LESTER PRAIRIE – There were plenty of talented runners around the area for boys cross country this season, but one stood apart. After making it back to the Class A state meet for a second-straight season, Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity senior Evan Lee is the 2019 Herald Journal Boys Runner of The Year. It’s the second-straight season Lee has been named the top runner in the area by Herald Journal.
Lee had another impressive season for the Bulldogs in his final year of cross country. A senior, Lee earned All-Conference honors in the Minnesota Classic Athletic Assocaition, as well as the MN River Conference.
In the Section 5A meet at Mora, Lee finished with a time of 17 minutes and 9 seconds. That time was good enough for an eighth-place finish, and another trip to the Class A state meet.
At the Class A state meet, Lee wrapped up his high school running career with a 36th-place finish competing against some of the top runners in the state.
For his career, Lee had two state meet appearances. In his junior season, Lee took xx-place at state.
There were five other area runners selected to the HJ All-Area Team. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted had three runners selected (Cole Leukuma, Chase Deiter, and Ethan Fiecke), while Corey Bimberg was the lone runner selected from Watertown-Mayer. LP/HT’s Sam Olsen was also selected as a member of the All-Area Team.
2019 Herald Journal All-Area Boys Cross Country Team
Runner of The Year
Evan Lee LP/HT
All-Area Team
Cole Leukuma (HLWW)
Chase Deiter (HLWW)
Corey Bimberg (W-M)
Sam Olsen (LP/HT)
Ethan Fiecke (HLWW)