#1 Stillwater Tops #2 Wayzata 45 - 60

In a season-opening contest between Minnesota's #1 and #2-ranked boys' Class AA high school teams, #1 Stillwater topped defending MSHSL Class AA champions Wayzata, ranked #2, to win the Columbus Catholic Invitational in Marshfield, Wisconsin on Saturday.

Stillwater scored 45 points in the 26-team invitational, Wayzata finished second with 60, La Crosse Logan was third with 110.

Wayzata's Josh Thorson won the individual race, clocking 15:53 over the 5k course where 10,000-meter American Record-holder Chris Solinsky holds the course record with the 15:36 he ran in 2001 as a Stevens Point Area Senior High student.

Stillwater earned its victory with a well-knit top-5, led by Tom Linner, which placed 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, and 17th in the race. Wayzata's scorers finished 1st, 5th, 14th, 16th, and 25th.

The #7-ranked Wayzata girls' won their division of the meet, scoring 57 points to top runner-up River Falls which tallied 90. Un-ranked White Bear Lake was 5th in the meet with 165.

Find complete results HERE (boys) and HERE (girls).

Other Season-Opening Action ... Earlier in the week, Class AA's #1-ranked Monticello girls ran away with the Milaca-More Early Bird Invitational. (See results HERE.)

On Friday, Class AA's #2-ranked Lakeville South girls' won the Dakota Classic, HERE.

Also on Friday, Rosemount, Class AA's #3-ranked boys squad, won its own Irish Invitational 45-74 over runner-up #12 White Bear Lake. In girls' action at the meet, #6 Prior Lake topped un-ranked Stillwater 60-107.

Find complete Irish Invite results HERE. Watch video highlights of the meet HERE.

Špotáková Earns Silver in Daegu Javelin

Czech javelin star Barbora Špotáková, who briefly wore the colors of the University of Minnesota, earned a silver medal in the women's javelin at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea today.

Špotáková, who led early in the competition, threw her implement a season-best 234-10 in the competition's fifth round to regain the gold medal position. Russia's Maria Abakumova, however, responded with a launch of 236-2 later in the round to retake the lead and, ultimately, claim the gold medal from the world record-holder.

"How can I describe this competition - it was just crazy and amazing, there are not many competitions like this in the athletic history," Špotáková said afterward. "Who would even imagine such long throws before this final? To be honest, in a few moments I was a bit afraid of my world record."

Špotáková, the reigning Olympic champion whose world record is 237-2, had to content herself with an impressive six-throw series: three marks over 225-0, five beyond 220-0, and a sixth throw that still would have earned her a bronze medal in the championship.

"I always believe I can throw very far, it is my optimistic attitude to the competition. I expected 70 meters, but 71 is a great result. Abakumova surprised a lot and it seems I need to start my training for 73 meters," Špotáková added, smiling.

Find a recap of the pulsating competition HERE. Find complete results HERE.

A French language YouTube video of the competition is HERE. Nearly 15 minutes long it captures the drama of the competition and some nice dance moves by Abakumova after she knew she had the gold and was feeling the crowd on her last throw. Also some reaction shots of the coaches. Špotáková's coach being none other than the men's javelin legend, Jan Železný.

Yes/No: Three Team USA-ers in Top-5 at 20K?

Like many of us, a few members of the Team USA Minnesota crew will take a break over the Labor Day weekend. The four subjects of this week's question, however, will travel to Connecticut for what we hope will be a blazing fast tour of the Yale campus (and beyond) for the USA 20k Championships.

Andrew Carlson, Jason Lehmkuhle, Katie McGregor, and Meghan Peyton will compete against some top American runners for this Labor Day race in New Haven. The start list contains notables such as Lisa Koll, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, and Abdi Abdirahman.

How will the Minnesotans stack up? Let us know what you think with this question...

Yes/No: Will at least three of the four Team USA Minnesota runners (Andrew Carlson, Jason Lehmkuhle, Katie McGregor, and Meghan Peyton) finish in the top five in their respective USA 20K Championship races?

