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The Pipestone Area Schools’ cross country team recalled the 2025 season with an awards program Thursday, Nov. 6, at Faith Community Church.
Eight awards were presented to the runners (four male and four female).
Rhaelee Heidebrink, the Arrows top finisher at the Section 3A meet, earned the Steve Prefontaine Award.
Steve ‘Pre’ Prefontaine was a stellar American long-distance runner — setting records from 2,000 to 10,000 meters — before his untimely death in 1975. Prefontaine’s legacy includes Pre’s Rock in Eugene, Ore., which also is the site of a meet and track club named in his honor.
Pipestone Area Schools’ cross country runners celebrated the 2025 season at an awards program on Thursday, Nov. 6, at Faith Community Church. Special awards winners were (from left), Shiloh Post, Adeline Wrenn, Amelia Bucher, Rhaelee Heidebrink, Ramon Macias, Carloseriel Perez-Garcia, Barron Feste and Joshua Zupp. (Star photo by John Draper)
PAS head coach Mark Moeller created the award to recognize “toughness.”
Heidebrink fueled PAS to seventh place out of 16 teams at the 3A meet Thursday, Oct. 30, in Madison. Rhaelee’s time was 21:45.9.
Eighth-grader Shiloh Post received the most improved runner honor.
Experienced runner Amelia Bucher earned “Arrow Spirit,” and teammate Adeline Wrenn, just in seventh grade, was tabbed as rookie of the year.
Pipestone Area Schools’ girls winners were Adeline Wrenn, Shiloh Post, Rhaelee Heidebrink and Amelia Bucher.(Star photo by John Draper)
On the boys’ side, Carloseriel Perez-Garcia was chosen for the Prefontaine Award.
Roman Macias, who continues to develop into one of the Arrows best distance runners in either cross country or track and field, earned rookie of the year.
Barron Feste was given “Arrow Spirit,” and Joshua Zupp most improved runner. Zupp was PAS top finisher at the Section 3A meet with a time of 20:21.3, good enough for 72nd place in a field of 137 runners.
Pipestone Area Schools’ boys winners were Barron Feste, Ramon Macias, Carloseriel Perez-Garcia and Joshua Zupp. (Star photo by John Draper)
The Big South Conference honorably mentioned three PAS runners based on their performances at the league meet conducted in Luverne Tuesday, Oct. 14; Heidebrink, Bucher and Macias.
Heidebrink recorded a time of 21:43.07 and Bucher 21:58.874, propelling the Arrows to a fifth-place finish out of seven schools. Macias clocked in at 18:14.28.
The event lasted roughly one hour, with pizza on the menu. Root beer floats were served as a dessert, a sweet finish to a season that saw improvement across the board from PAS.
Editor’s Note: Complete all-Big South Conference small school and large school teams will accompany the online version of this story at www.pipestonestar.com.