ST. JAMES - Kari Schumacher became the winningest varsity runner in St. Mary's/Sleepy Eye/New Ulm Cathedral cross country history on Tuesday, winning the girls' race in a meet hosted by St. James.
Schumacher became the first SM/SE/NUC runner to win three varsity races in her career. The senior ran a time of 17:23 on the 4 km course. She ran very smart by allowing another girl to lead the first half, then she pulled away for a convincing win.
The SM/SE/NUC girls were incomplete in the team event, which was won by St. James. The team's other runners at the meet were Megan DeMaris (eighth, 21:00) and Mary Joyce (ninth, 21:20). It was Joyce's first varsity race.
SM/SE/NUC was also incomplete on the boys' side, with Nick DeMaris leading the way for the team with a 13th-place finish of 22:26 in his first ever varsity race. The other SM/SE/NUC runners on the boys' side were Zach Long (21st, 23:50) and Ezra Krzmarzick (30th, 26:53).
St. James won the boys' team competition.
SM/SE/NUC's next meet is at Tracy on Sept. 6.