Albert Lea cross country standout Chrissy Monson placed 26th Sunday at the Nike Cross Heartland Regional Cross Country Championships at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The sophomore finished the 2 1/2 mile race in 19 minutes and 1.96 seconds, four seconds faster than her time last year at the same event.

The 172-girl race featured runners from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and Missouri, and the top 10 finishers advanced to the Nike Cross Nationals on Dec. 4 in Portland, Ore.

Maria Hauger, the Class 2A state cross country champion, of Shakopee, finished fifth in 18:06.53.

Eden Prairie High School won the team championship with 57 points, edging Dowling Catholic, of West Des Moines, Iowa, and had an average time of 18:51.86.