Cross country girls compete at conference 

     The girls cross country team competed at the CMC Conference meet in Paynesville on Tuesday, October 19. The girls did very well as a team ending with second place. Multiple Maple Lake runners finished with all conference titles, or placed in the top 15. 

       “This was my last conference meet so I knew I really had to push it,” said Senior Sophie Pribyl. Pribyl finished third, which earned her an all conference title. Pribyl has been running cross country since her seventh grade year, and has earned all conference titles the last three years. 

       Senior Grace Praska ran her last country meet in Paynseville. “The course was very difficult because there were so many hills. The worst part was the last half mile because it was all uphill to the finish,” said Praska. Praska placed 13th in the junior varsity race. 

         For some runners, this would be their first conference meet. “I was very nervous because I wanted to do good at conference, and the course was very difficult,” said seventh grader Maddie Austin. Austin joined cross country in the middle of the season. She is now a varsity runner and usually finishes fifth out of the Maple Lake runners. 

        Overall, the conference meet went very well for Maple Lake. For some it was their last ever cross country meet. On Thursday, October 28, the varsity team will compete at the section meet. If they do well at sections, they could advance to the state meet.