MUSCODA – For the fourth year in a row, the Darlington boys’ and girls’ cross country teams got to celebrate conference championships side-by-side.
       Thanks to an impressive pair of all-around team performances, the Redbird harriers swept their way to the team titles at the 2011 SWAL Meet hosted by Riverdale High School on Thursday, Oct. 13.
    The Redbirds (105-6 overall) placed all seven of their varsity runners in the top 10 to cruise to the boys’ crown with 19 points, while the Lady Redbirds (98-17) put six runners in the top 10 to claim the girls’ crown with 25 points.
    Boscobel took runner-up in each race, while Southwestern/Cuba City was third in both events.
    Sophomore Tyson Miehe claimed his second career individual SWAL title by winning the boys’ 5,000-meter race in a time of 16:29, while Boscobel freshman Keely Foley finished first in the girls’ 4,000-meter race in a winning time of 15:35.
    Senior Destin Komprood finished second overall in 17:00, while seniors Michael Sinclair (17:21) and Brady McDaniel (17:33) came in fourth and fifth, respectively, for the ‘Birds. Junior Garth Garrison completed the team scoring by placing seventh in 17:45.
    “The guys are running with a true sense of purpose. Our order of finish changes with every meet, but the result stays the same,” said Darlington head coach Arnie Miehe.
    Senior Kent Miehe was eighth in 17:50 and junior Kyle Schulte was 10th in a personal-best time of 18:00 to dart their way onto the boys’ All-Conference team on Thursday afternoon.
    The top 10 individual runners in each race earn All-Conference selections in the SWAL. Sinclair and K. Miehe each made the All-Conference squad for the fourth consecutive year.
    Junior Christa Wamsley led the way for the Lady Redbirds after coming in second overall in 16:02 and she was followed in by senior Hannah Robiolio, who took third in 16:17 for the ‘Birds.
    Senior Amy Jorgenson earned an All-Conference spot for a fourth straight season by finishing fifth in 16:35, while junior Harley Douglas capped the teams scoring by pulling in seventh in a personal-best time of 16:50.
    “Things are coming together for the ladies at just the right time. There is no limit to what they can do down the stretch,” Miehe mentioned.
    Junior Cheyenne Wolfe (16:59) and freshman Johanna Meister (17:18) also made the All-Conference squad after placing eighth and ninth, respectively, for Darlington; and junior Rebecca Mathias just missed earning SWAL accolades after finishing 12th overall in 17:37 to complete the varsity team.
    The Darlington junior varsity teams also swept the team titles on Thursday, winning the girls’ JV title for the fifth year in a row with a perfect score of 15 points and taking the boys’ JV title for the fourth straight time with 20 points.
    Darlington senior Hannah Huffman (17:49) edged Redbird junior Tatum Evenstad (personal-best 17:50) to win the girls’ JV race, while junior Quinn Cullen (18:19) and freshman Thomas Schultz (18:25) placed 1-2 for the ‘Birds in the boys’ JV race.
    The WIAA Division 3 Sectional Cross Country Meet will be held at Boscobel’s Ryan Zimple Memorial Cross Country Course on Saturday, Oct. 22. The girls’ race begins at 11 a.m. with the boys’ race to follow at approximately 11:45. The top two teams and top five individuals from non-qualifying teams at the sectional advance on to the State Meet.
    Both Darlington squads will be seeking their fourth straight sectional titles. The Lady Redbirds will also be looking for their sixth consecutive state berth, and the Redbirds are hoping to earn a state trip for the fourth year in a row.

SWAL MEET
BOYS–
Varsity Team Scores: Darlington 19, Boscobel 56, Southwestern/Cuba City 82, Iowa-Grant/Highland 112, Fennimore 122, Riverdale inc.

JV Team Scores: Darlington 20, Boscobel 39.

Redbirds’ Overall Results: 17- Quinn Cullen, 18:19; 19- Thomas Schultz, 18:25; 21- Patrick Roche, 18:39; 25- Eric Skattum, 18:51; 26- Erik Zander, 18:56; 32- Sam Johnson, 19:28; 33- Robert Martin, 19:34; 34- Scott McDaniel, 19:39; 43- Andrew Kelly, 20:18; 46- Nate Fleming, 20:38*; 47- Joe Moseley, 20:39*; 54- Tomas Zander, 20:56; 56- Andrew Jacobson, 21:06; 59- Alex Schulte, 21:14; 65- Jeremy Wick, 22:04*; 66- Payton Steiner, 22:26; 67- Seul Khon, 22:28*; 70- Tom Li, 23:40*; 71- Jose Hernandez, 23:40; 72- Philip Roppe, 23:50; 74- Edgar Mendez, 24:32*; 75- Casey Lobdell, 24:37*; 76- Rasmus Halme, 24:40; 80- Brandon Aardahl, 28:09.  
5,000-meter

GIRLS–
Varsity Team Scores: Darlington 25, Boscobel 40, Southwestern/Cuba City 106, Fennimore 113, Riverdale 125, Iowa-Grant/Highland 136.

JV Team Scores: Darlington 15, Boscobel 48, Riverdale 94, Fennimore 106.

Redbirds’ Overall Results: 14- Hannah Huffman, 17:49; 15- Tatum Evenstad, 17:50*; 24- Claire Scott, 18:19; 25- Alix Brandt, 18:21; 26- Caitie Chiaverotti, 18:25*; 30- Taylor Cox, 18:36*; 31- Darby Fitzsimons, 18:39; 34- Andrea McGowan, 18:51*; 44- Shae Johnson, 19:06*; 52- Kari Thompson, 20:36*; 53- Katie Carlson, 20:39; 55- Hope Robiolio, 20:42*; 58- Haleigh Sonsalla, 20:56*; 61- Kayla Fitzsimons, 21:05; 71- Savannah Bergeson, 21:51; 72- Ilka Clausen, 21:58; 75- Devra Komprood, 22:16; 77- Meghan Vieth, 23:23.
4,000-meter
* Best time ever
At Riverdale HS, on Thursday, Oct. 13