Iola-Scandinavia’s cross-country teams turned in strong performances Thursday, Oct. 16,l at the Central Wisconsin Conference meet in Rosholt, earning several All-Conference honors and posting solid individual results across all levels of competition.
In the varsity boys’ 5,000-meter race, the Thunderbirds placed third with 73 points, finishing behind team champion Bonduel (50 points) and runner-up Amherst (54). Ben Beck led the way for Iola-Scandinavia with a second-place finish, crossing the line in 16 minutes, 22.3 seconds — just behind Pacelli’s Luke Eiden, who won in 16:06.6.
Jack Beck and Henry Vater both delivered key top 10 finishes to secure team points. Jack took eighth in 17:26.0, while Vater finished 10th in 17:32.9. Both runners earned Second Team All-Conference recognition for their efforts. Evan Linjer followed in 24th with a time of 18:40.7, while Brycen Jorgensen and Zavier Shelley finished nearly side-by-side in 49th and 50th, clocking 20:38.6 and 20:38.8, respectively.
On the girls’ side, Iola-Scandinavia finished fifth in the team standings with 104 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood claimed the team title with 35 points, while Bonduel’s Mariah Wonder won the individual crown in 18:38.1.
For the Thunderbirds, Revyn Schrank led the charge, placing fifth overall with a time of 19:43.5 to earn First Team All-Conference honors. Cedarlyn Otremba followed in 17th place at 21:27.5, securing Honorable Mention All-Conference recognition. Rounding out the scoring for Iola-Scandinavia were Paige Tindal (29th, 22:47.2), Ari Hahn (45th, 24:53.8), and Rayanne Clendenning (56th, 25:03.4).
In the junior varsity races, the Thunderbirds continued to show depth. On the boys’ side, Brecken Stalter placed sixth in 21:38.0, while teammates Nikkoli Dominguez (11th, 23:27.0) and Brody Klemp (14th, 25:56.4) added steady finishes. Bonduel’s Garrett Klosterman took first in 20:24.7.
For the girls’ junior varsity, Amherst’s Madison Rekowski claimed the win in 23:57.9. Iola-Scandinavia’s Emily Brown (8th, 26:29.4), Hannah Olson (9th, 26:34.6), and Lydia Jones (10th, 27:32.2) packed tightly in the top 10, helping the Thunderbirds secure a competitive team showing.
The middle school teams also made an impact, with three Iola-Scandinavia runners finishing in the top 10. In the boys’ two-mile race, the Thunderbirds finished third with 82 points, trailing Pacelli (42) and Weyauwega-Fremont (57). Parker Poehlman placed third in 11:35.2, and Daniel Burns earned ninth in 11:54.3. Other finishers included John Mork (23rd, 12:33.5), Andy Holder (24th, 12:37.8), Grayson Linjer (31st, 12:56.8), Jayden Perales (32nd, 12:57.6), and Spencer Buelow (38th, 13:08.1).
On the girls’ side, Nola Mae Vater led the middle school team with a 10th-place finish in 12:46.0, followed by Lola Jones (26th, 13:58.6) and Lily Ivey (34th, 14:47.3). Menominee Indian’s Misty Water Fish won the race in 11:59.5.
With several top conference finishes and multiple All-Conference honors, Iola-Scandinavia’s program showed its depth from middle school through varsity.