09/20/2026
🔵🔶 CRUSADER CROSS COUNTRY RECAP 🔶🔵
Tuesday — Norwood Young America
The Crusaders returned to a course we know well — and will see again at Sections in October — and put that knowledge to work!
Across Varsity, JV, and Junior High, Loyola athletes recorded 26 new PRs or season-best times. Athletes embraced the competition, raced hard, and continue to build confidence with each meet.
The JV girls got things started with strong performances, including an 11th-place finish for Lily Phillips and a 4th-place team finish.
Varsity followed with a 26th-place finish for Griffin Rutz and a 5th-place team finish in Class A for the boys.
The girls were led by Charlotte Meyer (1st overall), along with top-25 finishes from Lila Quast, Gisele McCabe, and Riley Quigley, helping the team to a 2nd-place finish overall and 1st in Class A — just 8 points behind a ranked Class AA Westonka squad!
Junior High capped off the night with 100% of athletes recording mile PRs and conquering a big hill just before the finish!
Saturday — Roy Griak Invitational
The Crusaders took on some of the best competition in the Upper Midwest at Griak, racing against AA and AAA teams from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The boys came out aggressively in the first mile and challenged themselves to race tough from start to finish. They finished 21st in the Gopher race and 1st among the five Class A schools competing.
The girls battled through the drizzle and raced to a 5th-place team finish overall and 1st among Class A schools. Charlotte Meyer finished 3rd individually, leading a Crusader group that placed all six runners in the top 75.
For a school our size to be competing alongside programs like Lakeville North, Fergus Falls, and Chanhassen is a pretty special experience.
Two great meets, 26 new PRs/season bests, and plenty of confidence gained as we head toward the second half of the season.
🔵🔶 Keep pushing. Keep racing. Keep getting better.
