With two of the top three runners from last year's varsity team confined to training runs in the junior varsity race due to injuries, the Tigers finished 10th in an 11-team field at the Dakota County Championships run Friday, Sept. 2, in Eagan.
Lakeville South downed host Eagan 35-64 for the team title. Apple Valley ranked third at 95 points, followed by Forest Lake 101, Eastview 163, New Prague 178, Richfield 213, Hill-Murray 216, Hastings 219, Farmington 244 and Simley 287.
"We had some girls who had put in a lot work over the summer so it was a little disappointing that we didn't finish a little higher," coach Heidi Revels said. "But the times were decent. This was just a very competitive field."
Revels went on to say that her team's lack of depth played a key role in its lower division finish.
"We only had seven girls in the junior varsity race today," she said. "When you have veteran runners like Bailey (Opsal) and Maricia (Pacheco) unable to run varsity that doesn't leave many girls left...But it was a starting point and something to build on."
Junior Amy Kiminski led the Farmington effort with a 31st place finish, covering the 3200-meter course in 13:18.5.
Sofia Chadwick ranked 37th in 13:29.9; Maricella Pacheco 54th in 14:34.3; Tori Jacoby 57th in 14:37.6; Alexis Johnson 65th in 14:44.5; Sarah Cummings 66th in 14:53.2 and Marissa Stewart 67th in 14:59.1.
The Tigers head south next Friday, Sept. 9, to run in the Faribault Invitational.
