Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

The opening number for the Forest Lake girls cross country team was Eagan High School’s Dakota County Championships, on Friday, Aug. 31, where eleven programs participated, and two of those were coming off state berths from the 2006 season.

Eastview took first with 60 points, as Eagan edged out Lakeville South for second place with 72 points, to Lakeville’s 73.

Head coach Eric Kaluza sounded like he didn’t mind how the Rangers performed, but he is looking for more as the season goes on.

“While seventh out of 11 teams was a good start, the Rangers believe they will be even better this Friday at the Cambridge Invite when they are at full strength.”

Kaluza is referencing the absence of both captain Annie Dehmlow, who will be back on the trails after missing the Eagan meet as well as Cassie Thobe, the talented 8th grader who suffered a weather-related injury near the finish line.

But as the senior Dehmlow was not even available, there were 11 of Forest Lake’s 28 runners who were competing in their first cross country race.

“Each ran exceptionally well,” Kaluza shared.

“Julia Hipp earned a trip to the award stand with a ninth place finish in the junior varsity race.”

In the varsity meet, Elizabeth Peterson and Gina Lange capped the event with virtually identical times, as Peterson took 22nd to Lange’s 23rd place. The up-and-coming Mackenzie Gallenberg was the third Ranger, coming in at 34th.

VARSITY RESULTS:

22. Peterson - 13:34.3

23. Lange - 13:34.9

34. Gallenberg - 13:56.6

54. Nicole Olson - 14:44.1

58. Megan Gooley - 14:58.7

63. McCall Lemmons - 15:31.6

dnf Thobe

JUNIOR VARSITY

9. Hipp - 14:41.1

43. Christy Newell - 15:56.7

56. Emily Peterson - 16:12.2

57. Laura Trombley - 16:12.6

63. Amber Anderson - 16:16.0

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