Cross Country
2025 Highlights
The Boys and Girls Cross Country programs completed the Fall 2025 season with strong competitive performances and continued program growth. On the boys’ side, participation doubled from the previous year, with 30 student-athletes contributing to a culture centered on inclusion, teamwork, and competitive development. Each runner recorded a personal best during the season, highlighted by six varsity athletes breaking the 20-minute mark in the 5K. August Kidder ’28 led the program with an 18:35 5K, the fastest time recorded by the team in recent years.
The girls’ program delivered a standout postseason performance, capturing the Section 4A Championship and advancing to the Class AA State Meet, where the Spartans placed 11th overall. Sophie Kannapiran ’28 and Alyda Overgaard ’28 earned Top 100 finishes at the state meet, placing 82nd and 89th, respectively.
Five girls cross country athletes earned Academic All-State honors: Paloma Good ’27, Sophie Kannapiran ’28, Maren Overgaard ’26, Alyda Overgaard ’28, and Leah Passe ’26.
In addition, Head Coach Ben Bollinger Danielson was recognized as the Section 3AA Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year.
All-Conference: Paloma Good ‘27, Maren Overgaard ‘26, Sophie Kannapiran ‘28, Alyda Overgaard ‘28
All-Conference Honorable Mention: Isla Kim ‘30
Academic All-State: Paloma Good ’27, Sophie Kannapiran ’28, Maren Overgaard ’26, Alyda Overgaard ’28, and Leah Passe ’26.
Section 3AA Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year: Ben Bollinger Danielson
On October 24th, 2023 our girls’ cross country team finished second in the Section 4A meet, just two points behind Nova with a final group score of 56. With this effort, the girls secured a ticket to compete in the state meet on Saturday, November 4th at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course!
With only two of their top 7 runners graduating on the girls’ side, and a young group on the boys’ roster, the coaches are excited to continue building on this success next season.
All-Conference: Taylor Barkwell ‘25 and Alyda Overgaard ‘28
All-Conference Honorable Mention: Maren Overgaard ‘28, Paloma Good ‘27, and Johanna Pierach ‘25
2023 Captains: Taylor Barkwell ‘25, Violet Benson ‘24, Ingrid Johnson ‘24, Andrew Drake ‘24, Ian Grewe ‘24, and Ford Reedy ‘24
In its IMAC conference meet on October 13th boys’ cross country placed sixth overall and girls’ cross country captured the IMAC Conference title by one point and Taylor Barkwell ’25 finished second overall. Paloma Good ’27, qualified for the Minnesota State Cross Country meet after finishing 11th (20:07.4) overall at the Section 3AA meet on October 27. In the State meet on November 5, Paloma placed in the top 100.
2022 All-Conference: Taylor Barkwell ‘25 and Paloma Good ‘27
2022 All-Conference Honorable Mention: Alyda Overgaard ‘28 and Johanna Pierach ‘25
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Girls’ Cross Country Crowned 2022 IMAC Conference Champions
On Thursday, October 13th 2022, the Spartan Cross Country team traveled to Battle Creek park for the IMAC Conference Championship meet.Â
The girls’ cross country team ran an incredible race of 1:44:52.3 for 49 points and edged rival Blake by one point to capture the title for the Spartans. On the individual side, five Spartans placed in the top twenty, led by Taylor Barkwell ’25 who finished second overall (19:37.289). Additionally, Paloma Good ’27, Alyda Overgaard ’28, Johanna Pierach ’25, and Maren Overgaard ’26 finished eighth (20:33.753), twelfth (20:59.906), fourteenth (21:34.984), and seventeenth (22:06.410) overall.
On the boys’ side, the team finished sixth overall and were led by Sandro Fusco ’24 who finished thirty-third overall. Up next for cross country is the section 3AA meet which will take place on Thursday, October 27 at Valleywood Golf Course.
Congratulations to all of our Spartan runners!
After a strong performance at the Section 4A meet on Tuesday, October 22, Taylor Barkwell ’25 represented SPA at the State meet on Saturday, November 2. At State, she finished 15th overall, earning All-State Honors.
All-State: Taylor Barkwell ‘25
All-Conference: Taylor Barkwell ‘25 and Maren Overgaard ‘26
All-Conference Honorable Mention: Alyda Overgaard ‘28
2024 Captains: Taylor Barkwell ‘25, Johanna Pierach ‘25, Isidor Valdez ‘25, Jack Hickman ‘26, and Maren Overgaard ‘26
