MONROE - Injuries have dogged Monroe sophomore Nick Baumann since he started running cross country in high school. Achilles tendonitis robbed him of most of this season.
Yet, for the first time in his prep career, Baumann enters the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids healthy.
Last year, a stress fracture in his foot cost him most of the season. Baumann ran at state last year, but had to pull out due to the injury and didn't finish the race. This year when Achilles tendonitis hit, he was forced to rest and slowly built his training and miles back up.
"I'm really excited to make it to state," Baumann said. "I was kind of at ground zero. I didn't even know if I would be able to run this year. It makes it worth it. I'm looking forward to it now that I'm healthy. I haven't had any nagging injuries since the beginning of the year."
Baumann and fellow sophomore Ciara Kaderly will represent the Cheesemakers at state. Both Baumann and Kaderly were individual state qualifiers. Baumann finished sixth in the Division 2 Platteville sectional with a time of 17 minutes, 8.2 seconds. His best time this season is 16:50. It's the first time in five years the Cheesemakers won't have their boys team running at state.
"I would like to get top 20 and break 17 minutes," he said. "I just want to enjoy the experience. It will be different next year. My teammates have really been great supporting me."
Wisconsin Lutheran's Eric Brown II enters the state meet as one of the favorites after taking third place last year. Other contenders vying for an individual state title include Nekoosa-Port Edwards senior Ben Eidenschink, who took sixth last season; Wisconsin Lutheran's Kyler Lueck, who was seventh last year; and Shorewood junior Sam Kuhlmann, who took eighth last year.
"There is no clear-cut favorite," Baumann said. "I think Kyler Lueck of Wisconsin Lutheran may win it. He's been running good. I just don't want to go out too fast. There will be a lot of fast runners there to push the pace. I have to keep it in check."
Kaderly is the first member of the Monroe girls cross country team to qualify for state since 2006.
"I'm anxious and excited because we haven't had a girl run at state in a long time," Kaderly said. "I just want to represent the Monroe girls team. It will be a really fun experience."
Kaderly finished eighth at the Platteville sectional (20:31) to qualify for state. Running the 5,000 meters for the first time to make it to state wasn't an obstacle she shied away from.
"I don't want to go out too fast and I want to finish strong," Kaderly said. "I want to try to break 20 minutes."
Madison Edgewood senior Amy Davis, who was the state runner-up the past two years, will contend for a state title. Shorewood junior Morgan Florshiem is the defending state champion. Several other runners are back to vie for the title including Dodgville-Mineral Point senior Hannah Owens, who took fifth last year after finishing eighth in 2012 and seventh in 2011. Two other runners in the mix for a title are Two Rivers senior Kristy Terp, who took sixth last year, and sophomore Audrey Janik of Wisconsin Lutheran, who was seventh last year.
"I'm rooting for her (Davis)," Kaderly said of her Edgewood rival.
Yet, for the first time in his prep career, Baumann enters the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids healthy.
Last year, a stress fracture in his foot cost him most of the season. Baumann ran at state last year, but had to pull out due to the injury and didn't finish the race. This year when Achilles tendonitis hit, he was forced to rest and slowly built his training and miles back up.
"I'm really excited to make it to state," Baumann said. "I was kind of at ground zero. I didn't even know if I would be able to run this year. It makes it worth it. I'm looking forward to it now that I'm healthy. I haven't had any nagging injuries since the beginning of the year."
Baumann and fellow sophomore Ciara Kaderly will represent the Cheesemakers at state. Both Baumann and Kaderly were individual state qualifiers. Baumann finished sixth in the Division 2 Platteville sectional with a time of 17 minutes, 8.2 seconds. His best time this season is 16:50. It's the first time in five years the Cheesemakers won't have their boys team running at state.
"I would like to get top 20 and break 17 minutes," he said. "I just want to enjoy the experience. It will be different next year. My teammates have really been great supporting me."
Wisconsin Lutheran's Eric Brown II enters the state meet as one of the favorites after taking third place last year. Other contenders vying for an individual state title include Nekoosa-Port Edwards senior Ben Eidenschink, who took sixth last season; Wisconsin Lutheran's Kyler Lueck, who was seventh last year; and Shorewood junior Sam Kuhlmann, who took eighth last year.
"There is no clear-cut favorite," Baumann said. "I think Kyler Lueck of Wisconsin Lutheran may win it. He's been running good. I just don't want to go out too fast. There will be a lot of fast runners there to push the pace. I have to keep it in check."
Kaderly is the first member of the Monroe girls cross country team to qualify for state since 2006.
"I'm anxious and excited because we haven't had a girl run at state in a long time," Kaderly said. "I just want to represent the Monroe girls team. It will be a really fun experience."
Kaderly finished eighth at the Platteville sectional (20:31) to qualify for state. Running the 5,000 meters for the first time to make it to state wasn't an obstacle she shied away from.
"I don't want to go out too fast and I want to finish strong," Kaderly said. "I want to try to break 20 minutes."
Madison Edgewood senior Amy Davis, who was the state runner-up the past two years, will contend for a state title. Shorewood junior Morgan Florshiem is the defending state champion. Several other runners are back to vie for the title including Dodgville-Mineral Point senior Hannah Owens, who took fifth last year after finishing eighth in 2012 and seventh in 2011. Two other runners in the mix for a title are Two Rivers senior Kristy Terp, who took sixth last year, and sophomore Audrey Janik of Wisconsin Lutheran, who was seventh last year.
"I'm rooting for her (Davis)," Kaderly said of her Edgewood rival.
