PHOTOS: St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Cross-Country Invitation

ST. CLOUD – The Sartell-St. Stephen boys cross country team opened the season with a first-place finish at the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24.

The Sabres scored 45 team points and held off Chisago Lakes (54 points). St. Cloud Tech was third (72 points), Apollo fourth, St. Cloud Christian fifth and Sauk Rapids-Rice sixth.

Andrew Berndt of Sartell took first place with a time of 16 minutes, 47.57 seconds. Joseph Marlette of St. Cloud Tech took second (17:49.61), Ryan Karls of Apollo took third (17:54.64) and Gavin O’Connell of Sartell took fifth (18:10.80).

Sartell Cross Country Runner Andrew Berndt August 2024 — Sartell junior Andrew Berndt took first place with a time of 16:47.57 at the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Apollo High School.

Chisago Lakes won the girls team race with 24 points. Sartell was second (48 points) and Apollo was third (69 points).

Annika Hall of Chisago Lakes took first place with a time of 19:29.87 and her teammate Kaia Osmundson was second (19:49.99). Zili Lenzner of Apollo was third (20:01.79) and her teammate Lilly Dickinson was fourth (21:46.50). Ava Jemming of Sartell was fifth (22:22.12).

Apollo cross-country runner Zili Lenzner August 2024 — Zili Lenzner, a second-grader at St. Cloud Apollo, took third place in the Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Apollo High School.

Linda Snowberg, head coach of the Apollo cross country team, said this was the first time the Early Bird Invite was held on the Apollo team’s property rather than at the VA hospital across the street.

“We have the Central Lakes Conference meet on Oct. 15 and this was a good test for it,” Snowberg said. “Having it on school property makes it easier to manage and set up the facility. I know the visiting team coaches have responded positively to the change and the course.”

Results of the girls’ teams: 1. Chicago Lakes 24; 2. Sartell St. Stephen 48; 3. St. Cloud Apollo 69; 4. Sauk Rapids-Rice 93.
Results of the boys’ teams: 1. Sartell St. Seth 45; 2. Chicago Lakes 54; 3rd St. Cloud Tech 72; 4. St. Cloud Apollo 90; 5. St. Cloud Christian 98; 6. Sauk Rapids-Rice 175.

Antonia Heinks St. Cloud Tech Cross-Country August 2024 — Antonia Heinks, a St. Cloud Tech senior, runs the course at the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite at Apollo High School on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Sartell Gavin O'Connell August 2024 Cross Country — Gavin O’Connell of Sartell placed fifth at the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Apollo High School.

St. Cloud Christian Mallory White Cross Country August 2024 — Mallory White, a freshman at St. Cloud Christian High School, runs the course during the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite at St. Cloud Apollo High School on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Apollo Cross-Country Early Bird Invitation 082424 3 — Joseph Marlette (right) of St. Cloud Tech runs ahead of Ryan Karls (left) of St. Cloud Apollo during the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at St. Cloud Apollo High School.

Hunter Rademacher, cross-country runner from St. Cloud Christian — Hunter Rademacher, a sophomore at St. Cloud Christian, runs in the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Sartell cross-country runner Ava Jemming August 2024 — Freshman Ava Jemming of Sartell places fifth at the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Sauk Rapids Rice Faith Bogle Cross Country August 2024 — Faith Bogle, a sophomore at Sauk Rapids, runs in the St. Cloud Apollo Early Bird Invite at Apollo High School on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Apollo Cross Country Lilly Dickinson August 2024 — Lilly Dickinson, a graduate of St. Cloud Apollo High School, runs in the Early Bird Invite on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Apollo High School. She placed fourth with a time of 21:46.50.

Apollo Cross Country Elijah Preisler August 2024 — St. Cloud Apollo senior Elijah Preisler runs the course during the Early Bird Invite at Apollo High School on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Andy Rennecke is the sports editor for St. Cloud LIVE. He focuses on writing in-depth coverage of high schools and colleges in the greater St. Cloud area (Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Joseph) and for the ROCORI, Albany, Foley and Holdingford school districts. Send him story ideas or feedback at [email protected].

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