Last year's results show Sean Quigley (59:21) and Magdalena Lewy Boulet (1:07:41) winning.

Katie McGregor has not run New Haven since 2003 when she finished third, running sub sixty eight minutes. She has seven national championships at various distances to her name. Meghan Peyton will run New Haven for the first time this year. Peyton has finished in the top five in the 2010 USA 5k Championships and 10 mile Championships as well as the 2011 15k Champs.

Jason Lehmkuhle and Andrew Carlson are both old pros at the New Haven 20k race. They have finished in the top five multiple times at this race. The two recently ran the Lifetime Fitness Torchlight 5k and finished together in 14:22.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 7:15 A.M. CDT, Monday, September 5th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will offer our usual bonus for participants making their 2011 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My answer: Yes

Last week's question was: Yes/No: Will Kara Goucher finish in the top ten in the 10,000 meters at the World Championships in Daegu? The correct answer was no. Goucher battled through her injuries to finish thirteenth. Fourteen people answered correctly this week. It was a good week for the masses - in a strange turn of events, the top ten in the overall standings all answered incorrectly. The monthly winners were Dimitri Drekonja and Andrea Yesnes. Both scored four points and answered correctly every week in August.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Round-Up: Špotáková, Mead, and Dilling

We've got a news round-up triple-header today ...

Špotáková Advances ... The University of Minnesota's most decorated track and field athlete, Barbora Špotáková, qualified for the finals of the women's javelin at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea this morning.

The Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder from the Czech Republic who had a brief career as a heptathlete at Minnesota marked a 208-0 on her first and only throw of the qualifying competition. The mark surpassed the automatic finals-qualifying standard of 200-1.

Špotáková, who tops the 2011 world list in the event with at 227-10, was the 4th-best qualifier in the competition. Christina Obergföll of Germany was the day's top thrower at 225-7.

Find complete results of the competition HERE.

Mead Talks ... University of Minnesota distance running star Hassan Mead was interviewed by Carrie Tollefson on the Olympian's weekly weekly video podcast "C Tolle Run."

Mead talks about his family's move from Somalia to the United States when he was a child as well as about his post-collegiate future as a distance runner. You can watch the video below.



Find more "C Tolle Run" podcasts HERE.

Dilling Returns ... Former Minnesota State, Mankato high jump star Jim Dilling was back in Minnesota recently after competing for six weeks in Europe. Dilling, who finished sixth at the USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene this summer, will be a member of the USA squad at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico in late October.

While at his alma mater, Dilling gave an extensive interview to the MSU's MavBlog. You can read the interview HERE.

Gophers Open Season Ranked #27 and #30

The University of Minnesota cross country teams will open the 2011 season ranked in the top-30 of NCAA Division I. The Gopher men are ranked #27 in the recently released U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll; the Gopher women are ranked #30.

Both teams finished 27th at last year's NCAA Championships.

In the men's rankings, defending NCAA champion Oklahoma State leads the poll, followed by Stanford and Wisconsin. The Gopher men are ranked 4th among Big Ten teams, trailing the Badgers, #8 Indiana, and #25 Ohio State.

In women's rankings, Georgetown, 4th at NCAAs last year, tops the list, followed by New Mexico and Providence. The Gopher women are ranked 5th among Big Ten teams, trailing #13 Michigan, #18 Penn State, #28 Iowa, and #29 Michigan State.

In Midwest Region rankings, the Gopher men are ranked #3, behind Oklahoma State and last year's 5th-place NCAA team, Oklahoma.

The Gopher women are ranked #4 in the Midwest, trailing Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Iowa, respectively.

Find complete D1 national rankings HERE. Find full regional rankings HERE.

No Triple Jump Finals for Amanda Smock

USA triple jump champion Amanda Smock did not qualify for finals in her event at the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea last night. The Melrose native jumped 44-2 3/4 to finish 17th in her qualifying flight and 31st overall.

