BRAINERD — The plan was to return to state one last time.
Madi Miller then executed the plan to perfection Thursday, Oct. 24, when she placed third in the
with a 19:03.0 to lead the Brainerd Warriors cross-country team to second, which landed them a spot in the state meet Saturday, Nov. 2.
This will be Miller’s fourth state meet. She qualified as an individual her freshman season and then helped Brainerd’s team to state for the last three seasons.
“We talked with coach (Dave Herath) and mentally prepped and had gone with the plan to take the girls’ team back to state,” Miller said. “Brooke (Wenz) and I really wanted to get our team back to state and do anything we could to get there. We knew we had to be up in the top five and mixed up with the Moorhead and St. Michael-Albertville packs. I just went out there and did what I had to do to get my team where we wanted to go and just looking for a good race. I had that race finally.”
The section meet was held at Forestview Middle School on the same course the Warriors use for their season-opening Run for the Melon. Miller hasn’t enjoyed much success at the Melon, including this year when she was ill and finished 12th in 21:10.4.
I would definitely say this is one of the most fun years I’ve had.
Madi Miller
The Warriors also hosted a Section 8-3A preview and Miller was sick for that event, again, and didn’t run.
Despite the lack of success, Miller was on a mission. She posted the fastest time by a Brainerd runner on that course.
“I was definitely nervous just considering the course and I haven’t been feeling my best this year,” Miller said. “I knew that if I mentally got myself there, my physical training would take me the rest of the way that I needed. I just needed to be mentally there as well. I knew that I was physically ready and it was more of a mental piece and I got there for that meet.”

Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Miller said during the last 800 yards of the race she thought about her teammates and how badly she wanted to lead them to state for her senior season.
“Honestly, all of it was thinking about my teammates and doing what I had to do,” Miller said. “My dad yelled at me and said ‘You don’t even look tired’ and in my mind, I was thinking ‘You know what? I’m not. I can do this.’ Even if I was tired, I had to tell myself I wasn’t so I could get where I wanted to go.”
Warrior head coach Dave Herath wasn’t surprised by Miller’s performance. He had been watching her do that all season in practice. He said they talked before the section meet about all of the effort she put into her final season.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
“I just told her all of her work was going to come out when it was supposed to come out,” Herath said. “She’s in a pretty heavy-duty strength class in school and was doing a lot of lifting through the meets so we just reminded her of that as well. We have a pretty regimented mental prep we go through. She’s had a lot of success with that in her other years and I think that helped, too.”
During the
Central Lakes Conference Championship
Oct. 15, Miller placed 11th in 19:38.47. Her seventh-place 19:17.6 helped Brainerd to second in the
Oct. 10.
“Madi and Brooke, we’re going to really miss,” Herath said. “Madi just brings an energy and an exuberance. An everyday-is-good kind of attitude. Life isn’t always good. She had her share of races she wished she had done a little differently or had a different result. She’d be down, but only for a short amount of time and bounce back. The next day she would be encouraging everybody else and bringing her bright smile to practice and just that energy. That’s who she is. We’re really going to miss that.”

Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
During last year’s state meet, Miller earned
by placing 20th in 18:58.5. It is still the third fastest time run by a Warrior girls’ runner.
“I would like to get All-State again this year,” Miller said. “Honestly, I’d like to go out there and have fun and enjoy my one last race as a Warrior. That’s a big part of it, too.
“I think we’re ranked 10th, but we haven’t really talked about what our ideal state plan is as a team so far.”
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
For her senior season, Miller agreed it’s been a challenging season with overcoming sicknesses, but the last two weeks have been pretty good. She recently announced she would be continuing her running career at South Dakota State University.
“I would definitely say this is one of the most fun years I’ve had,” Miller said. “Leading the team and having just this one more year left. I wanted to give it my all.”
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at 855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremymillsop.
Madi Miller
Sport: Cross-country
Year: Senior
Age: 17
Height: 5-foot-9
Career highlight: Advancing to this year’s Class 3A State cross-country meet
Other sports: Nordic ski, track and field
Grade-point average: 3.78
Favorite class: Weightlifting
Favorite teacher: Mr. Mike Boran
Favorite food: Ice cream
Favorite movie: “McFarland USA”
Favorite musician: Morgan Wallen
Favorite athlete: USA Olympic mile runner Elle St. Pierre
What other activities are you involved in: Brainerd Ski Loons
What sport do you wish you would have played: Basketball
Who inspires you: Her parents
Future plans: Attending South Dakota State University to run and major in biology or nursing
Parents: Casey and Christa Miller
Other notable performances
Rowan Plested, football, finished with eight tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery against Sartell.
Izaac Vanek, football, finished with 104 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and threw for 41 yards on 4-of-8 passing against Sartell.
Jayden Barnum, football, rushed for 87 yards on 26 carries and caught one pass for 23 yards against Sartell.
Karley Dunham, volleyball, finished with 15 digs, 12 kills, two blocks and an ace serve against Buffalo.
Ben Stadum, boys’ cross-country, ran a third-place 16:13.0 in the Section 8-3A Final to advance to state.
Jonathan Cowell, boys’ cross-country, ran a sixth-place 16:23.0 in the Section 8-3A Final to advance to state.
Brooke Wenz, girls’ cross-country, ran a sixth-place 19:09.8 in the Section 8-3A Final to help the Warrior girls to state.
Mya Tautges, girls’ swimming and diving, broke two Central Lakes Conference records and helped a relay to first and second during the CLC Championships.
Aralyn Marcelo, girls’ swimming and diving, placed first and second in her individual events and helped two relays to first during the CLC Championships.