MONROE - For three years, Monroe's Noah Tostrud played football. In his senior year, he traded in his football pads for running shoes.
Tostrud has made a smooth transition from running post and curl routes to developing a strategy to finish his 5,000-meter cross country race. After qualifying for state in the 1,600-meters in his first year running track last spring, Tostrud was intrigued by cross country.
"After the success I had in track, I wanted to give cross country a shot," Tostrud said. "I always wanted to try cross country. It (state) has been the goal all year."
Monroe, ranked No. 5 in the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Division 2 poll, are one of several teams expected to be vying for a state title Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Tostrud's father, Jim Tostrud, is the freshman football coach at Monroe. Noah Tostrud didn't doubt his decision to switch to cross country, but he understood there would be a transition early in the season.
"I was a little concerned at first," Tostrud. "I knew my coaches and teammates would help me have success. I felt like each race I have gotten better and I have known when to make a move and when to hold back."
Tostrud has been a blessing for the Cheesemakers as several runners have battled illness late in the season. He's had a quick learning curve in cross country.
The Cheesemakers could have three of the top 10 runners at state including seniors Ethan Moehn, Jake Hirsbrunner and Tostrud. Hirsbrunner is hoping that with many runners battling illness the last two weeks, it's a blessing in disguise now that they qualified for the state meet.
"I'm glad it happened last week and not now," Hirsbrunner said of the illness. "Our main goal is not to finish in the top three or to get a trophy. Our goal is to win the state meet. It comes down to who runs good that day."
Seven of the top 10 teams at the state meet last year return to contend for a state title. Shorewood, the defending Division 2 state champion, is looking to repeat. Among the leading challengers for the team title is Little Chute, which has six runners returning after last season's sixth-place finish. Freedom and Wisconsin Lutheran each return five runners from teams that finished second and third, respectively, last year.
Tostrud is undecided about which college he will attend, but he said he plans to study business.
"I think it (cross country) can only build me up and help me for the track season," he said.
Tostrud has made a smooth transition from running post and curl routes to developing a strategy to finish his 5,000-meter cross country race. After qualifying for state in the 1,600-meters in his first year running track last spring, Tostrud was intrigued by cross country.
"After the success I had in track, I wanted to give cross country a shot," Tostrud said. "I always wanted to try cross country. It (state) has been the goal all year."
Monroe, ranked No. 5 in the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Division 2 poll, are one of several teams expected to be vying for a state title Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Tostrud's father, Jim Tostrud, is the freshman football coach at Monroe. Noah Tostrud didn't doubt his decision to switch to cross country, but he understood there would be a transition early in the season.
"I was a little concerned at first," Tostrud. "I knew my coaches and teammates would help me have success. I felt like each race I have gotten better and I have known when to make a move and when to hold back."
Tostrud has been a blessing for the Cheesemakers as several runners have battled illness late in the season. He's had a quick learning curve in cross country.
The Cheesemakers could have three of the top 10 runners at state including seniors Ethan Moehn, Jake Hirsbrunner and Tostrud. Hirsbrunner is hoping that with many runners battling illness the last two weeks, it's a blessing in disguise now that they qualified for the state meet.
"I'm glad it happened last week and not now," Hirsbrunner said of the illness. "Our main goal is not to finish in the top three or to get a trophy. Our goal is to win the state meet. It comes down to who runs good that day."
Seven of the top 10 teams at the state meet last year return to contend for a state title. Shorewood, the defending Division 2 state champion, is looking to repeat. Among the leading challengers for the team title is Little Chute, which has six runners returning after last season's sixth-place finish. Freedom and Wisconsin Lutheran each return five runners from teams that finished second and third, respectively, last year.
Tostrud is undecided about which college he will attend, but he said he plans to study business.
"I think it (cross country) can only build me up and help me for the track season," he said.
