2024 Cross Country State Meet: Class AA Recap

St. Paul Highland Park’s Grace Lewis-Mosher ended her prep cross country career in style on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Sporting stylish sunglasses and a permanent smile that was as radiant as the sun, the senior was the star attraction during the Class AA Girls Cross County State Meet on the 5,000-meter course at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights. She finished in dominating fashion with a time of 18 minutes, 11.8 seconds. 

Her finish was not only eight places better than a year ago, it spurred St. Paul Highland to the team championship, too. 

“Maybe the biggest cheers I received on the course were for the sunglasses I was wearing,” Lewis-Mosher said afterward. “It was a great day for running and I just wanted to soak it all in.”

Lewis-Mosher finished 10.5 seconds ahead of teammate Claire Vukovics, a senior, and 12.5 seconds ahead of Fairmont senior Macy Hanson. 

The one-two finish of Lewis-Mosher and Vukovics paved the way for a jubilant team mob scene that took place during Lewis-Mosher’s postrace news interview. Also part of the winning team effort were senior Samantha Palm, ninth-grader Ruby Peterson and senior Ellie Moore. It is the third Class AA championship for St. Paul Highland Park in the past four seasons. A year ago, St. Paul Highland Park finished in a tie with Alexandria Area, but was declared the silver medalists on tie-breaking criteria. Marshall won the Class AA team title. 

“As a team, I am so proud of these girls,” Lewis-Mosher said. “We ran with a bit of an edge in that we didn’t want any doubt that we were here to win the thing. It is also such a great feeling to win and represent the St. Paul City Conference.”

Lewis-Mosher was part of a lead back at the 1,600-mark that looked relaxed and fresh. Remaining steady throughout, she made her move with about 400 meters remaining and looked like she could run more. 

“I wanted to be smart, but also not hold back and leave anything to chance,” she said. “What an incredible feeling this is.”

St. Paul Highland Park finished with 53 points and Alexandria was runner-up with 86. Perham was third at 93.

Boys

The individual title was expected to be a duel between friends and competitors, Annandale senior Sal Wirth and Perham senior Bjorn Anderson. As they came up and over the hill that paves the way for fast finishes, the two were nearly shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of the Class AA championship. 

Wirth used what was left in the tank to pull ahead for a winning time of 15:15, 2.4 seconds ahead of Anderson. A year ago, Anderson was also the Class AA runner-up and Wirth was fourth. 

“I came in ranked No. 1, something that has gone back and forth between me and Bjorn,” Wirth said. “I came in with the thought of leaving as No. 1. Over the past couple of weeks, all I’ve been doing is thinking and visioning about when you come over the hill and see that finish line. I told myself to be next to Bjorn at that point, or whoever else was there, to put myself in a position to go. I got on my toes and it worked.”

Orono senior Owen Chapman was third in 15:21.

Marshall won the team championship with 73 points and Perham was runner-up at 81. Mankato East, the defending Class AA champion, was third at 109.