Tag: Wayzata Girls Cross Country

Griak is one of the biggest meets of the season, with a longstanding tradition in Minnesota of drawing runners from all over the country. It’s a great preview for teams and individuals to see their competition for upcoming meets like Nike Regionals. This year was the first time in the 40 years of the meet, that the venue changed to Fort Snelling Golf Course. Unlike Les Bolstad, it’s previous location known for being tough and hilly, the new course handed out a ton of PR’s. In fact, all 9 finishing runners from Wayzata ran their personal best times, virtually unheard of in mid-September. 

Wayzata girls locked in, and finished 3rd overall, 2nd of the Minnesota teams, just behind Edina. The 2 teams have been battling for the top seed in the State all season. They’ll face each other come Lake Conference Championship and Sections in October. Both teams are young and looking to finish as the best in Minnesota. 

Faith Sundet and Sienna Blomberg both came in at 18:04 and 18:05, finishing 21st and 23rd in the Championship race. Naoko Neitz bettered her time from last week by over 2 minutes at 18:48. Adele Stark had a huge race with an 18:52 and Brianna Ledman had over a minute and a half drop with at 19:02, finishing 67th overall. And the Trojans didn’t let up. Cody Riddering, Eve Lofgren, Laney Granberg, and Olivia Cahill rounded out the team, all going sub 20. The depth that Wayzata continues to have is unreal, and they continue to get better and better.  

Last week, according to Dyestat.com early season outlooks have Wayzata ranked 23rd in the country, and expected to only move up from here after this week’s showing at Griak. 

Across the Twin Cities, JV competed in the Mustang Invitational and also placed top 5 in all of the heats, including the up and coming Wayzata Middle School team. In the Green race, Kingsley Loso, Grace Marley, and Ava Doherty placed in the top 10 and led the team to a win with 37 points. In the Silver race, Zeilyn Rico, and Maxine Truelson placed in the top 20. In the Gold race, Haidyn Lambert finished 8th with a time of 23:53. Middle School raced 3,200 Meters and took the top 4 spots with Catherine Williams, Emily Nelson, Paige Larson, and Edyn Holland sweeping the podium.

The Trojans have 2 more races including The Metro Invitational and then head to Iowa before launching into post season competition.

WAYZATA — After cruising to a dominant performance at the Minnesota State Meet, most high school cross country teams were closing the book on their seasons. For the Wayzata Trojans, the journey was just beginning.

On Nov. 9, Wayzata’s girls team traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to compete in the Nike Heartland Regional, one of the most competitive qualifying events in the country. Racing in single-digit temperatures with wind chills on a snow- and ice-covered course, the Trojans delivered another decisive victory, outpacing a 26-team field to secure a berth to the national championships.

Senior Maddie Gullickson led the way, winning the regional title in a personal-best time of 16:49. Gullickson was followed closely by Jazleen Malherek-Osorio, who finished in the top 10, while Miley Clark, Alissa Ledman, and Lila Golomb rounded out Wayzata’s scoring five. The Trojans totaled just 50 points, winning the meet by more than 30 points over the second-place team.

The regional victory elevated Wayzata onto the national stage. In the weeks that followed, the Trojans were ranked the No. 1 team in the country by national cross country outlets—an uncommon distinction for a Minnesota program and a reflection of the team’s depth and consistency throughout the season. Wayzata’s boys team also competed strongly at the regional meet, finishing third, but narrowly missed earning an at-large bid to nationals.

That momentum carried into the Nike Cross Nationals on Dec. 6 in Portland, Oregon, where the top 22 teams in the nation faced a soggy, muddy course under classic Pacific Northwest conditions. Despite the challenging terrain and the pressure of national competition, Wayzata once again rose to the occasion.

Gullickson finished seventh overall, anchoring the Trojans’ effort against elite programs from Colorado, New Jersey, and across the country. Malherek-Osorio, Ledman, Golomb, Addison Neitz, and Chloe Kissell each contributed to the team score, as Wayzata edged out Niwot High School of Colorado and Union Catholic of New Jersey to claim the national title. Senior Miley Clark was unable to finish after suffering a medical emergency late in the race but urged her teammates to continue as she received assistance near the finish area.

The championship capped a remarkable, undefeated season and placed the 2025 squad alongside Wayzata’s 2013 team as national champions—cementing the program’s legacy among the nation’s elite.

For Wayzata, a community that takes pride in excellence both in and out of the classroom, the victory represents more than a trophy. It is a testament to perseverance, teamwork, and a season defined by rising to every challenge—no matter the weather, the distance, or the stage.

“The Wayzata girls cross country team captured their program’s four straight Class 3A state championship. The Trojans scored a low total of just 27 points, with four runners finishing in the top ten. Maddie Gullickson won the state meet with a time of 16:44.3. Jazleen Malherek-Osorio (5th, 17:48.8), Lila Golomb (8th, 17:56.9), and Miley Clark (9th, 18:05.0) were the other Trojan runners who placed in the top ten. Morgan Waechter of Hopkins took 23rd with a time of 18:39.9. Maple Grove’s April Watson placed 28th in a time of 18:47.6. Naomi Dybvig of Armstrong clocked an 18:53.9, good for 32nd. On the boys side, Wayzata’s Thomas Berndt took 12th with a time of 15:49.6. Lucas Capistrant of Maple Grove was the Crimson’s top runner, finishing 28th with a time of 16:04.8. Champlin Park’s top runner was Zakariya Mohamed, taking 34th with a time of 16:10.0. The Wayzata boys finished second overall as a team, only behind the Class 3A state champions, Blaine.” via CCX Media.

Images Courtesy Candice Leddy.