Smock (pictured) needed to better 46-5 1/4 in order to advance, a mark just short of her personal best of 46-6 1/4

After fouling her opening attempt, Smock marked the 44-2 3/4, and ended her competition with a 43-10 1/2.

“Unfortunately, I just wasn’t able to put it together which was obviously very frustrating to me," Smock told USA Track and Field afterward. "But I felt physically like I was ready to get a big jump in there, but it just didn’t happen for me today. I haven’t had a ton of time to hash it over yet, but right now at this point I am just a little bit mystified by it all."

Smock only made her first USA team after marking the IAAF "B" qualifying standard late in the summer.

"It was a great feeling to make the team, when I wasn’t expecting to just a few months ago," she said. "I have a lot to take away from it all as an experience.”

Two-time defending world champion Yargeris Savigne of Cuba was the top qualifier with a 47-11 3/4.

Find complete results of the event HERE.

Photo by Randy Miyazaki/TrackandFieldPhoto.com

Tall Order for Smock in World's TJ Qualifying

USA triple jump champion Amanda Smock faces a tall challenge as she tries to advance to finals from tonight's women's triple jump qualifying round at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

The Melrose native is one of 34 athletes jumping at 9:45 p.m. CDT for one of twelve spots in event's final, slated for Thursday.

Smock's season and personal best mark of 46-6 1/4, recorded late this summer, ranks her #30 among the qualifying round jumpers. A top-twelve finish in the qualifying round or a mark of 47-5 would advance Smock to the finals.

The United States hasn't had a women's triple jump finalist at the World Championships since 1997, when Cynthea Rhodes placed 11th in Athens. The USA has never medaled in the event at the World Championships.

Two-time defending world champion Yargelis Savigne of Cuba is the favorite in the event. She has jumped 49-2 1/2 this year to co-lead the 2011 world list. Caterine Ibargüen of Columbia has an identical mark, made at altitude.

Track & Field News has an event preview HERE. Track statistician K. Ken Nakamura has an extensive historical reference for the event, HERE.

Live results for today's events in Daegu can be found HERE.

Goucher 13th in World Championships 10,000m

Duluth native Kara Goucher finished 13th in the 10,000-meters at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea this morning.

A bronze medalist in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Goucher clocked 32:29.58 in today's 25-lap event.

Vivian Cheruiyot lead a 1-2-3-4 Kenya sweep in the event, running a personal best 30:48.98. Three-time NCAA cross country champion Sally Kipyego was runner-up in 30:50.04.

Shalane Flanagan was the top American finisher, 7th in 31:25.57. Jen Rhines was 9th in 31:47.59.

Goucher was challenged this season by a stress reaction in the neck of her femur, an injury which caused her to skip the London Diamond League meet earlier this summer and, for a time, put the World Championships in doubt.

Find complete results HERE.

Update: USA Track and Field provided the following post-race quotes from Goucher ...

“I’ve been battling an injury and I kept thinking if my workouts go to the crapper I’ll just give up my spot, and even though I’ve been in a lot of pain, my workouts have just progressed and progressed, So I just knew I would have so much regret if I didn’t try... You only get so many chances ... When I was warming-up it was the best I’ve felt in weeks ... I fought all the way to the end.”

Maxwell, Hauger Named Athletes of the Month

Masters track and field phenomenon Ralph Maxwell and prep distance star Maria Hauger have been named USATF Minnesota's Athletes of the Month for August, the organization announced yesterday.

Maxwell, a 91-year-old who splits his time between Richville, Minnesota and Alamo, Texas, is honored for setting a new age-group world record in the decathlon for athletes over 90-years-old at the World Masters Track & Field Championships held in Sacramento, California last month. Maxwell scored 7069 points in the two-day, ten-event contest, overwhelming the previous world record of 3190 points set by Australia's Vic younger in 2003.

