Courtesy Head Coach Larry Lasch
The Breckenridge-Wahpeton Storm cross country team kicked off their 2025 campaign with an impressive showing at the Staples-Motley Central Minnesota River Run.
Racing against a deep field of teams, the Storm runners delivered standout performances on both the girls’ and boys’ sides. The Storm girls shined with three top-10 finishes, leading the team to a runner-up finish in a tight battle with Fergus Falls.
Sophomore Lucie Comstock (5th, 20:24) and senior Kiera Wiertzema (6th, 20:32) pushed each other to strong early-season marks, while sophomore Gracie Falck (9th, 21:52) gave the Storm a critical third scorer inside the top ten.
Adding important depth were Sophomore Linnea Burgr (34th, 23:48), sophomore Addie King (36th, 24:09), Senior and newcomer Avelina Diaz (44th, 25:16), and sophomore Hayden Matejcek (54th, 26:56).
In the team standings, Breckenridge-Wahpeton tied Fergus Falls with 70 points, but claimed second place on a tie-breaker. Only Minnewaska Area (65 points) edged out the Storm for the team title.
Girls Team Results (Top 5):
- Minnewaska Area – 65
- Breckenridge/Wahpeton – 70 (won tie-breaker)
- Fergus Falls – 70
- Park Rapids Area – 93
- West Central Area – 137
On the boys’ side, junior Troy Berndt paced the Storm with a 12th-place finish in 18:27.
Close behind were freshman newcomer Theo Steinberger (37th, 20:21) and junior Jack Ekren (38th, 20:26), while freshman Jace Dauer (45th, 21:00) and junior Ethan Shur (53rd, 21:42) rounded out the scoring five. Sophomore Odin Carlson (62nd, 22:31) and freshman Jacob Voss (73rd, 25:23) added depth for the Storm.
As a team, the Storm boys placed sixth with 143 points, finishing just behind Staples-Motley (134) and ahead of A-B-E (212). Park Rapids Area (37 points) and Fergus Falls (43) claimed the top two spots in a competitive boys’ field.
Boys’ Team Results (Top 6):
- Park Rapids Area – 37
- Fergus Falls – 43
- West Central Area – 81
- Melrose Area – 126
- Staples-Motley – 134
- Breckenridge/Wahpeton – 143