Sep. 10—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Red River senior Elijah Dafoe comes from a running family, but he wasn't expected to run cross country.

In fact, he only joined because he was afraid he'd be missing out.

"For our summer running program, they'd always meet outside of my house," Dafoe said. "So leading up to the deadline for signing up for that, I was just like, I feel like I'm going to miss out on so much if I'm just sitting inside the house every day while they're out practicing. So I joined and then made some friends.

"Honestly, the first year, I didn't enjoy running that much. But then as I got into it, I started to really enjoy it, and now it's the thing I love the most."

Dafoe, the son of Roughriders coach Richard Dafoe, placed second at the EDC meet and fourth at state last season.

He and senior Joe Quinn, who placed eighth at conference and fifth at state, feel like they have something to prove this season.

"Being one of the faster guys for so long, it really just feels like I'm going to leave my high school career unfinished if I don't walk away with a state title," Dafoe said. "At least me or Joe Quinn (has to) walk away with it. It just has to get done before we move on, is the way I see it."

Dafoe and Quinn, in an effort to win state, are approaching this season differently.

This summer, they focused on long-mileage runs and less intense speed workouts. That's carrying over to the season.

The duo are taking a more relaxed approach as the season begins, ramping up their training and competitiveness in races "with a hope of really peaking toward state," Dafoe said.

Quinn is ranked No. 3 and Dafoe No. 4 individually in the Class A boys cross country coaches poll.

Red River, ranked No. 2 in the coaches poll, has started the season by entering smaller meets than the Riders would normally run in, like the Breckenridge-Wahpeton Memorial race that opened the season.

Dafoe placed second in the meet in Wahpeton, behind Quinn. On Friday at the Augustana Twilight in Sioux Falls, Quinn finished 17th (15:30.31) and Dafoe 18th (15:32.30) out of 430 runners in the 46-team field.

Both were personal best times for the pair.

The finishes aren't surprising given Quinn and Dafoe's success in their careers, but Dafoe said it isn't close to where they'll end up.

"We're going to start out a little slower," he said, "and then just get faster and better as it goes on."

Coach: Nicole Kopff.

2023 finish: First at EDC meet, fifth at state.

Key returners: Jr. Ava Parks (sixth at EDC, 13th at state), soph. Jocelynne Hoefs (eighth at EDC, 52nd at state), soph. Mattea Green (11th at EDC, 37th at state), sr. Brooke Dorsey (36th at EDC, 70th at state), sr. Rylie Lelm (57th at EDC), sr. Brenna Shock (61st at EDC).

Top newcomers: Fr. Emma Howard, jr. Ellie Johnson, fr. Kaia Lam, fr. Elsa Parrill.

Coach Kopff says: "We're one meet in and are all very excited for another season filled with growth and development. We have a very coachable group of girls who love cross country, so I'm looking forward to seeing what this season brings."

Coach: Kyle Rosseau.

2023 finish: 16th at state.

Key returners: Eighth-grader Emmi Ihry (third at EDC, seventh place at state), eighth-grader Maddie Kuster, eighth-grader Paige Fiala.

Top newcomers: Sr. Ryah Hogberg, eighth-grader Phoebe Cokeley.

Coach Rosseau says: "Really happy with everyone this year. We had a good group during summer running putting in the miles. Last year we didn't score in the first few meets so this group has done very well. As of now the goal is to improve on our place at EDC and also state. Individually, Emmi is ranked second in the state. Her times so far are faster than where she was last year. Emmi will look to improve on those places and has a great chance to do so."

Coach: Liesa Hanson.

2023 finish: 13th at Section 8AA meet.

Key returners: Sr. Katie Allard (81st at section meet), sr. Adrianna Gregoire (71st at section meet), jr. Kendra Olson (77th at section meet), soph. Aryanna Aro (70th at section meet), fr. Meredith Allard (52nd at section meet).

Coach Hanson says: "We are focused on our individual PR's and building confidence. With a few new girls out, we are working for a stronger team finish at the section meet this year."

Coach: Barbara Arntson.

2023 finish: Third at Section 8A meet.

Key returners: Soph. Ella Arntson (eighth at section meet, 73rd at state), soph. Leah Sundby (27th at section meet), soph. Alyssa Fulcher (56th at section meet), fr. Jayla Abrahamson (36th at section meet), fr. Norah Hanson (16th at section meet), fr. Megan Weiss (26th at section meet).

Top newcomers: Seventh-grader Emelia Arntson, seventh-grader Gracyn Hanson.

Coach Arntson says: "We are very excited about the growth and maturity of the team. The girls are still young but have worked super hard in the offseason and are a highly motivated bunch. Our girls' team goals include repeating as conference champs and earning a first-time team state berth."

Coach: Richard Dafoe.

2023 finish: First at EDC meet, second at state.

Key returners: Sr. Elijah Dafoe (second at EDC, fourth at state), sr. Joseph Quinn (eighth at EDC, fifth at state), sr. Asa Berberich (12th at EDC, 33rd at state), soph. Cohen Dunnigan (fourth at EDC, 17th at state).

Top newcomers: Fr. Isaac Dafoe, soph. Scott Johnson, sr. Samuel Dvorak, sr. William Krump, sr. Samuel Baah.

Coach Dafoe says: "We are a little behind where typically we would be this time of year developmentally. We're hoping that a little slower start to the season will pay off in October as we continue to gain momentum."

Coach: Sean Allan.

2023 finish: Eighth at EDC meet, 12th at state.

Key returners: Soph. Grant Martin (18th at EDC, 47th at state), sr. Aidan Fiala (35th at EDC, 73rd at state), soph. Lincoln Steele (58th at EDC).

Top newcomers: Soph. Kaden Sailer (77th at EDC), soph. Jaded Halvorson, jr. Owen Anderson, eighth-grader Ben Sicker, soph. Caleb Ihry.

Coach Allan says: "We have a young group, about half out for cross country for the first time. So we are on a big learning curve on learning how to train and race. It'll be exciting to see what they can accomplish by the end of the season."

Coach: Liesa Hanson.

2023 finish: Seventh at Section 8AA meet.

Key returners: Sr. Weston Mahar (37th at section meet), sr. Jaxon Mahar (30th at section meet), sr. Eliot Afshari (71st at section meet), sr. Rylan Slack.

Top newcomers: Soph. Cole Vandervort, soph. Elijah Schrage.

Coach Hanson says: "With a strong seventh place finish last year in Section 8AA, the boys would like to place in the top seven again this year."

Coach: Barbara Arntson.

2023 finish: Fourth at Section 8A meet.

Key returners: Sr. Elliot Arntson (38th at section meet), sr. Kyle Hamlin (32nd at section meet), jr. Isaac Sundby (43rd at section meet).

Coach Arntson says: "Those three are returning all-conference runners, and we expect the same from them this year. They are doing a great job of mentoring and leading our younger kids."