North Shore Storm boys' cross country team advances to state, will compete this weekend
Oct 28, 2025 10:38AM ● By Content Editor
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - October 28, 2025
The North Shore Storm boys' cross country team is heading to the Minnesota State Meet this weekend, following last year's success of two individual runners (Sophia Schut and Nick Swartz) who advanced to the state competition. The team is made up of 40 boys and 22 girls from Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and Cook County schools in grades 7-12, with Head Coach April Wahlstrom and assistant coaches Emma Spoon, Max Kelley, Evan Swartsz, and Laura Swartz. The team secured its spot by finishing second at the Section 7A meet last week, competing against 14 teams. The Storm scored 75, only second to the Iron Range's Greenway/Nashwauk/Keewatin team, which scored 70.
Earlier this season, the team had a successful meet during the Polar League conference at Pincushion Mountain, where the boys' cross country team took first place with 44 points. At the conference meet, the Storm's top runner was Leif Lindstrom, who finished 4th, followed by Sam Swartz (8th), Atley Beckstrand (9th), Nick Swartz (13th), and Ethan Fish (18th). The girls' varsity team was led by Sophia Shut and Sierra Geatz, who placed 4th and 5th, respectively.
The boys' team will compete in the Single A State Meet on Friday, November 1st, at 10:00 AM at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course, racing the 5k course. The Storm is one of two teams from Section 7A in the race, which will feature approximately 200 athletes, according to Wahlstrom, who told Boreal Community Media that the team is "super excited and feeling ready and fast for great races! They are prepared!"
The seven runners competing for the Storm will be Sam Swartz, Nick Swartz, Leif Lindstrom, Atley Beckstrand, Ethan Fish, Chance Jacobsen, and Dylan O'Brien, with Erik Gischia and Soren Swanson as alternates.
This year will mark the boys' team's third qualification for State since 2017, following qualifications in 2017 and 2018. Six All-State individuals (Top 10 finish at the State Meet) have competed since 2003.
Community members who aren't able to attend can follow the event via live streaming provided through Wayzata Results.
