CLOQUET – The Ely boys cross country team, led by all-stater Luke Olson, finished second overall as a team and qualified for state competition this weekend in Northfield. The Timberwolves nipped at the heels of 7A champion Greenway, coming up just three points shy of the title.

Olson, who was Ely’s lone participant last year in the state meet, took third place overall on Thursday in his final Section 7A meet on a cold, blustery day in Cloquet.

Junior Emmett Faltesek took eighth. Junior Jasper Johnston and sophomore Gabriel Pointer also finished in the top 20 to seal Ely’s second-place team finish. The top two teams advance to state. Ely finished well ahead of third-place North Shore in the field of 22 teams.

“The boys had an awesome race,” said Coach Jayne Dusich. “Luke had a personal record time of 16:11.9. Emmet (Faltesek) who was eighth with a time of 17:01.6, and Jasper Johnston (17:32.3) and Gabriel Pointer (17:33.4), who finished 19th and 20th, really ran their best races to pull the team into second place with their own personal records.”

Ely senior Dylan Fenske took 50th in 18:16.09. Senior Ethan Bremner was 89th 19:39.9 and sophomore Harry Simons was 91st, 19:45.2.

The Ely girls team finished eighth in the 7A sectional. Freshman Zoe Devine was in the mix for her second state berth with a time of 20:23.7, but settled for 17th overall, just four places from a state trip.

“Zoe was so close and ran her best time this season,” Dusich said. “The other girls ran their best or close to their best times of the season.”

The other Ely girls runners, with place and time, included: Phoebe Helms 43rd, (21:47.9); Sydney Durkin 45th (21:48.1); Sarah Isbell 66th (22:38.6); Cora Olson 68th (22:40.1); Laura Holmstrom 73rd, (22:59.1); and Brynn Vollom 74th, (23:00.7).

The state meet will be held Saturday at St. Olaf College in Northfield.