Opolka, Nowak guide Pulaski cross-country teams at FRCC Championships

UPDATED: Oct. 17, 9:40 a.m.

The Pulaski High School girls cross-country team placed fifth and the boys eighth at the Fox River Classic Conference Championships on Oct. 13 at Seven Lakes Golf Course in Manitowoc.

The girls team came in fifth after scoring 125 points. The Red Raiders finished behind Notre Dame (44), Green Bay Preble (53), De Pere (62) and Bay Port (122).

The Pulaski boys finished eighth with 224 points. The team finished behind Notre Dame (35), Bay Port (68), De Pere (75), Green Bay Preble (92), Manitowoc Lincoln (117), Ashwaubenon (158) and Sheboygan North (181).

The Pulaski girls team saw both Angela Opolka and Olivia Stedl finish inside the top 20.

Opolka led the team with a 14th-place finish in 20 minutes, 35 seconds.

“I was really excited to run this race,” said Opolka. “After walking the course, I could really see some good opportunities for passing people on hills and around corners. As we started the race, it was pretty cold. I did not go out super fast, just tried to get a good base on my race.

“I started to go faster and pass people after mile one. Around halfway through the race, it started hailing on us. It really helped me to focus through the race. I was following two girls from Notre Dame and was able to pass them on the last 400 meters to come in 14th and make second team all-conference.”

Stedl came in 18th in 20:47.2.

“Since it was the conference meet, I really tried to get out fast and reach my goal of the second team all-conference award,” said Stedl. “I got honorable mention last year, so I wanted to move up this year. It was a hard race, we had to run in 40 degrees, rain and hail — some of the worst conditions ever. But we all pushed through it and finished strong.”

Emerson Fabry was the next girls finisher, taking 23rd in 20:52.4. Rachael Allen (21:47.1) placed 34th, while McKenna Lowery (21:47.9) was 36th to cap the team score.

Grace Goodness (21:50.7) and Ella Krueger (24:03.6) also ran for the girls team.

Dayne Nowak was the boys team’s top finisher, claiming 29th in 18:05.7.

“Though I did not place well overall, I was happy with the placement in my age group (9th grade),” said Nowak. “I, along with my teammates, found the weather abominable as there was sleet and nearly freezing temperatures.”

Peyton Yaw placed 41st with a time of 18:32.4, while Arden Gillen was 53rd in 19:12.7. Griffin Nowak (19:23.7) and Dayne Groth (19:26.8) capped the team score by placing 56th and 57th, respectively.

Thomas Murphy (19:50.8), Brody Zeinert (20:12.6) and Enrique Strange (21:08.7) also ran for the boys team.

Full results from the FRCC Championships can be found at www.pttiming.com.

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