On the first day of competition, Maxwell ran 19.69 seconds in the 100-meters, long jumped 8-7 1/2, put the shot 20-3, cleared 3-4 1/2 in the high jump, and ran 1:49.24 in the 400-meters. On day two, Maxwell ran a 21.62 in the 80-meter hurdles, threw the discus 45-10, pole vaulted 4-7, marked a javelin throw of 60-0, and ran 11:30.51 in the 1500-meters.

Hauger, who will be a junior at Shakopee High School this fall, is recognized for winning the national title at 3000-meters in the Young Women's division of the USATF Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships held in Wichita, Kansas last month. Hauger clocked 10:09.96 to win the event by 30 seconds.

Find a comprehensive listing of USATF- Minnesota Athletes of the Month HERE.

Amanda Smock Profiled in Star-Tribune

Reigning USA triple jump champion Amanda Smock is profiled by Rachel Blount in today's Star-Tribune, HERE.

Smock, who competes in women's triple jump qualifying on Tuesday at the IAAF world championships in Daegu, South Korea, talks about the role her late father Glen Thieschafer played in her athletic career.

Yes/No: Goucher Top-10 in World 10,000m?

In case you have not heard, the World Championships will kick off in Daegu South Korea this weekend. The nine-day event will crown the best in the world in each event and establish the favorites for next year's London Olympics.

Kara Goucher finished third in the 10,000 meters of the 2007 World Championships and she has been gearing up for a return to the same race following the birth of her son last September. Unfortunately, she was dealt a setback recently with a diagnosis of a stress reaction of the femur.

Goucher reports that her fitness remains very strong but she seems unsure exactly how everything will unfold. Let us know how you think she will run by answering this question...

Yes/No: Will Kara Goucher finish in the top ten in the 10,000 meters at the World Championships in Daegu?

Goucher's major race this year was the Boston Marathon where she finished fifth in a personal best 2:24:52. To qualify for the World Championship team, Goucher ran the 10,000 meters at the USA Championships and placed second in 31:16.

You can click your way to a preliminary listing of runners in Saturday's race HERE.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 6:45 A.M. CDT, Saturday, August 27th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will offer our usual bonus for participants making their 2011 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My answer: Yes

Last week's question was: Will six or more runners break 20:00 at the Buttered Corn Day 5K? The correct answer was no. Two people finished under 20 minutes and Duane Otfedahl took the victory in 18:02. Eighteen people answered correctly this week but that number included only one of the previous week's co-leaders. Therefore we have a new sole leader - Patrick Eastman with 21 points. The chase pack is ready to pounce; three contestants have 20 points, three have 19 and three have 18.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Hamline Men Top Preseason Regional Ranks

According to the pollsters, Hamline University is the men's cross country team to beat in the NCAA's Central Region this fall.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its first regional rankings for 2011 in NCAA Division II and III. The poll-topping Pipers are the top-ranked squad in Minnesota across the small college divisions.

Following Hamline in the D3 Central Region men's poll are St. John's at #3 and St. Thomas at #4. Northfield rivals St. Olaf and Carleton are ranked #8 and #9, respectively.

On the women's side of the D3 region, St. Olaf tops Minnesota schools with its #4 ranking. Carleton, St. Thomas, and Gustavus Adolphus follow at #5, #6, and #7, respectively. St. Benedict at #9 and Bethel at #10 round out the poll.

Nebraska Wesleyan is ranked #1 aong women in the Central Region.

Find complete D3 regional rankings HERE.

In NCAA Division II, the University of Minnesota Duluth women pace the state with a #4 ranking. St. Cloud State is ranked #8. Western State of Colorado leads the poll.

Among D2 men, UMD is ranked #8 and Minnesota State, Mankato is ranked #10. Adams State of Colorado tops the poll.

Find complete D2 regional rankings HERE.

National rankings in Division II and III will be released later today.

Few Answers in Death of Duluth's Matt Kero

The Duluth News-Tribune's Kevin Pates reports today that an autopsy of Matt Kero gave few answers to why the 18-year-old distance runner died in his sleep, other than that the death was from natural causes.

