Freshman Goes For Cross Country Gold In State Championship Saturday

freshman Megan Paule hasn’t wasted any time in her pursuit of some heavy hardware as a runner with the cross country team.

Paule will make the nearly three-hour trek to Wisconsin Rapids Saturday to run for gold in the girl’s WIAA Division 1 cross country championship starting at 12:20 p.m. at Ridges Golf Course, 2311 Griffith Ave.

Paule qualified for the state tournament after finishing seventh overall and posting a time of 15 minutes 20 seconds at sectionals Oct. 22 at Tendick Park in Saukville. She’ll start in the fifth lane Saturday, and her sectionals time is in the top tier amongst the other athletes competing from around the state.

“It’s been a good season, our team worked hard all summer, and we’ve trained hard all season,” Paule said. “I’m pretty confident, like any other race, going into Saturday.”

A good season may be an understatement for Paule. She finished in second place at the Greater Metro Conference meet Oct. 15, and helped lead the Indians to their best finish at that meet in nearly a decade. She also finished in first place at the Matt Hadler meet at in September. She’s been a top-ten finisher in most of her other meets this season.

Paule began the year like any other quiet and unassuming freshman. But as the season went on, she let her legs do the talking.

“Megan was small and invisible when we first met her this summer, but we soon realized she had the potential to be the best runner on our team,” said coach Paul Schramka.

Paule’s success on the course may have been destined. Her mother was a star cross-country runner with the University of Tennessee, and her father played collegiate baseball. Paule also plans to play soccer this spring for the Indians.

Schramka said the course at Ridges suits Paule’s running style well. Paule excels on hilly courses as opposed to flat courses. Schramka said the course should also run fast for the championship.

Although Paule is already achieving at a high level in her first year, Schramka said she will only continue to get better.

“She knows exactly what she’s got to do to get better,” Schramka said. “She’ll be the real deal in the next few years.”