— Detroit Lakes’ Connor Malecka is regarded as one of the best runners in Class AA. He showed off his skills at the state championships on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Malecka gave it his best effort, finishing in second place with a time of 15:17.0. St. Paul Como Park’s Charlie Loth repeated as champion with a time of 15:10.1.
Malecka knew it was going to be a battle at Majestic Oaks Golf Club because of the final kick Loth has near the end. Around 200 meter left in the race, Loth branched off and Malecka cruised to his best finish of his career.
“I think it was very good,” Malecka said following the race. “I got seventh place last year, so coming back and getting second is awesome. The guy I lost to won state last year and also won state in the two-mile and the mile in track, and he has a way better kick… I stuck with him for a long time and I took the pack out very fast like I was kind of planning to so that I could exhaust people, get them to fall off, and that worked really well. So the race went just to plan.”
Section 8-2A boys cross country Coach of the Year Bill Kvebak couldn’t be more proud of Malecka. Their game plan worked to perfect. He was happy to see Malecka complete another successful season and race at the state championships.
“We knew that he had to run as fast as he could throughout the entire race,: Kvebak said. “He couldn’t sit and wait at all. He had to run a fast first mile and then try and hold on. We knew that the kid from Como Park was a kicker at the end of the race and tried to run it out of him. It didn’t happen, but like we gave every shot possible to do it. It was a heck of a race.”
Malecka’s first appearance at state was as a freshman in 2024. He placed 47th with a time of 16:36.1. It sparked his rise to glory that we see today.
The top 10 boys finishers at the Class AA state championships on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, Minn.
Nick Leonardelli / Perham Focus
He looked back at his freshman year in track and how he missed qualifying for state due to illness. He was disappointed in the moment but saw it as one of the best things to happen in his young career.
“I think that was really good for me because I worked harder than ever after that, and I wouldn’t lose like that again,” Malecka said. “I wouldn’t miss it like that again. So I worked really hard, ran 50-mile weeks last year, now I’m doing 60, and It’s working really well for me and it worked out awesome.”
Kvebak has gotten a front-row seat to the hard work Malecka puts in week-by-week during the season and offseason.
It’s that hard work that has pushed Malecka to where he is today. But it’s not just the work he’s putting into cross country; it’s every aspect of his craft that Malecka gives 110%.
“Everything stems from him putting forth work, not just in where he’s working hard in practice or putting in miles, but he takes the extra effort to make sure that he’s stretching a lot and taking care of his body after practices,” Kvebak said. “That every little piece he’s trying to find that little advantage, to help himself get better. And it’s all the work that he puts in that makes him do what he does today.”
Malecka wouldn’t be here without the guidance of his coach but also his teammates. One of their goals this season was to qualify for state as a team. Although they didn’t achieve that, the boys came down to Ham Lake to support their friend.
They are the guys who push Malecka to be better. They’ve helped Malecka reach new heights.
“If I was doing this alone, I wouldn’t be able to be as good as I am,” Malecka said. “Having a really good supportive team really does a lot, and it helps me push, and it’s awesome that I get to bring them along with me. We’re one of the best teams in DL history. So it’s really fun having them around. Gage Weber, I brought here. He’s a great teammate. He helps me out a lot. He’s a very nice guy. All the guys are like that, and it really helps everyone on the team.”
Detroit Lakes’ Connor Malecka at the Class AA State Championships on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, Minn.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
My name is Nick Leonardelli and I am the sports editor for the Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus. I moved to the area in October of 2022 after covering sports for the Monroe County Herald in Sparta, WI for nearly a year. I was also working for ESPN La Crosse as a show producer. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2021 with a degree in sports management and a minor in media studies.
I cover sports and write columns for the Detroit Lakes Tribune, Perham Focus and Wadena Pioneer Journal. You can reach me via email at nleonardelli@perhamfocus.com or by phone at 218-844-1461.