The Northfield High School boys cross country team completed its 2026 season with a fifth place finish at the Section 1AA championship meet that was held in Faribault, Minn. on Thursday, Oct. 29.
The Raiders charted a score of 130, which was 45 points better than predicted in the race. Zumbrota-Mazeppa/Kenyon-Wanamingo earned the team title with a low score of 55 followed by Winona with a score of 62, Stewartville placed third at 78 and Kasson-Mantorville finished fourth at 125. The remainder of the field included Pine Island (159), Byron (179), Red Wing (192), Austin (216), Faribault (280), Albert Lea (294) and Waseca (295).
“It was a slower course than usual with the recent rains the prior week, but the Raiders were still very close to their season best times,” NHS coach Janet Smith said. “Dylan Barber and Owen Ensrud even had lifetime bests. Owen’s was especially impressive with a 12 second time drop. There were only five boys in the whole varsity race with lifetime PRs and we had two of them.”
Calvin Detert led the Raiders with a top time of 17:20 in 19th place, while Barber placed 21st at 17:22 and Theo Ennis was 26th at 17:30.
Ensrud placed 31st at 17:27, followed by teammate...