Perham Cross Country Repeats as State Runner-Up, Underclassmen Lead Charge
Perham High School's girls cross country team finished second at the Class AA state meet at Les Bolstad Golf Course, scoring 52 points to repeat as state runner-up despite injuries to key athletes. The Yellowjackets placed four runners All‑State, with standout performances from underclassmen 8th-grader Tilly Mathies (7th place) and 7th‑grader Adeline Werner (20th), signaling a strong foundation for future seasons.
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Perham's girls cross country team again claimed the Class AA state runner-up position on Saturday at Les Bolstad Golf Course, scoring 52 points and finishing behind state champion Minneapolis Southwest. The result marked a repeat podium finish for the Yellowjackets and underscored both the team's depth and the contributions of younger athletes amid an injury-affected season.
The Yellowjackets placed four runners on the All‑State list, a significant achievement at the state meet that secured the team's overall score. Leading the way were underclassmen Tilly Mathies, an eighth-grader who finished seventh overall, and seventh-grader Adeline Werner, who took 20th place. Those top-20 finishes from middle-school aged competitors stand out in a field that typically skews toward high-school seniors and juniors, suggesting sustained competitiveness for Perham in coming years.
Perham's ability to secure second place "despite injuries" — an account confirmed by team reports — points to the program's resilience and depth. While injuries can derail championship aspirations, the Yellowjackets' four All‑State finishers provided enough scoring strength to hold off other contenders and maintain their position behind Minneapolis Southwest.
The result has local significance beyond the record book. Repeating as a state runner-up contributes to school and community morale, and it reinforces Perham's reputation as a regional cross country program. Young athletes in the area now have clear role models in Mathies and Werner, whose success as middle-school competitors may drive increased participation in youth running programs and middle-school athletics. Increased youth engagement often translates into higher attendance at meets, more consistent feeder programs for the high school squad, and modest local economic activity tied to travel and youth sports spending during peak seasons.
From a program-development perspective, relying on underclassmen places Perham in a favorable position for long-term competitiveness. Assuming healthy offseasons and recovery for injured runners, the team could be positioned to challenge for the state title as these younger athletes mature. The performance also gives the coaching staff tangible evidence to attract continued community support and resources, whether through booster activity, local sponsorships, or investment in training facilities.
Perham's repeat as Class AA runner-up at Les Bolstad reaffirmed the town's place on Minnesota's cross country map. With four All‑State athletes and notable finishes by eighth- and seventh-graders, the Yellowjackets have combined short-term resilience with a promising long-term outlook for the program and the community that supports it.
