WIAA CROSS COUNTRY: Capra makes fourth state appearance

Westosha Central senior Meghan Capra races in a crowded field at the WIAA state cross country meet in Wisconsin Rapids, where she showed improvement compared to her first three years (Bob Mischka/The Report).

Senior shows improvement

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Although Meghan Capra did not notch the medal she hoped for, the Westosha Central High School senior distance runner showed improvement in her final WIAA Division 1 state cross country appearance, according to Falcons coach Keith Olsen.

Capra, who wanted to place among the top 10, took 41st among 189 athletes at the meet held on Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. She registered a time of 19 minutes, 44.98 seconds.

She qualified for the state meet after finishing third at the Oct. 21 sectionals at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

In sectionals, Capra recorded a personal best, crossing the finish line at 19:06.3.

“We thought Meghan ran pretty well,” said Olsen. “It was not quite as high as she was hoping for but she had raced well multiple weeks going into and that can be tough to keep doing.”

Last year, as a junior, Capra placed 56th, which indicative of her progress.

Additionally, Olsen said, the senior can depart with the acknowledgment of qualifying for state all four years.

“She did move up from a year ago and so we accomplished one of our goals, so you should never be disappointed with that,” he said.

“It was her fourth trip which is pretty amazing and places her in pretty elite company and she improved every year.”

Overall, in her senior season, Capra finished among the top five in six of her 10 meets, including three straight second-place finishes.

Last year, when Capra was a junior, she won the title at the Kenosha County Champions meet.

As a freshman, Capra qualified as a team, which included her sister, Melissa.

Additional representatives her freshman year consisted of sisters Maria and Amanda Sabourin along with current senior Mackenzie Maccaux.

Maddie Murphy and Julia Alberth were also members of the team.

Capra qualified as an individual her sophomore and junior years.

Meanwhile, Capra was not alone, as sophomore Heaven Anderson made her first career state appearance.

Anderson, who finished sixth with a personal record at sectionals, placed 106th at the state meet with a time of 20:34.72.

At sectionals, where she competed in a smaller field of competitors, Anderson registered in at 19:29.1.

Olsen acknowledged the sophomore distance runner came away with a learning experience.

“I just think the race got away from her some which is why making it there as a sophomore is so helpful,” he said. “I think she learned a lot (Saturday) which will only help her going forward.”

Before Anderson’s state appearance, she finished among the top 10 in four straight meets, starting with the Sept. 28 Kenosha County Championships.


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