) to close out her outstanding prep career. The senior advanced to state with a 10th-place finish at the WIAA Monroe Sectional Meet (15:37).
3- Hannah Owens, fr., Dodge-Point – The freshman-phenom placed third (15:55) at the SWC Meet, second (14:57) at sectionals and seventh (14:49.49) at state for the Dodgers, who swept all three team titles thanks to her efforts. She was the fastest freshman in the D-2 girls’ race.
4- Anna Eisenzimmer, soph., Dodge-Point – The sophomore finished fourth (15:55) at the SWC Meet, fourth (15:13) at sectionals and 11th (14:58.3) at state for the Dodgers.
5- Keely Foley, fr., Boscobel – The Bulldogs freshman captured the girls’ individual SWAL title this season by finishing first overall (15:35) at the conference meet held in Muscoda on Oct. 13. Foley also added a Division 3 girls’ individual sectional championship by winning the Boscobel Sectional (15:18) while leading the Lady Bulldogs to a runner-up finish and a state team berth. At state, Foley turned in the top time for a freshman after placing ninth overall (15:19.6) for the eight-place Lady Bulldogs.
6- Mairin Cahill, soph., Dodge-Point – The sophomore came in fifth (16:06) at the SWC Meet, sixth (15:25) at sectionals and 22nd (15:17.9) at state for the Dodgers.
7- Christa Wamsley, jr., Darlington – The junior helped lead the Lady Redbirds to a conference title by placing second (16:02) at the SWAL Meet, a sectional team title by finishing second overall (16:02) at the Boscobel Sectional Meet, and a best-ever third-place team finish at state by finishing 11th (a personal-best 15:47.7) at the 2011 Division 3 Girls’ State Meet.
HEAD COACH (Coach of the Year)
Arnie Miehe, Darlington – The 30th season of coaching at Darlington High School may go down at the best ever for the Hall of Fame Redbird head coach.
Coach Miehe led the Darlington boys’ team to the 2011 WIAA Division 3 state cross country championship– the third state title during his coaching career and seventh overall state trophy. Two of his own sons– Kent, a senior, and Tyson, a sophomore– played key roles on the team with Tyson running away with the boys’ D-3 individual title to give his father his first state champion. The Redbirds also won their fourth straight SWAL title and fourth straight sectional title this season.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Redbirds also had an outstanding season, advancing to state for the sixth straight season and placing third as a team at state for the best finish in program history. The Lady Redbirds also won their fourth straight SWAL title and fourth straight sectional title this season.
BOYS CAPTAIN (Male Runner of the Year)
Tyson Miehe, soph., Darlington – The D3 individual state champion earns our top individual honor after leading the Redbird boys to the D3 team title.
GIRLS CAPTAIN (Female Runner of the Year)
Molly Hanson, sr., Dodge-Point – Hanson won the D2 individual state championship and led her Dodgers to the D2 team title.
