The International Falls girls cross country team is one of six of last year’s 16 teams that are back in 2013 to compete for the Class A state championship this coming Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at St. Olaf College.
There will be a new state champion this year after the 2012 Class A champion, Esko, didn't qualify for state as a team after placing third at last Thursday's Section 7A Meet at the Cloquet Country Club.
The Broncos are back for their third year in a row after placing 16th at state the past two seasons.
Falls head coach Paul Hjelle said the Broncos will be looking to finish at state ahead of this year's Section 7A champion, South Ridge, after the Broncos finished runner-up at the Section 7A Meet by only four points and had beaten South Ridge at other meets this season.
"Obviously we want to have fun (at state) — that's the main thing — the kids have earned it," Hjelle said. "In practices, we'll do some speed work — we're tapering now, so there's not going to be a lot of miles — so it's just going to be a fun week."
The Broncos return a trio of top runners from last season's state meet.
Falls' top runner, freshman Lexi Erickson, who placed third at last Thursday's Section 7A Meet, had finished 46th at the 2012 State Class A Meet in 15 minutes, 39.8 seconds.
"I just want to improve my time and improve my place," Erickson said.
The other two top returning runners are among the three Bronco seniors who will be running Saturday in the last cross country race of their high school careers.
They include Sydney Raboin, who finished last year's state meet 66th in 15:48.9. Amy Auran will be in her fourth consecutive state meet after qualifying individually in her freshman season, while Lexi Owen will be competing in her first state meet.
The team also includes junior Jenna Anderson, freshman Lexi Edwards and seventh-grader Faith Black, while junior Valerie Withers and seventh-grader Grace Gilbert are alternates.
Among the teams who were at the 2012 Girls State Class A Meet, the Annandale Cardinals, who earned runner-up honors the last two years, are the highest returning qualifiers. They return with five runners from last year’s roster.
The other teams that are returning include Waseca, Spectrum/Legacy, Holdingford and Perham.
The other qualified teams are Dover-Eyota, Lake City, Fairmont, Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd, Luverne, Holy Family Catholic of Victoria, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, St. Cloud Cathedral, South Ridge/Cherry/North Woods, and Park Rapids Area.
The final rankings from the state coaches association for the qualified teams are: 1. Annandale; 3. Perham; 4. Fairmont; 5. Dover-Eyota; 6. Waseca; 7. St. Cloud Cathedral; 8. Luverne; 9. Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd; 11. St. Paul Academy & Summit School; and 12. Spectrum/Legacy.
Senior Emi Trost of Cannon Falls, who earned runner-up honors last year, is the highest returning top-10 finisher. She was also ranked No. 1 in the final coaches poll.
Four additional top-10 finishers also return. They include: senior McKenzie Holt of St. Cloud Christian, third; sophomore Elizabeth Schlafke of Annandale, sixth; senior Savannah Ramirez of Litchfield, seventh; and freshman Madison Schandelmeier of Luverne, ninth.
Schandelmeier was No. 3 in the final rankings from the state coaches association, followed by Holt at No. 6, and Schlafke at No. 12.
