By John RittenhouseThomas Pinkal’s last high school race was a good one at the Minnesota State Class A Cross Country Championships Saturday in Northfield.Pinkal, a Luverne senior who qualified for the state meet individually, capped a successful season by turning in an All-State performance on the course at St. Olaf College.Pinkal ran an LHS boys’ record time of 16:51.3 on the course, finishing 20th in a field of 154 runners.Since the first 25 runners to finish the race are rewarded by being placed on the All-State Team, Pinkal will go down in history as the second LHS male to be so honored."He made the All-State Team and set our course record. That’s a pretty good day," said Cardinal coach Bruce Gluf."He wanted to finish with a medal (the first eight finishers receive medals in state competition), but I told him making All-State would be nice before the race. Then we went out there and did it by running a good race."Experience worked in Pinkal’s favor Saturday.As a member of Luverne’s state-qualifying boys’ team in 2004, Pinkal wasn’t overwhelmed by being a part of cross country’s biggest meet of the season.Instead, the LHS standout ran his second-fastest time of the year. In the process, he improved his finish from 72nd at state last season to 20th on Saturday.Gluf, who describes Pinkal as being the perfect senior, said a long summer of hard work paid off for the athlete."Thomas is as hard a worker as I’ve had over the years. He’s a blue-collar kid, and I don’t mean that in a demeaning way. He gets his success through hard work. To come from finishing 72nd last year to making the All-State Team is really something. I hate to see him go."