Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Trey Engen of Algona reacts as he crosses the finish line first in the boys Class 3A 3200-meter run on Thursday at the state track meet in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — The fact that Trey Engen sacrificed some of his own energy this week to run the two-mile and help Algona should come as no surprise.

Engen, one of the favorites to capture the Class 3A 1600-meter run, surprised even himself by cruising to gold in the 3200 here Thursday inside Drake Stadium.

The Bulldog senior clocked a time of 9:34.96, almost 10 full seconds ahead of runner-up Cody Mertens of Mount Pleasant. Humboldt’s Quinton Orr placed third with Adel-ADM’s Nate Mueller finishing fourth.

“I’m normally not that good at the two-mile, but I just wanted to run it to get team points,” Engen said. “I got team points and I got a state championship, which is dope. It just feels really good to get team points.”

Algona is currently tied for seventh with Humboldt in the team race with 10 points. Mount Pleasant leads with 21 after day one.

Engen became the first Bulldog to win the distance event, sprinting his way to the finish with no one but lapped runners around him.

“It feels great,” he said. “It’s a moment that you think about during all of the summer and winter miles, so it’s great to see it become a reality. I think that I will look back on that race knowing that I laid it all on the line in order to get the victory.”

Mertens was the 3A state cross country champion this past fall, with Orr placing second in that race and Mueller third. Engen, a four-time state cross country qualifier, finished 10th.

Orr, a sophomore, clocked a time of 9;45.59, finishing just a second behind Mertens. He finished 14th in the event last year at state.

“It’s always an incredible opportunity and blessing to be able to compete at a state event,” Orr said. “The atmosphere is always awesome, and it’s so fun to be able to compete in an environment like state.

“Finishing third was just an incredible blessing. I knew I had done all the training I needed to put myself in the position to do well. I just had to have fun and run the race.”

Over the past two years, Orr, teammate Joseph Kunert and Engen have developed a mutual respect for one another on the track and cross country courses around the state.

“Trey is a humble, down to earth, kind person,” Orr said. “He helped me last year with what to do at state track. No one is more deserving than him to win.

“Good runners make you run fast, and I wouldn’t be able to run the times I have if it weren’t for Trey. He also has helped me learn how to race and develop a (finishing) kick.”