by Tom Coombe
Junior Molly Brophy led the way and sophomore Mattie Lindsay wasn’t far behind as they lifted the high school girls cross country team to a third-place finish in Grand Rapids.
Brophy was third and Lindsay took sixth in the varsity girls race at Tuesday’s Paul Bauer Invitational, and the Ely girls were third overall and tops among Class A girls in the team competition.
It was also a solid day for the Ely boys, who were fourth among 10 teams with Wyatt Devine taking seventh individually.
“It actually went very good, but it was super hot,” said Ely Head Coach Jayne Dusich. “I thought everybody ran really good. The times weren’t the best, but they felt good.”
Brophy, who is one of the area’s top runners, fought through a nagging injury yet still took third overall in the 5,000-meter girls race, finishing in 20:49.3.
“Molly has something where her ribs pop out of place when she does anything exerting herself,” said Dusich. “She’s fine at the beginning of the race but halfway through they popped out and she’s hurting.”
Brophy still finished ahead of all but two varsity girls runners and Lindsay was sixth in 21:01.9.
They piled up points as Ely took third as a team, behind only Moose Lake-Willow River and Duluth East.
Ely’s Katy Brophy, a ninth-grader, placed 25th in 23:17.9, while eighth-grader Moxie Lindsay was 58th (25:21.7) and Isabella Macho (25:47.9) took 61st.
Lillie O’Neill (66th, 26:16.3) and Lucy Dunn (71st, 26;49.1) followed.
Wyatt Devine powered the Ely boys to a fourth-place showing, taking seventh in 17:52.9.
“Wyatt did very well - he was up there,” said Dusich.
Senior Otto Devine (24th, 18:48.4) led a back of Wolves who were bunched closely together, with Mason Kurnava (29th, 19:09.9), Brooks Brenny (30th, 19:13.4) and Oliver Hohenstein (33rd, 19:27.8) following.
Ely’s Drew Johnson (47th, 19:50.8) and Blake Houde (49th, 19:56.9) were next in the lineup.
There were 117 runners in all and Ely as a team was behind only Grand Rapids, Cloquet and North Shore.
“It kind of gives the boys an idea of where they need to be and what to do, and with the girls, I’m glad where we are,” said Dusich.
Ely is at a meet hosted by Deer River Tuesday and the lone home meet looms on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at the Ely Golf Course.
• In the boys junior varsity race, Ely’s Aksel Skustad took third in 20:46.8, followed by teammates Grant Chittum (eighth, 21:05) and Mason Molden (41st, 23:37.9).
• In the junior high races, Ely results were:
Boys (3,200 meters)
5. Grady Anderson, 11:02.3;
12. Boden Devine, 11:42.8;
13. Liam Kurnava, 11:46.1;
18. Alden Harding, 12:04.4;
22. Elliot Eastham, 12:18.6;
40. Hayden Engen, 12:49.9;
46. Leo Shock, 13:07.6;
57. Connor Macho, 13:50.8;
78. Jimmy McCarter, 14:48.8;
95. Garrison White, 16:57.4;
102. Bryce Houde, 18:08.9;
103. Sawyer Anderson, 18:12.8;
108. Owen Kurnava, 19:221.6;
Girls (3,200 meters)
15. Sally Dunn, 13:55.1;
16. Jenna Bermel, 13:56.3
