State Participants

Chloe Reedy 2024, 2025

As a 7th grader Chloe missed qualifying for State by 2 places. This year, as an 8th grader, she got it done! All season long Chloe was no lower than 6th place. She was able to stick with the fastest girls in the area. At Sections a a drizzly Grand National Golf Course in Hinckley, Chloe went out near the leaders. She looked comfortable and relaxed at the mile. Then she got after it. She finished in 5th place with a PR of 19:26. (2nd non-team individual to qualify). At State Chloe was going in very confident and calm. She had a great game plan and executed very well. As a young runner the experience of competing can overwhelm you. Chloe went out with the leaders and was 14th at the mile (5:56). She faded a bit in the second mile, sliding back to 23rd (6:33 second mile). However, if you know Chloe Reedy she is so tough closing out races. She moved up 12 places in that last loop and home stretch to finish 11th place with a time of 19:31.0. She was only 2 tenths of a second from getting top ten and earning a medal. She ran a gutsy, tremendous race for her first time there. It capped a very successful season for her. 

Expectations were high entering her 9th grade, 2025 season. All year long Chloe Reedy never finished lower than 6th place. Heading into the Section Meet Chloe was riding that "confident" wave. She had PR'd earlier in the season at Litchfield Golf Course and broke the school record. The temps and conditions were perfect for racing fast; sunny, little wind, and around upper 40's. She stuck right on Kendra Swanson from the Northwest Nighthawks like glue and ran a very solid race.  She ended up in 3rd place, still 5 seconds behind Kendra and 25 seconds ahead of 4th place. She broke her school record once again running a PR of 18:34! We talked about State being "familiar" this year. She new the course. She knew how it would play out and she ran by feel. Finishing 11th place last year really stung for her. Chloe wanted top 10 and was willing to gut it out to get it.  Chloe was in a great position at the mile 13th place. She knew how tough mile 2 was and was able to chip away and slide into 9th place. With a half mile to go their was a pack of three girls in front of her about 100 meters or so. The 10th place girl was coming. However, watching Chloe race it's amazing where she finds another gear or two. She just kept creeping up on that pack and with 200 meters left she really turned it on. Those three ladies never saw it coming and Chloe ended up in 6th place with a time of 18:45.9, smashing her last year time by 46.9 seconds! Wow, what a race Chloe! Amazing season and what a finish!

Erin Borash 2018, 2020, 2021

Joining her brothers in a long list of successful Borash runners, Erin qualified for State. She now is the youngest Borash to run in a State Meet. At Sections she ran a very smart race hanging around the lead pack. She ended up 9th place with a 19:52.0. During the State race Erin flowed with the race. There wasn't a whole lot of opportunity to pass as runners were not spread out very much throughout. Erin ended up with a 20:12.9, not far off her season PR, with a 69th place finish. It will take hard work and dedication to get back to State in 2020. Without a doubt, Erin has those abilities.

We were fortunate to have a season in 2020 with the aftermath of the COVID-19. The meets looked a lot smaller. For the Section Meet each team was competing on the same course at New London on a cold, wind swept day on Thursday, October 15th over MEA. Erin ran a very smart, even-paced race and held her position well throughout. She finished in 13th place, with a time of 21:20.52. She would have been the 7th non-team/individual to qualify. They take the top 8 at Sections. It's a real bummer that Erin didn't get to compete at State, but she had a very solid junior season.

In her senior season of 2021, the Minnesota State High School League moved to a three class system. Erin Borash found it was going to be a very tough, very close Section race at Pierz. She was ready. Erin got out in a pretty good position near the top of the pack. She let a few girls go that would come back to her. As she entered the second half of the race is where she really kept pouring it on. She found another gear and finished 10th place with a time of 20:52.4. Was this enough? They only take the top 6 non-team  state participants. She was number 5! At State Erin found herself in one of warmest State meets on record at 55 degrees. She was relaxed and ready. At the start Erin looked good flowing with the race. Into the "Africa" loop she still ran a good 2nd mile. By the third mile it was tough going for Erin to attack as much as she would've liked to. She finished 83 overall with a time of 21:18.12. Getting there and competing was icing on the cake of a great career. 

Christopher Borash 2017, 2018, 2019 

Christopher continued the dominant Borash tradition by making it to the State Meet. He was the youngest Borash to achieve this feat as a sophomore. On a cold, windy, nasty day in Long Prairie Christopher ran a strong Section race. At State, Christopher was in a very good position at the mile, and still finished well, at 68th place with a time of 17:21.5.

Coming off of an excellent conference meet (Christopher's first varsity victory), he was primed to run great at Sections. Christopher was in a big clump of runners that hung around together most of the race, until he broke away with a half mile to go. Christopher's 5th place with a time of 16:29 was the 2nd non-team qualifying individual to make it to State. At State Christopher ran a tough race. He did improve his time and place from last year by completing the course in 16:59.7 and 50th place. He will look to get back to State as a senior.

Entering his third consecutive state meet trip, Christopher's sights were set high. He cruised to a second place finish at Conference on a soggy Holdingford course. At Sections in Pierz, one of Christopher's favorite places to race, he was able to run a solid performance of 7th place (17:07), just edging out CMC champ Carter Grove at the finish line.  At a chilly St. Olaf day, Christopher started off in a solid position. The grueling pace of racing runners just as fast as you was tough for any runner. Christopher did run a nice time of 17:03.8, good enough for 57th place. A great finish capping a record book career.

Jordan Malikowski 2015  2016

In 2015 Jordan Malikowski qualified for the state meet. As a junior, Jordan completed the new St. Olaf course in a time of 17:16.3, earning him 48th place. He was paced by his teammate, senior Ben Borash.

In 2016 Jordan once again advance to the state meet. Jordan ran a fast first mile (5:07) and had a side ache at mile 2. He finished well with a time of 16:59.8, good enough for 40th place. 

Ben Borash 2015

The third Borash to compete in a state cross country meet, Ben as a senior (2015) ran a 17:31.0, good enough for 72nd place. He was joined by his teammate, junior Jordan Malikowski.

Zachary Carlson 2011  2012 2014

In 2011 as a freshman, Zach qualified and ran at state. He placed 52nd with a time of 17:20.

Returning in 2012, sophomore Zach Carlson qualified and ran at state once again. This time is placed 37th with a time of 16:47.4. He also earned All-Academic honors.

In 2014 as a senior Zach qualified and ran at State for the third time in his career.  No other Royalton cross country athlete has accomplished this feat. His 6th place finish was a career PR with a time of 16:11.4, earned him All-State honors. Zachary Carlson also earned All-Academic honors.

Daniel Borash 2010  2011

In 2010, during his junior year, Daniel Borash ran at the State meet. He placed 43 out of 166 runners. 17:10 was his time.

2011 brought Daniel to the State meet again as a senior. This time he finished sixth with a time of 16:17. This earned him All State and All State Academic honors.

Peter Borash 2007  2008

In 2007, his junior year, Peter finished 32nd out of 162 runners; his time was 17:08. 

Returning to state his senior year (2008), he placed 6th with a time of 16:30. This earned him All State and All State Academic honors.

Mardelle (Thomalla) Trettel 1980  1981

Mardelle was Royalton's only female to run at the state cross country meet until Erin Borash qualified in 2018. Mardelle ran there two years in a row: 1980 and 1981. The race was 3200 meters. (When I get her times, I'll post them!)