Two Albert Lea runners made their trip to state twice as nice by qualifying for state in a second event Saturday at the Section 1AA meet at Lakeville South High School.

Chrissy Monson and Ethan Marquardt both qualified for the state meet in the 1,600-meter event after qualifying for state in the 3,200 Thursday.

Monson placed second in the 3,200 and second in the 1,600, as she finished in 5 minutes, 14.89 seconds. Taylor Perkins, of Lakeville South won the race with a time of 5:12.78.

Monson, who was battling a sinus cold, led the first three laps, but couldn’t hold the lead down the stretch as Perkins overtook her on the final lap.

“In my wildest dreams I did not think I was going to make it to state this year. If you would have asked me at the beginning of the season I did not think so,” Monson said. “I’m just so happy and humble that I got to experience what I have.”

The state meet begins Friday at Hamline University in St. Paul.

After a fourth place finish last season at the section meet, Marquardt took second in the 1,600 with a time of 4:28.08 and nearly won the race, but was edged out by Dover-Eyota’s Scott Dick at the finish line.

The race had a quicker pace than Marquardt anticipated, but he was able to bide his time and make his move in the last 200 meters for second.

“We’re so excited,” Tigers head coach Lisa Deyak said. “He was a little disappointed he didn’t win. It was fun to see him qualify in both events.”

Marquardt was a little prouder of his win in the 3,200 on Thursday because he wasn’t expected to win the event.

“I was less pressured in the two mile because I wasn’t expected to make or even get first, but things happen for a reason,” he said. “Three weeks ago I was 10:06, then 9:44 at Big Nine. I thought that was a quick time.”

Marquardt ran a personal best by 12 seconds to win the event.

All the extra running and time made a difference for Marquardt, who has consistently ran to practice from home and run home after practice.

“If you work harder than everyone else you become the best,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on.”

Matt Tiegs’ run at a return trip to state never materialized as he just missed qualifying in the 400 and placed third with a time of 51.85, just three tenths of a second behind second-place finisher Dan Guelle of Hastings.

The boys’ team finished 11th overall at the meet with 41 points and was just 2 1/2 points behind eighth-place finisher Faribault. Farmington won the section with 136 points.

The 4×800 team of David Grano, Kyle Kriewall, Clayton Bratten and Trevor Rasmussen placed fifth with a time of 8:31.23 to earn points for the team.

The 4×400 relay team of Jordan Prescher-Smerud, Kriewall, Rasmussen and Tiegs got off to a strong start behind Prescher-Smerud’s quick lead leg and finished eighth with a time of 3:38.31.

Rasmussen also ran in the finals of the 800 and placed fifth with a time of 2:03.60, after he didn’t make the finals last season.

Sarah Wenum also ran in the finals and placed sixth in the 800 with a time of 2:27.80.

The girls’ team finished 14th with 24 points. Lakeville North won the meet with 140 points.