Panthers capture Middle Border Conference championship

The Ellsworth boys cross country team placed first at the Middle Border Conference meet Thursday in Amery, giving it back-to-back conference championships.

Panthers senior Matt Priest finished second with a time of 17 minutes, 41 seconds in the 5,000 meter race. Senior Ike Taplin came in right behind Priest in third place at 17:51. Jaylen Pavloski finished fifth in 17:58, Sam Mahaffey seventh at 18:16 and Tyler Marson rounded out the top five runners for Ellsworth in 13th at 18:55.

The Panthers got the victory with 30 points, Prescott came in second with 66 and Osceola took third with 103. Prescott’s Cole Hauenstein won the race in 17:22.

Ellsworth girls place fifth

The Ellsworth girls cross country team finished fifth with 117 points at the Middle Border Conference meet.

The Panthers placed two girls in the top ten, with junior Cassie Lofgren coming in fourth in 17:14 and junior Kennedy Kowalchyk finishing ninth with a time of 17:27 in the 4,000 meter race. Becca Matzek, 18:18, Kelsey Betthauser, 18:52, and Morgan Matter, 19:31, concluded the top five runners for Ellsworth.

New Richmond won the conference championship with 46 points, Osceola came in second at 88 points, Baldwin-Woodville finished third with 89 points and Amery got fourth place at 115 points.

Tags: sports, prep, cross-country, ellsworth