By Jed Buelow
Co-Editor, Sports, Nature Editor
Tomahawk cross country was once again well represented on the medal podium as they competed in the 51st running of the Paavo Nurmi Marathon and Relay held on Saturday.
Eight five-person teams from Tomahawk took part in the 26.2-mile race from Upson to Hurley and competed against 30 other teams from various divisions. The Hatchets were led by the Road Warrior team of Noah Buckwalter, Garron Albrent, Arden Ziert, Trey Baalke and Drew Bolder who had the top overall finish placing 4th overall, and 3rd in the men’s open in a time of 3:01.30. The Lady Hatchets were led by the Chicks with Kicks team of Emily Lacina, Macey Mann, Gillian Buckwalter, Kate Reilly and Haley Voermans-Dean earned podium honors as they placed 2nd in the women’s open (10th overall) in a time of 3:23.06.
The mixed division team Bootdaddy also finished the day on the podium after finishing in 3rd place. Brady Tjugum, Meagan Berg, Matt Johnson, Reed Zedler and Keaton Jed finished crossed the finish line in a time of 3:20.36 (8th overall).
It was “party time, excellent” for the “Wayne’s World” team of Matt Lancour, Sam Bach, Cody Strassman, Gus Metzdorff and Connor Ahrens as they finished 6th overall and 4th in the men’s open in a time of 3:06.40. The Hatchets took the next spot on the men’s division as the Goon Squad team of Parker Johnson, Devon Liebnitz, Matt Bartz, Evan Ploeckelman and Shawn Dirkx finished in 5th place and 9th overall
The CC Cripples team of Jerret Flynn, Hunter VanRyen, Hunter Borchardt, Jack Lacina and Alex Norman took 13th overall, 8th men’s open division. The PCA Plodders team of Shannon Lacina, Adam Mueller, Dawn Webster Mark Micke, and Phil Dahl took 18th overall, and perhaps is should come to nobodies surprise based on the team’s name, the Sprinting Sloths team of Tiana Gerstenberger, Greta Tjugum, Geena Wanta, Neenah Fuste and Autumn Peissig rounded things out with a 22nd overall finish, which was an un-sloth-like 4th place finish in the women’s open.