The Ping Sisters Dominate the Class A Distance Races

                                                 Photos by Gene Niemi

Grace Ping Wins the Class A 1600.  The Ping's near sweep of the first two places in the 3200
and 1600 produced enough points to put Winona Cotter in second in
the team scoring for Girls' Class A.  

                                    Lauren Ping on the outside.  Grace Ping (1) on the inside
                                                  with two laps to go in the 3200

Lauren kept her lead to win while Grace was passed  by Defending champion in the 3200, Tierney Wolfgram, who finish second. Lauren was asked after the race if the sisters had meant to
run side by side and set the pace, "No,"she said,   the sisters each  ran as fast as they could.
          Grace said that her season was interrupted by injuries. An injury hampered her at the State Cross County championships. A hip injury caused her to alter her stride that resulted in more injuries.  She got in enough training to be able to win the 1600.  Grace's past accomplishments resulted in a group of high school boys approached her at the  Hamline Elite Meet and asked if she'd pose with the boys for a photograph.  "Sure," Grace said.

Class A Girls' 1600

                            Photos by Gene Niemi

Grace Ping(1) and Lauren Ping(3) go 1-2 in the Class A 1600
The sisters went 1-2 in the 1600 and 1 & 3 in the 3200.  
When asked if the Ping sisters, who ran together from the start in the 3200, if that was their strategy, Lauren, who won the race said no they were running their own races.  Each giving it their best effort.  After the 3200, Grace, who finished 3rd, was asked if she was healthy.  Grace said that she had been injured during the MSHSL XC Championships.  She had a hip injury, she said, and the stress on her legs resulted in other injuries through track season.  The pair aren't going to run any more races this summer.  They'll continue training at their running camp.

Matt Steiger(1) and Declan Dahlberg(4) continue their rivalry
They battled to a photo finish in cross country last November.  This year's track saw the duo
compete against one another in both the 3200 and the 1600. Steiger won both races with Dahlberg finishing runner up in the 3200 and 3rd in the 1600.