HEBRON — Madison Wright, a junior from Twin Valley South, competed against 143 of the state’s best runners in the Division III state championship race held at National Trail Raceway in Hebron on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Wright placed 27th overall, clocking a time of 19:28 and missing a spot of the podium by a mere 14 seconds.
This was the second consecutive year she had competed at the state level – shaving 25 seconds and eight places off last year’s finish. The junior runner was still slightly disappointed in her finish though, aiming for a spot in the top 16.
“I’m frustrated. I ran about the same time up here I did earlier in the season, but it was tough competition coming out,” said Wright. “I tried to not wear myself out too much in the beginning, but I think I let them get away a little too much.”
Wright said she tried to pace herself in the beginning after seeing everyone else get out to a fast start. In the second mile, she began to “pick them off,” but felt she let the leaders get out too far ahead.
“I didn’t leave myself enough time,” she said. “I kept trying to catch them. Everyone goes hard the third mile though, it’s hard to gain on people.”
Wright’s place was the best finish at the state level for a Twin Valley South runner in nearly 30 years, and she clocked one of the best finishes in school history.
“It’s tough up here. It’s a tough course, tough competition. When we break it down a little more, we’ll see what was good, what was bad – but overall I’m very proud of her,” said head coach Richie Faber. “She had a heck of a season. She will beat herself up a little bit here, but still not that bad of a day overall.”
She finishes her season with a long list of accomplishments, including a school record, breaking the 19-minute mark in a race, taking second place finish in the Cross County Conference championship, third place in the regional, and eighth place in the (very crowded) district race.
