On October 15, the Lomira girls cross country team won their third straight Flyway Conference Championship at Kiekhaefer Park in Fond du Lac on a rainy meet with 24 points.
Junior Whitney Witkowski won the individual conference championship, becoming just the third Lomira girl to claim the individual title and the first since 2002.
On a muddy, hilly course that challenged runners from start to finish, Witkowski delivered a winning time of 20:30.2. Her victory highlighted a dominant team performance in which all seven Lomira varsity runners finished among the top 17.
‘Winning the conference championship as a team for the third straight year means a lot because it is special and impressive to maintain this level of success for many seasons,” said Lomira Junior Whitney Witkowski. “I am so grateful to have an amazing group of girls as well as coaches who supported us along the way.”
“Having the individual title was a massive goal of mine and accomplishing it was rewarding,” said Whitney Witkowski. “I put a lot of work into running, and seeing the effort pay off is an amazing feeling.”
“For a team already celebrating three consecutive conference titles, the individual crown made Thursday's accomplishment even more meaningful,” said Head Coach Tyler Witkowski.
Whitney's win was special, but what impressed me most was how everyone competed,” said Witkowski. “This was not an easy course. The mud and hills forced the girls to be tough, patient, and determined. Every place mattered, and our runners kept fighting all the way to the finish.”
Freshman Carter Knoop finished second overall in 21:12.9. Senior Josie Christian placed fourth in 21:50.3, followed by Elinorah Langjahr in seventh at 22:11.6 and Kennedy Goebel in 10th at 22:24.5. Senior Hanna Faber finished 14th in 22:49.0, while Isabel Westphal rounded out the varsity lineup in 17th at 23:42.3.
Witkowski, Knoop, Christian, and Langjahr achieved first-team all-conference honors with the performance.
Goebel and Faber earned second-team honors plus Westphal got an honorable mention selection for the Lions
“I'm incredibly proud of this group,” said Witkowski. “Winning three conference championships in a row doesn't happen by accident. These girls have put in the work, trusted each other, and continued to raise the standard for Lomira cross country. To see Whitney win the individual championship and the entire team run the way they did on a tough course makes this an unforgettable day.”
“Winning the conference for the third year in a row feels really good, and it shows how hard we’ve all worked as a team, and I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Junior Josie Christian. “It’s exciting to be a part of a team that has done this three years in a row.”
The Lomira boys cross country team finished in eighth place with 169 points at the conference meet.
Freshman Brantly Rhoads led the Lions with a 19th-place finish in 20:52.8, earning Honorable Mention All-Conference recognition.
“I'm extremely proud of Brantly and the work he has put in this season,” said Witkowski. “Earning all-conference recognition is a great accomplishment, and being the first Lomira boys runner to achieve it in three seasons gives our entire group something to be proud of. He's earned that recognition.”
Sophomore Luke Unruh finished 31st in 22:10.7, followed closely by sophomore William Stuewer in 36th at 22:15.9.
“Cross country is about more than one race or one result,” said Witkowski. “It's about learning how to compete, pushing through difficult moments and being willing to put in the work. Our boys have continued to show up and compete, and that's something we can build on.”
Lomira cross country teams will be competing in the WIAA Division 3 Cross Country Sectional at Pardeeville on October 24.
Meet Summary
Thursday, October 15
Flyway Conference Meet
Girls Varsity Results
Boys Varsity Results
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