Roseville's Robert Mechura wins Class 3A boys cross-country title; Wayzata takes team title

Brian Mechura took up running as a recreational activity about a decade ago. Son Robert, an elementary school hockey and baseball player at the time, asked to tag along.

"He was a little too young to go all 4 miles that I would typically run," Brian said. "I told him to ride his bike, so he started doing that while I ran."

Not long after, father and son could run together through the streets of their Roseville neighborhood. Then, Robert got faster than his old man, and their roles reversed.

"He would be running, and I was on a bike," Brian said, "because I couldn't keep up with him."

Neither could the Class 3A field at Saturday's Minnesota State High School League cross-country championship meet. Mechura, a Roseville junior, covered the 5,000-meter course at Les Bolstad Golf Course in 15 minutes, 4.2 seconds. Mechura caught and passed Minneapolis Southwest senior Sam Scott in the final 20 meters of the race.

"He gapped me, and I was a little worried because it got a little big," Mechura said. "But I was confident in my kick, and I knew that's what it would come down to. I wasn't even sure I was going to catch Sam, but gave it my all and slowly reeled him in."

Scott, a runner-up at the state meet last fall, took the loss in stride.

"I don't hate any of these guys; they aren't my opponents," Scott said. "I gave it my best shot, and if someone else is pushing harder and catches me at the end, kudos to them."

The MSHSL cross-country state meet left St. Olaf College in Northfield after 30 years for a return to the Les Bolstad Golf Course, but a venue change did not disrupt Wayzata's successful run.

The Trojans ran to their third consecutive Class 3A team title. Their score of 63 put them well ahead of Lake Conference rival Minnetonka (101). Junior William Weber (third), senior Daniel McCollor (ninth), senior Tyler Kissell (14th), senior Hayes McMillan (21st) and junior Alex Haag (53rd) combined for the team score. Not since Stillwater (1995-97) has a team won three in a row at the highest class.

Mounds Park Academy junior Eddie Snider won in a time of 15:40, just ahead of Redwood Valley junior William Ahrens (15:41). Heritage Christian Academy of Maple Grove, which co-ops with RiverTree School and West Lutheran, repeated as team champ with 106 points. Scoring were sophomore Lev Dougherty (fifth), junior Jacob Pfotenhauer (15th), sophomore Jack Nelson (24th), senior Thomas Avra (41st) and freshman Blake Ingelin (104th).

For a second consecutive season, Mankato East topped the field, well ahead of Perham, 46-97. Seniors Isaiah Anderson (fifth overall), Luke Scholtes (14th) and Evan MacLean (24th) were joined in scoring by sophomore Dayton Clobes (27th) and junior Audi Thom (28th). Pequot Lakes senior Eli Hall won the individual title in 15:13.3.