It’s Christmas in September for Port cross country teams

The Port Washington High School boys’ cross country team finished in second place of 13 squads at the Nightfall Classic in Marshfield last Friday.

Port scored 108 points and was only behind La Crosse Logan’s 75 and just ahead of West Salem’s 109.

Andrew Karrels was 11th in 17 minutes, 20.3 seconds on the 5,000-meter course. Beckett Shuster was 12th in 17:24.2. Connor Zinuticz was 17th in 17:42.8. Keagan Normile was 32nd in 18:20. Dylan Helmeid was 36th in 18:30.5.

Christmas LED lights lined the course, coach Mark Pasten said.

“The boys had a great time and performed very well as a team,” he said.

Port’s girls scored 103 points and finished third. West Salem won with 45 and Rhinelander had 97.

Ellie Knepfel was fifth in 20:26.6. Then came Ashley Mundt, 17th, 21:34.; Hannah Dahmen, 23rd, 21:58.9; Charlotte O’Brien, 30th, 22:30.4; and Jacqueline Poull, 38th, 22:46.6. The latter four were personal records.

“They took some big leaps forward,” coach Joe Adamak said.

Port takes a break before hosting a meet at Tendick Park in the Town of Saukville on Thursday, Oct. 8.