The full story is HERE.

Kero's Duluth News-Tribune obituary can be found HERE.

A visitation is planned from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. today at Williams Lobermeier Funeral Home, 3208 West Third Street, in Duluth. It will resume at 10:00 a.m. Thursday until an 11:00 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial in Mitchell Auditorium on the St. Scholastica campus.

Kero is being remembered fondly on his Facebook page HERE.

18-Year-Old Duluth Runner Dies in Sleep

Matt Kero, a 2011 high school graduate who represented Duluth Denfeld and Duluth Central in track, cross country, and hockey was found dead yesterday morning after apparently dying in his sleep.

Kevin Pates of the Duluth News-Tribune has the full story HERE.

Kero, 18, was a finalist at 1600-meters at the MSHSL Class AA State Meet last spring, running 4:29.96 for 13th place. Kero was planing to attend St. Scholastica this fall and continue his running career.

In the Duluth News-Tribune story, Kero is described by one of his high school coaches as a fearless competitor with a strong work ethic.

According to the story, funeral arrangements are still pending.

Goucher to Run Worlds

The Duluth News Tribune's Kevin Pates updates what's happening with Kara Goucher and her attempts to run the 10K in the IAAF World Championships HERE.

Team USA-ers in Action at Torchlight 5K

Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle, Andrew Carlson, Josh Moen, and Meghan Peyton will participate in the Life Time Fitness Torchlight 5K on Thursday in downtown Minneapolis.

The run, which was originally scheduled for July 20, was rescheduled due to extreme heat conditions.

The Torchlight 5k starts and finishes at St. Anthony Main and covers a loop course along the Mississippi River including over the Stone Arch Bridge. The run begins at 8:00 p.m.

Lehmkuhle, Carlson, and Peyton will use the run as a tune-up for the USA 20K Championships which will be held in New Haven, Connecticut on Labor Day. Moen will also be racing on Labor Day, but will stay local to run in the Victory 10K in Minneapolis.

Waweru, McGregor Win at 13.1 Minneapolis

Moses Waweru and Katie McGregor earned victories -- and $1000 paychecks -- at the 13.1 Minneapolis Half Marathon on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Waweru, a Kenyan who once made his home in Minnesota, clocked an event record 1:05:44 to best Duluth's Eric Hartmark (1:06:32) and countryman Richand Kandie (1:08:16) for the men's title.

Team USA Minnesota's McGregor ran a women's record-setting 1:15:00 on the course that started at St Anthony Main and followed the Mississippi River and Minnehaha Creek to the finish at Lake Nokomis.

Former teammate Michelle Frey finished runner-up in 1:15:54. St. Olaf College alumnus Jenna Boren clocked 1:17:11 for third.

Find complete results of the race HERE.

Yes/No: Six Under 20:00 at Buttered Corn Day?

It's time for Yes/No to make its annual trip to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.

The little town is only about two hours from the Twin Cities and we personally guarantee that you can eat some fresh, dripping-with-goodness corn on the cob there. This weekend marks the town's Buttered Corn Days celebration and there will be a road race to go along with the delicious food, contested at distances of 5k, 10k and 20k.

We can't think of a good question related to eating buttered corn (fastest? sloppiest? most ears at one time?) So we will stick to running ...

Yes/No: Will six or more runners break 20:00 at the Buttered Corn Day 5k?

In 2010, six runners broke 20:00 in the 5k, led by winner Joe Goettl in a time of 17:05. The 20k awards $100 to the male and female winner while the 10k/5k pass out plaques in the age-groups.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 9:15 A.M. CDT, Saturday, August 20th. Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will offer our usual bonus for participants making their 2011 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My answer: No

Last week's question was: Will William Leer finish in the top two at the Falmouth Elite Mile on Saturday? The correct answer was no. Leer finished eighth in 3:58. Twelve people answered correctly this week. The top of the leaderboard is crowded with Lori Anne Peterson, Patrick Eastman, Rachel Karel and Mike Henderson all tied for first with 20 points.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Cathedral and Adrian Lead Class A Ranks

Another day, another set of high school cross country rankings to report ...

