By ERIK NELSON ,
1 hours ago
Once again, Rogers senior Cara Back will be headed to the Minnesota State High School League Class 3A girls cross-country meet.
Back first qualified for the state meet in 2021. Last year, as a junior, she finished 25th in the girls 5-kilometer race, earning All-State honors. She also earned All-State honors in 2024, finishing 15th. Back recently added another victory to her résumé, winning the Norm Ayen Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Purple Hawk Golf Course in Cambridge.
Back said she has learned a lot from running for the Royals.
“I have learned that running is hard,” Back said. “You can lean on your teammates for help, but eventually, it’s still an individual sport. [You’ve] got to put the time and work into it. I’ve grown a lot as a person. I was shy when I was younger. Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve experienced more.”
Back won’t be Rogers’ only representative at state. Junior Addie Porter will also compete alongside her this weekend.
“It’s going to be super fun,” Porter said. “She’s fun to be around. She’s impacted our team a ton. She started recruiting more girls to come for track and other sports. Our team might not be the same without he...