Minnesota teams try to lock down NXN berths

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Minnesota teams have locked up the automatic qualifying berths at the Heartland regional and could be in a position to do it again on Sunday at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The US#6 Wayzata MN boys, and US#7 Edina MN and U#11 Willmar girls, appear to be the teams to beat. 

Wayzata put five in the top 22 of the competitive Minnesota Class AA championships last Saturday and scored 38 points. 

Edina edged out Willmar 45-58 atop the girls standings. 

ENTRIES | NXR Heartland 

Future University of Wisconsin teammates Finn Gessner and Seth Hirsch will face off in what could be the first of four post-season meetings. Hirsch, who was third at Heartland last year, is the two-time state champion in Nebraska and is leading a hopeful Millard West team into the meet. 

Gessner of Madison La Follette, the two-time Wisconsin state champion, was fourth last year. 

Another runner to keep an eye on in the boys race is Derick Peters, a junior from West Central SD, who has made huge strides since going to Heartland last year and coming away 145th. 

Edina MN, second to Wayata in Minnesota, may have the inside track for the second auto berth on the boys side. However, St. Thomas Aquinas of Kansas, little New Town of ND, and Millard West of Nebraska could all be players for that second spot. 

On the girls side, Kansas standouts Cailie Logue of Girard and Molly Born of Shawnee Mission Northwest will go head to head after winning their respective class titles at the state meet. Logue, an Iowa State recruit, was the runner-up last year. 

Minnesota eighth grader Anna Fenske of Farmington, seventh  last year, North Dakotans Karly Ackley and Mattie Shirley-Fairbairn, and Wisconsin state champion Meghan Scott of Divine Savior Holy Angels are all entered. The top five individuals not already attached to a qualifying team will move on to Portland for nationals.

Johnston of Iowa is ranked third in the Heartland and has the best chance to break up Minnesota in the top two. Minnetonka and Wayata, two more Minnesota teams, are also looking for a big performance and a chance to go to nationals.