NORTH CRAWFORD runner Helen Carstens competed in the state cross-country meet on a windy Halloween morning. The clear skies and Fall temperatures provided the athletes with pleasant racing conditions despite the strong breeze. West Salem’s Maple Groves Venues hosted the event instead of the typical course in Wisconsin Rapids.
The race was split into three separate heats to reduce contact between contestants. Helen ran in the first wave of competition and placed 17th overall with a time of 20:02. This was her second-best time of the year behind a 19:44 performance in her meet at Kickapoo. Helen has qualified for four consecutive state meets, making her the only Trojan girl to make state appearances in all four years of eligibility.
Before Helen, former cross-country runners and North Crawford alumni Heather Murphy and Faye Gilbert held the school record with three appearances each. Heather Murphy won first and second place in 1990 and 1991, respectively. There was no girl’s cross-country team during Heather’s freshman year, however.
Helen will now prepare for the Spring’s track season, in which she’ll most likely participate in the long-distance events. Some teammates and classmates have been persuading her to join the girls’ basketball team as well. Her speed and athleticism would be a great addition to the girls’ squad.
The Kickapoo-La Farge girls’ team finished third place overall in the team competition. They lost to Lancaster and Ozaukee, but not without impressive performances from junior Anelise Egges, who placed third, and Autumn Jacks, who placed 10th.
