Hopkins’ Klecker Finishes Third in Cross-Country Championship

Hopkins High School’s Joe Klecker placed third in a tight state boy’s cross-country running meet Saturday at St. Olaf College in Northfield.

The sophomore finished with a time of 15:25.8 in the Class AA championship. That was just a half a second behind runner-up Obsa Ali, of Richfield, and less than five seconds behind first place finisher Wayde Hall, of Stillwater.

Klecker was one of three Hopkins runners in the five-kilometer race. Senior Thomas Heegaard finished 38th with a time of 16:14.0. Senior Reed Fischer was 42nd with a time of 16:15.9.

In the girl’s race, seventh grader Marla Bailey had the top time for Hopkins. Her 15:08.7 finish was 51st in the four-kilometer race. She was joined in the race by sophomore Isabel Hall—whose time of 15:17.5 placed her at 66th.

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