DARLINGTON - Tyson Miehe and the Darlington cross country team are going for a three-peat as state champions.
Miehe, a Darlington senior, is the two-time defending Division 3 state champion. Miehe is looking to become just the sixth runner to ever win three state titles in Division 3.
"It's definitely one of my biggest goals," Miehe said of winning the individual state title. "I have trained really hard for this and I'm in the best shape of my life. Hopefully, it works out on Saturday."
Miehe is considered the favorite to win a third straight state title. However, there are seven other runners who finished in the top 10 at state last year looking to unseat him as state champion. They include senior Kevin Ryan of Kenosha St. Joseph, who was runner-up last year; senior Darin Lau of Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran (third); junior Luke Versweyveld of Kenosha Christian Life/Faith Christian (fourth); sophomore Dakota Kauffman of Boscobel (fifth); senior Nick Zander of McDonell Central (eighth); senior Andrew Studinski of Marathon (ninth); and senior Sasha Maro of Mondovi (10th). Zander was the state champion in the 1,600- and 800-meters in the state track meet last spring.
"It will be one of the best Division 3 races," Miehe said. "I just have to focus on my race and not worry about anyone else."
Darlington has just two of its seven runners back who ran at state last year. The Redbirds reloaded and had several young runners emerge. Miehe is confident the Redbirds can be in the mix for a third straight team state championship.
"I think we have a pretty good shot at it," Miehe said. "These guys have stepped up and filled in nicely. Now it's like we are here to do business."
Among the other teams that finished in the top five a year ago, Chequamegon and Marathon have the most runners returning to the meet with six after placing third and fifth, respectively, last year. McDonell Central will have five returning competitors back following last year's fourth-place finish, and Boscobel has four runners back from last season's squad that finished runner-up.
"The top five from the state meet last year are all back," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "They (Darlington) have hit a groove and are peaking at the right time. There really is no favorite. Anyone of the top five could win it. It's really a toss-up."
Tyson hasn't talked to the younger runners about the state meet. The Redbirds competed at the Wisconsin Rapids Invitational earlier this year so they are familiar with the course.
"We really didn't talk with the new and inexperienced runners," Tyson Miehe said. "You don't want to get them overly hyped or nervous about it."
Albany has three state qualifiers including junior Aaron Johnson, junior Brennan Bloedel and sophomore Tyler Dahl looking to make a mark.
"Hopefully, they can be close to the top 10 and medal," Albany coach Tony Brewer said. "They have been in enough big races now. Hopefully, they can go up there and represent us well."
The Darlington girls cross country team is making its eighth-straight state appearance. The Redbirds finished as the state runner-up last year. Cedar Grove-Belgium has three runners returning from its third-place team last year. Westby and Lourdes Academy have four returning participants from last year's teams who placed sixth and eighth, respectively. Colfax returns the most runners from teams that placed in the top eight last season with five after finishing seventh last year.
Darlington senior Claire Cullen and freshman Paige Schilling have led the Redbirds team back to state and to another SWAL championship.
"The expectation is that they reach that level of performance," Arnie Miehe said of qualifying for state. "When they step into the program they know how high the bar is."
Miehe, a Darlington senior, is the two-time defending Division 3 state champion. Miehe is looking to become just the sixth runner to ever win three state titles in Division 3.
"It's definitely one of my biggest goals," Miehe said of winning the individual state title. "I have trained really hard for this and I'm in the best shape of my life. Hopefully, it works out on Saturday."
Miehe is considered the favorite to win a third straight state title. However, there are seven other runners who finished in the top 10 at state last year looking to unseat him as state champion. They include senior Kevin Ryan of Kenosha St. Joseph, who was runner-up last year; senior Darin Lau of Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran (third); junior Luke Versweyveld of Kenosha Christian Life/Faith Christian (fourth); sophomore Dakota Kauffman of Boscobel (fifth); senior Nick Zander of McDonell Central (eighth); senior Andrew Studinski of Marathon (ninth); and senior Sasha Maro of Mondovi (10th). Zander was the state champion in the 1,600- and 800-meters in the state track meet last spring.
"It will be one of the best Division 3 races," Miehe said. "I just have to focus on my race and not worry about anyone else."
Darlington has just two of its seven runners back who ran at state last year. The Redbirds reloaded and had several young runners emerge. Miehe is confident the Redbirds can be in the mix for a third straight team state championship.
"I think we have a pretty good shot at it," Miehe said. "These guys have stepped up and filled in nicely. Now it's like we are here to do business."
Among the other teams that finished in the top five a year ago, Chequamegon and Marathon have the most runners returning to the meet with six after placing third and fifth, respectively, last year. McDonell Central will have five returning competitors back following last year's fourth-place finish, and Boscobel has four runners back from last season's squad that finished runner-up.
"The top five from the state meet last year are all back," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "They (Darlington) have hit a groove and are peaking at the right time. There really is no favorite. Anyone of the top five could win it. It's really a toss-up."
Tyson hasn't talked to the younger runners about the state meet. The Redbirds competed at the Wisconsin Rapids Invitational earlier this year so they are familiar with the course.
"We really didn't talk with the new and inexperienced runners," Tyson Miehe said. "You don't want to get them overly hyped or nervous about it."
Albany has three state qualifiers including junior Aaron Johnson, junior Brennan Bloedel and sophomore Tyler Dahl looking to make a mark.
"Hopefully, they can be close to the top 10 and medal," Albany coach Tony Brewer said. "They have been in enough big races now. Hopefully, they can go up there and represent us well."
The Darlington girls cross country team is making its eighth-straight state appearance. The Redbirds finished as the state runner-up last year. Cedar Grove-Belgium has three runners returning from its third-place team last year. Westby and Lourdes Academy have four returning participants from last year's teams who placed sixth and eighth, respectively. Colfax returns the most runners from teams that placed in the top eight last season with five after finishing seventh last year.
Darlington senior Claire Cullen and freshman Paige Schilling have led the Redbirds team back to state and to another SWAL championship.
"The expectation is that they reach that level of performance," Arnie Miehe said of qualifying for state. "When they step into the program they know how high the bar is."
