The leaders of the pack

Senior cross country runners Lukus Klawitter and Katie Hjerpe have taken different paths in their running careers. However, each is now a captain and a leader in races and in practice.

Their leadership could play key roles in today’s Hutchinson Invitational scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Lake Marion course six miles south of Hutchinson.

Teams expected to compete are Buffalo, Dassel-Cokato, Fairmont, Mankato East, Mankato West, Marshall, New Prague, New Ulm, Sartell-Saint Stephen, Shakopee, Willmar and Waseca.

“It’s really going to be a fun meet. The competition should be outstanding. I know most of the guys on Willmar and some of the other schools like Mankato West, so it’s fun to race against them,” Klawitter said. “I’ll have more of my family there, so I’m pumped up and ready to go.”

Running runs through the blood of the Klawitter family. It started with grandpa and has trickled through all three boys — Josh, a former Hutchinson and South Dakota State University runner; Lukus and Chandler, a sixth-grader that has already topped the middle school team twice.

“We got into running with my grandpa and the (Water Carnival) race. Now, the whole family runs. My mom runs. Josh ran. Him running cross country really got me into the sport, and now, Chandler really is into it,” Klawitter said. “(Chandler)’s following in our footsteps, but he’s a lot faster than either me or Josh were at his age.”

This is the third year on varsity for Klawitter, who ran a personal-best time of 17:04 at the opening race at St. Cloud Apollo. He has steadily moved up through the running ranks and now is the leader of the pack.

Katie Hjerpe is only in her second year of cross country, but the sport really has grown on her. Apparently, it has grown on others, too.

Hjerpe, along with senior Caitlin Corby and sophomore Laura Schommer, joined the cross country ranks in 2007.