The Waseca cross country teams competed at the Big South Conference Championships at the Jackson Golf Course in Jackson, Minnesota, highlighted by a pair of conference honors for the Bluejays. Senior Taylor Markeson earned All-Conference honors for the Waseca girls, while Samuel Feldkamp earned All-Conference Honorable Mention for the Waseca boys.
Markeson Leads Bluejay Girls to Fifth-Place Finish
The Waseca girls finished fifth in the Big South Conference Large School Division with 111 points, just three points behind fourth-place Fairmont.
Markeson led the Bluejays with a 9th-place finish, completing the course in 21:16.18. Her top-10 performance earned her Big South Conference All-Conference honors.
Junior Maren Schimming was Waseca's second finisher, placing 23rd in 22:11.26, while freshman Ellie Kopischke followed in 27th with a time of 22:59.99.
Junior Ava VanDenHemel and sophomore Quinn Yoder crossed the finish line less than a second apart. VanDenHemel placed 32nd in 23:29.97, while Yoder finished 33rd in 23:30.88. Freshman Leah Wilson rounded out the Bluejay lineup, placing 40th in 24:43.12.
Waseca Girls Results
9th – Taylor Markeson: 21:16.18 — All-Conference
23rd – Maren Schimming: 22:11.26
27th – Ellie Kopischke: 22:59.99
32nd – Ava VanDenHemel: 23:29.97
33rd – Quinn Yoder: 23:30.88
40th – Leah Wilson: 24:43.12
Girls Large School Team Standings
Marshall – 28 points
St. Peter – 51 points
Belle Plaine – 57 points
Fairmont – 108 points
Waseca – 111 points
Worthington – 171 points
Waseca's scoring five combined for a team time of 1:53:28.28, an average of 22:41.66 per runner.
Feldkamp Earns Honorable Mention to Lead Bluejay Boys
The Waseca boys finished seventh in the Big South Conference Large School Division with 146 points, just one point behind sixth-place Worthington.
Feldkamp led the Bluejays with an 11th-place finish, crossing the line in 18:26.00. His performance earned him Big South Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Keenan Collins was Waseca's second finisher, placing 23rd in 19:38.00, followed by Luke Feldkamp, who finished 35th in 20:03.00.
Ryan Yoder placed 44th with a time of 21:33.82. Miles Popp followed in 46th at 21:38.90, and Korbin Collins rounded out the Waseca lineup in 47th with a time of 21:49.31.
Waseca Boys Results
11th – Samuel Feldkamp: 18:26.00 — All-Conference Honorable Mention
23rd – Keenan Collins: 19:38.00
35th – Luke Feldkamp: 20:03.00
44th – Ryan Yoder: 21:33.82
46th – Miles Popp: 21:38.90
47th – Korbin Collins: 21:49.31
Boys Large School Team Standings
Marshall – 40 points
Belle Plaine – 77 points
St. Peter – 77 points
Fairmont – 85 points
Tri-City United – 136 points
Worthington – 145 points
Waseca – 146 points
Waseca's scoring five combined for a team time of 1:41:19.72, an average of 20:15.95 per runner.
Bluejays Head to Section 1AA Championships
With the conference championships complete, Waseca now turns its attention to the postseason. The Bluejays will compete at the Section 1AA Championships on Thursday, October 29, in Faribault, where Waseca's runners will look to build on their conference performances and compete for opportunities to advance to the MSHSL State Cross Country Championships.