NEW GLARUS — The Glarner Knights are coming off an impressive stretch where both the boys and girls cross country teams have won three-straight Capitol South Conference titles each. In fact, both the boys and girls squads have qualified for the state meet in each of the past two seasons.
Repeating one of those feats — let alone both — will come down to health and determination. The boys team was especially hit hard with graduation, with five runners moving on from high school, including captain Evan Guenther. The girls side lost just one, but she (Dayna Karls) was the captain and a key competitor.
“Winning the conference championships remains a top priority for both teams. Qualifying for the state meet will be the next goal for both teams,” said New Glarus-Monticello coach Steve Wehrley, now in his 35th year at the helm. “The Capitol Conference teams we face will be stronger than last year on both the boys’ and girls’ teams with Deerfield-Cambridge the most dangerous of those. D-C has several talented freshmen moving up.
Back for the boys are Collin Blum, Linden Lounsbury, Tom Nelson, Ian Schwartzlow and Grayson Rodefeld. On the girls side, Camryn Arnett, Anya Brenkman, Tenley Faber, Melanie Fink, Emma Martinson, Ruth Marty, Lily Maynard, Lucy Melvin, Annika Ziperski and Ruthie Zuber all return. Nelson, Faber and Ziperski are all being recruited by several DIII colleges, according Wehrley.
“The boys need to rely on the leadership of seniors Tom Nelson, Collin Blum, Grayson Rodefeld (junior), Linden Lounsbury, Carter Ness, Ray Valentine and Ian Schwartzlow to push the team to the position they were in last season,” Wehrley said. “The girls’ team is blessed with a solid group of returning runners and several freshmen gals with potential as one can see from the returning letterwinners list. Our girls’ captains will be Tenley Faber, Annika Ziperski and Lily Maynard.”
Getting back to state will also be an issue. NGM will again compete in Division 2 as one of the smallest programs in the state in that division. The sectional includes Monroe, Dodgeville-Mineral Point, Mount Horeb and Evansville, among others.