The St. Cloud Cathedral boys and Adrian High School girls' top the MSHSL Class A preseason cross country team rankings released yesterday, while Brandon Clark of Blake and Elena Danielson of Cathedral lead the Class A individual rankings.

Cathedral returns four of five scorers from its 3rd-place team at State last fall. Minnehaha Academy, which tied for 4th at State in 2010, is ranked #2, Esko, 6th in Class A a year ago, is ranked #3.

#1-ranked Clark, who finished 4th in Class A individually, is the top returnee from the State Meet following the graduations of 2010 champion Mason Ferlic of Mounds Park Academy and runner-up Matt Jergenson of Caledonia and the promotion to Class AA of Worthington and its 2010 3rd-placer -- and 2009 State champ -- Mubarik Musa.

Jonnathan Surber of St. James, 5th at State last year, is ranked #2; Shane Streich of Waseca, 14th in the meet last year as an 8th-grader, is ranked #3.

Adrain, the defending Class A champion and winner of five of the last six Class A team titles, returns all the scorers from it's 2010 squad. St. Cloud Cathedral, runner up in 2010, is ranked #2; Esko, 5th in 2010, is tabbed as the #3 team in Class A.

Individually, #1-ranked Danielson, the 3rd-place finisher in Class A last year and the Class A 3200m champion on the track, leads defending champ Marisa Shady of Esko, who is ranked #2, and 2010 runner-up Lauren Friese of Fairmont, #3.

Boys' Teams

1. St. Cloud Cathedral
2. Minnehaha Academy
3. Esko
4. Perham
5. Waseca
6. Mora
7. Albany
8. LaCrescent
9. Plainview-Elgin-Millville
10. Byron
11. Mesabi East
12. Blake

Boys' Individuals

1. Brandon Clark, Blake
2. Jonnathan Surber, St. James
3. Shane Streich, Waseca
4. Byron Schuldt, Nevis
5. Matt Welch, Proctor
6. Nick Stoks, Canby-Minneota/LinHi
7. Jackson Lindquist, Esko
8. Jacob Siekmeier, Math & Science Academy
9. Cade Ekstrom, Madelia/Truman
10. Charlie Lawrence, Foley
11. Jesse Delgado, Waseca
12. Pat Reinschmidt, Painview-Elgin-Millville


Girls' Teams

1. Adrian
2. St. Cloud Cathedral
3. Esko
4. Blake
5. LaCrescent
6. Albany
7. Waseca
8. Annandale
9. Perham
10. Canby-Minneota/LinHi
11. Fairmont
12. Park Rapids


Girls' Individuals

1. Elena Danielson, St. Cloud Cathedral
2. Marissa Shady, Esko
3. Lauren Friese, Fairmont
4. Jordan Chancellor, Blake
5. Kayla Woltz, Chatfield
6. Victoria Alexander, Lake of the Woods
7. Leah Jessen, Canby-Minneota/LinHi
8. Clare Flanagan, Blake
9. Emi Trost, Cannon Falls
10. Sadie Novak-Klug, Waseca
11. Savannah Ramirez, Litchfield
12. Hannah Goemann, United South Central/AC

Wayzata Boys' Ranked #20 in USA XC Poll

Defending MSHSL Class AA boys State cross country champion Wayzata is ranked #20 in the in the recently released USA Super 25 high school cross country poll on Dyestat.

Despite graduating four of its five State Meet scorers from 2010, the poll tabbed the Trojans as the only Minnesota boys or girls team worthy of top-25 recognition. Wayzata is the second-highest ranked team from the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Region, behind Wisconsin's Hartland Arrowhead High School.

Wayzata is ranked #2 behind Stillwater in the preseason Minnesota Class AA poll.

Find the full Super 25 poll HERE.