Craig's Bloomquist finishes fourth at state cross country meet; Brodhead's McIntyre fourth in girls race

John Barry, The Janesville Gazette, Wis.
·4 min read

May 8—JANESVILLE — Bryan Bloomquist made sure his final prep cross country race was a memorable one.

The Janesville Craig senior shaved more than a minute off his previous-best time this season en route to fourth-place finish at the WIAA alternate fall season boys state meet at Blackhawk Golf Course on Saturday. This was the fourth straight year Bloomquist ran at state.

Bloomquist ran the entire 5,000-meter race with the lead pack and finished with a time of 15:46.1. Jake Bourget of Stevens Point won the race in 15:38.6, with Middleton's Griffin Ward (15:43.2) and Ryan Schollmeyer (15:43.9) second and third, respectively.

Stevens Point won the boys team title with 32 points and Sun Prairie was second with 91.

Middleton's Lauren Pansegrau ran the fastest time in state meet history in winning the girls 5,000-meter race in 17:07.3 and led the Cardinals to the team title, as well.

Brodhead/Juda's Madelyn McIntyre was fourth in the girls race.

Bloomquist ran a 16:47 at last Saturday's sectional meet and had hoped to take 20 or 30 seconds off of that time at the state meet. When he crossed the finish line and saw what his time was, he was stunned.

"I figured it was a pretty good time because I ran up front in a team of three with the two Middleton guys, and I knew the times they were capable of. But to run a 15:46, that's unbelievable. I love this course. We call it "track on grass" because it is about the flattest course we run on all season.

"Plus, it was my last cross country race and my last time with the boys, and I couldn't be happier. I'm just so pleased that we were able to have a season. I think back to when I was a freshman, and Blake McCann was a senior and was crying at the sectional meet. I never understood why until today. I was crying a lot today because this really is it for me for cross country, although I still have a track season ahead."

Pansegrau was the story of the day.

One week after becoming the first girl in state history to run 5,000 meters in under 17:00, the junior standout nearly lapped the field in winning her race by more than a minute. Madison West's Genevieve Nashold was second in 18:27.0. Pansegrau did not have long to celebrate, as she was scheduled to compete in a 3,200-meter run at a track and field meet in Illinois on Saturday night.

"I was more concerned with my place today and not my time," Pansegrau said. "I wanted to go out there and see how it went. And today was more about the team, anyway. I'm just so glad we got the opportunity because nobody knew how this season was going to turn out."

McIntyre also finished in style. The senior, who was making her fourth straight state appearance, had a time of 18:51.7 in finishing fourth. She was 21st at the Division 2 state meet in 2019.

"That race was everything I wanted," McIntyre said. "I just wanted to go out with a clear head and not think too much, because sometimes I overthink stuff.

"And I really liked the course. It's a little bit uphill at first, but then you go almost all downhill and you can really let yourself go. My goal was to stay with the lead pack the first mile or so, and I was able to do that."

McIntyre plans to attend UW-La Crosse in the fall and compete in both cross country and track.

Milton junior Mara Talabac was 14th in the girls race, with Evansville's Riley Siltman finishing 15th in the boys race.

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WIAA state cross country meet

At Blackhawk Golf Course

BOYS TEAM SCORES

Stevens Point 32, Sun Prairie 69, Green Bay Preble 91, Middleton 95, Manitowoc 115, Stoughton 150, New Glarus/Monticello 174, Fond du Lac 196

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

(5,000 meters)

1. Jake Bourget (Stevens Point) 15:38.6; 2. Griffin Ward (Middleton) 15:43.2; 3. Ryan Schollmeyer (Middleton) 15:43.9; 4. Bryan Bloomquist (Janesville Craig) 15:46.1; 5. Bode Erickson (Stevens Point) 15:48.6; 15. Riley Siltman (Evansville) 16:18.5; 50. Trenten Zahn (Whitewater) 17:26.5

GIRLS TEAM SCORES

Middleton 41, Oregon 76, Madison West 79, De Pere 87, Eau Claire Memorial 108, Fond du Lac 162, Oshkosh West 165, New Glarus/Monticello 174

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

(5,000 meters)

1. Lauren Pansegrau (Middleton) 17:07.3; 2. Genevieve Nashold (Madison West) 18:27.0; 3. Zaira Malloy-Salgado (Middleton) 18:45.3; 4. Madelynn McIntyre (Brodbhead/Juda) 18:51.7; 5. Dasha Vorontsoy (Oregon) 18:53.04; 14. Mara Talabac (Milton) 19:38.5; 45. Rosemary Gallagher (Evansville) 20:58.4;