what really matters in sports

This really choked me up when I saw this on Friday during our sojourn to Madison. I am humbled by the lesson our cousin and niece Liana shared with southern MN and a healthy number of people on FaceBook.

Mt. Lake Area cross country senior Liana Blomgren, a past state qualifier in the sport, ended her career Thursday when she was disqualified from the Section 3A Meet.

But what got her disqualified was the ultimate act of sportsmanship.

Windom eighth-grader Gracie Bucher collapsed in the final 100 meters of the race Thursday in Luverne. Shortly behind was Blomgren, who stopped running, helped Bucher to her feet and assisted her to the finish line.

At the time she collapsed, Bucher was just behind the final individual state qualifiers, while Blomgren was near the top 20 at the time.

Both runners were disqualified from the race. But the act of sportsmanship on Blomgren's part is commendable.