Hatchet harriers open season with Paavo Nurmi Marathon, Bond Falls camp, Alumni Scrimmage

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For the Tomahawk Leader

HURLEY – The Tomahawk Hatchet cross country team kicked off its season by competing in the Paavo Nurmi Marathon, Wisconsin’s oldest marathon, and followed it up with Bond Falls Cross Country Camp and the Alumni Scrimmage.

Paavo Nurmi Marathon

Tomahawk had two teams compete in the Paavo Nurmi Marathon five-person relay race in Hurley on Saturday, Aug 12.

Team Marie’s Squad, which was comprised of Alli Palmer, Kambyl Mattke, Robin Schmidt, Izzy Lee and Halle Derleth, took first place in the women’s team division and 2nd overall five-person relay team with a blistering time of 3:38:19.

Team Tomahawk Turtles, which was composed of Rachael Reilly, Faith Derleth, Lydia Shaney, Jennie Frederickson and Kailynn Hanse, took 2nd place in the women’s team division and 8th overall with a time of 4:17:58.

Bond Falls camp

Tomahawk had 31 high school student-athletes attend the season-starting cross country camp in Bond Falls, Mich. This was the 28th annual camp since 1995.

Student-athletes exceeded a 30-mile week by running two times daily while bonding and enjoying a variety of camp team-building games and activities.

The 2023 Tomahawk Hatchet cross country team took part in the season-starting camp in Bond Falls, Mich. Photos courtesy of Connor Ahrens.

Alumni Scrimmage

On Saturday, Aug. 19, the Tomahawk Hatchet Cross Country team hosted its 22nd annual Alumni Scrimmage at the entrance to Bradley Park, where the 2023 Hatchets competed against alumni and local TARA (Tomahawk Area Runners Association) members.

The yearly race takes runners through the main loop of Bradley Park several times and once through the imposing “Hog’s Back” trail by Mirror Lake.

Leading the alumni in the 5000 meter men’s event was second-year head coach, Connor Ahrens, Class of 2012 in a time of 18:43. Other alumni finishers were middle school co-head coach Justin Lund (Class of 2000-4th), Dylan Dahl (Class of 2012-10th), Taje Casey (Class of 2022-12th), Gary Buchanan (Class of 1975-13th), middle school volunteer coach Phil Dahl (Class of 1983-14th), Brad Montag (TARA-21st), Matt Johnson (Class of 2020-22nd), Mark Gass (TARA-23rd) and Roger Martens (TARA-24th).

The high school team was led by senior Presley Gutbrod’s 19:11, 2nd-place finish and junior Sam Zastrow’s 19:12, 3rd-place finish. Other high school finishers were Owen Dickrell (20:36-5th), Jeremiah Johnson (20:55-6th), Trey Morrison (21:11-7th), Nathan Rosenmeier (21:32-8th), Dominic Boos (22:10-9th), Drew Voermans (23:02-11th), Ryan Montag (25:06-15th), Elliot O’Connor (25:50-17th), Will Boneck (26:07-18th), Elias Albrent (26:35-19th) and Gerard Gorell (26:49-20th).

Making it through their first high mileage week of training, the boys high school team won the showdown against the alumni with an unofficial score of 23 to the alumni’s 40.

The alumni women were led by high school assistant coach Stephanie Ahrens (Class of 2013), who won the women’s race with a time of 21:22. Other alumni finishers were Haley Voermans-Dean (Class of 2020-2nd), Meagan Berg (Class of 2020-12th), Kate Reilly (Class of 2022-16th), Kimberly Gibeault (TARA-19th), Amanda Koshak (Class of 2012-22nd) and Shirley Derleth (Class of 1987-23rd).

The high school girls had a strong group that was spearheaded by freshman Elise Gibeault in a time of 23:05 for 2nd place overall. Other Hatchet finishers were Rachael Reilly (23:14-4th), Alli Palmer (23:22-5th), Robin Schmidt (23:31-6th), Halle Derleth (23:48-7th), Norah Mann (25:45-8th), Faith Derleth (25:58-9th), Lydia Shaney (25:58-10th), Kambyl Mattke (26:37-11th), Abi Micke (26:48-13th), Abbie Rosenmeier (28:10-14th), Reese Molitor (29:59-17th), Jennie Frederickson (30:09-18th) and Summer Gaedtke (31:51-21st).

The alumni women had a great one-two punch, but lost with a score of 46 to the high school team’s 25 points, increasing the girls’ high school victories over the alumni to eight in a row since 2016.

Full unofficial results of the 21st Annual Alumni Scrimmage can be found at www.tinyurl.com/522f9pfk.

More action

The Hatchets were slated to take par in their first official invite at Rhinelander on Thursday, Aug. 24.

On Thursday, Aug. 31, Tomahawk will participate in a meet at Nine Mile Park near Wausau. The meet starts at 4:30 p.m.

Athletes of the Week

Jennie Frederickson – “A returning sophomore who started her season off with several improvements was Jennie Frederickson. Equipped with new knowledge, solid summer training, and a full season of high school cross country and track and field has transitioned into a stellar start to the 2023 cross country season. Jennie came out of Bond Falls Cross Country Camp not slowing down a bit, dropping her baseline mile time 43 seconds and her Alumni Scrimmage time two minutes and 47 seconds. Her 2023 Alumni Scrimmage time was so fast that is now her personal record (PR). The coaching staff is extremely pleased with Jennie’s in-season and off-season efforts and her persistent attitude.”
Jeremiah Johnson – “The student-athletes that prepare both body and mind for the season tend to have the greatest success. Thus far this is holding true for another sophomore, Jeremiah Johnson. Jeremiah did a great job running in the off season and has some high personal goals that have kept him pushing himself since he began his high school athletics career, evident by his one minute and 43-second improvement in the Alumni Scrimmage race. His time was 20:55, which was only 16 seconds off of his PR. We look forward to seeing what Jeremiah is capable of as he continues to reap the rewards of his hard work.”
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