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Fargo North's Owen Sondag races to Class A Boys CC individual title, BHS wins team title

By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Entering the 2023 NDHSAA Cross Country State Meet, Fargo North senior Owen Sondag held the No. 1-ranking in the final North Dakota Cross Country Coaches Poll.

A season’s worth of solid performances earned him the No. 1 ranking, but only a strong showing at state – the final race of his prep career – would get him the distinction of being an individual state medalist.

A year ago, Sondag finished 11th individually. On Saturday, October 28 the culmination of Sondag’s solid efforts this fall led the Spartans’ standout to win the Class A boys individual state championship at Jamestown’s Parkhurst Campground/Pipestem Reservoir.

Sondag finished with a time of 15 minutes, 52.2 seconds. He is just the second Fargo North boys cross country runner to win an individual state championship joining Bill Watson (1970).

In the team race, Bismarck High scored 30 points to win its first team state championship since 2015.

Leading the way for the Demons was sophomore Owen Hintz, who finished runner up individually with a time of 15:58.8.

Bismarck High had eight runners finish in the Top 20 for All-State honors. Joining Owen Hintz as All-State finishers for Bismarck High were: Parker Hintz (third, 16:15.0), Tyler Wahl (seventh, 16:37.6), Gabe Hanson (eighth, 16:41.7), Jakson Ensign (10th, 16:46.9), Dawson Balzer (11th, 16:47.6), Connor Ensign (13th, 16:49.4), and Gabe Hamlin (16th, 17:01.4)

INDIVIDUAL TOP 20 (All-State)

1. Owen Sondag, Fargo North, 15:52.2; 2. Owen Hintz, Bismarck High, 15:58.8; 3. Parker Hintz, Bismarck High, 16:15.0; 4. Elijah Dafoe, Grand Forks Red River, 16:18.8; 5. Joe Quinn, Grand Forks Red River, 16:34.4; 6. Gavyn Graham, Bismarck Century, 16:37.2; 7. Tyler Wahl, Bismarck High, 16:37.6; 8. Gabe Hanson, Bismarck High, 16:41.7; 9. Quinn Carroll, Fargo Shanley, 16:44.7; 10. Jakson Ensign, Bismarck High, 16:46.9; 11. Dawson Balzer, Bismarck High, 16:47.6; 12. Thomas Haskins, Williston, 16:49.0; 13. Connor Ensign, Bismarck High, 16:49.4; 14. David Radke, Grand Forks Red River, 16:54.1; 15. Benjamin Harris, Minot High, 16:57.6; 16. Gabe Hamlin, Bismarck High, 17:01.4; 17. Cohen Dunnigan, Grand Forks Red River, 17:01.8; 18. Cooper Fjeld, Minot High, 17:03.5; 19. Ethan Erickson, Fargo Shanley, 17:04.5; 20. Micah Larsen-Schmidt, Grand Forks Red River, 17:05.1

TEAM RESULTS (Top 5)

1. Bismarck High (30), 2. Grand Forks Red River (60), 3. Williston (126), 4. Minot High (141), 5. Bismarck Century (168).

Follow NDHSAA on Twitter at @NDHSAA and visit www.ndhsaanow.com for the latest NDHSAA sports and activities news from around the state.

 

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