WISCONSIN RAPIDS - Expectations have tugged at three area boys cross country teams as they try to raise the bar on last year's success.
Darlington, New Glarus-Monticello and Albany are on the eve of the WIAA state cross country meet Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Darlington, ranked No. 1 in the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Division 3 state poll, is looking to break through at state. The Redbirds finished 11th last year with two freshmen and a sophomore in the team's top five. Darlington senior Jordan Heinberg took 35th at state last year.
Sophomores Kent Miehe, Michael Sinclair and junior Connor Roche hope to improve on last year's finish.
"To have that year of experience now instead of being wide-eyed, they are really ready," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "They know where the course goes. When there are so many runners there, anything can happen. The guys know they didn't run a good race last year. They want to go and do better than last year."
New Glarus-Monticello, ranked sixth in Division 2 poll has benefited from a talented mix of seniors and younger runners. The last time both the New Glarus-Monticello boys and girls cross country teams qualified for state in the same year was in 2001. The Glarner Knights are led by senior Travis Beutler and freshman Ryan McCoy. Senior Carl Pratt has given the Knights three strong front-runners.
"I would rather be ranked 12th so if we finish 11th, people would say 'nice going,'" New Glarus-Monticello coach Steve Wehrley said.
Wehrley said the Knights ranking may have been due to the fact they finished ahead of McFarland at the Baertschi Invitational in Albany. However, the Spartans were without two of their top runners. McFarland edged the Knights for the Platteville sectional title last week, 67-69.
"I suspect, mathematically, that was an over-ranking," he said. "When you get to the state meet all bets are off. Anything that has happened is of little importance."
Wehrley isn't afraid to admit that the success at state boils down to the fourth through sixth runners, including senior Tyler Meier and freshman Alexander Yieser and Wesley Morgan.
"We have said for years that cross country is one of the only sports when your fifth runner is as important as your first runner. If they have a good day, then the team will have a good day."
The Redbirds are also banking on freshmen Garth Garrison and Quinn Cullen turning in good performances. Miehe hopes the Redbirds have overcome the illness that zapped them last week at the sectional.
"I'm hoping we are healthier," Miehe said. "We are healthier than last Friday. You don't know until they shoot the gun. We will have to get out strong and keep moving up in the race."
Darlington isn't the only team making a return trip to the Division 3 state meet. Albany qualified for state for the second consecutive year after qualifying for the first time since 1997 last year. The Comets finished 15th at state last year. Albany proved naysayers wrong by returning despite graduating two of the team's top runners from last year.
"In the end, they looked back and were disappointed," Albany coach Tony Brewer said about last year's 15th-place finish. "This year we are hoping to finish for sure in the top 10."
The Comets are led by sophomore Reece Whitehead, junior Drew Mather and senior Tyler Conley. All three return from last year's state qualifying team. Mather finished 117th last year and Whitehead was 123rd.
"To do that, we have to be running our best races of the season," Brewer said of a top 10 finish. "We definitely want to go up there and prove we belong there."
Albany freshman Johnny Kallgren and junior Trent Kuebli have to tighten the gap from the Comets' first runner to their fifth. At the sectional, the Comets had a 1 minute, 2 second gap between Whitehead and their fifth runner. Brewer knows that gap must be narrowed for the Comets to break into the top 10.
"I think if that happens then top-10 is attainable," Brewer said. "It would be ideal to get it to 45 seconds. One thing we learned last year is we didn't go out hard enough. That last mile, you have to dig a little bit."
Darlington, New Glarus-Monticello and Albany are on the eve of the WIAA state cross country meet Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Darlington, ranked No. 1 in the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Division 3 state poll, is looking to break through at state. The Redbirds finished 11th last year with two freshmen and a sophomore in the team's top five. Darlington senior Jordan Heinberg took 35th at state last year.
Sophomores Kent Miehe, Michael Sinclair and junior Connor Roche hope to improve on last year's finish.
"To have that year of experience now instead of being wide-eyed, they are really ready," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "They know where the course goes. When there are so many runners there, anything can happen. The guys know they didn't run a good race last year. They want to go and do better than last year."
New Glarus-Monticello, ranked sixth in Division 2 poll has benefited from a talented mix of seniors and younger runners. The last time both the New Glarus-Monticello boys and girls cross country teams qualified for state in the same year was in 2001. The Glarner Knights are led by senior Travis Beutler and freshman Ryan McCoy. Senior Carl Pratt has given the Knights three strong front-runners.
"I would rather be ranked 12th so if we finish 11th, people would say 'nice going,'" New Glarus-Monticello coach Steve Wehrley said.
Wehrley said the Knights ranking may have been due to the fact they finished ahead of McFarland at the Baertschi Invitational in Albany. However, the Spartans were without two of their top runners. McFarland edged the Knights for the Platteville sectional title last week, 67-69.
"I suspect, mathematically, that was an over-ranking," he said. "When you get to the state meet all bets are off. Anything that has happened is of little importance."
Wehrley isn't afraid to admit that the success at state boils down to the fourth through sixth runners, including senior Tyler Meier and freshman Alexander Yieser and Wesley Morgan.
"We have said for years that cross country is one of the only sports when your fifth runner is as important as your first runner. If they have a good day, then the team will have a good day."
The Redbirds are also banking on freshmen Garth Garrison and Quinn Cullen turning in good performances. Miehe hopes the Redbirds have overcome the illness that zapped them last week at the sectional.
"I'm hoping we are healthier," Miehe said. "We are healthier than last Friday. You don't know until they shoot the gun. We will have to get out strong and keep moving up in the race."
Darlington isn't the only team making a return trip to the Division 3 state meet. Albany qualified for state for the second consecutive year after qualifying for the first time since 1997 last year. The Comets finished 15th at state last year. Albany proved naysayers wrong by returning despite graduating two of the team's top runners from last year.
"In the end, they looked back and were disappointed," Albany coach Tony Brewer said about last year's 15th-place finish. "This year we are hoping to finish for sure in the top 10."
The Comets are led by sophomore Reece Whitehead, junior Drew Mather and senior Tyler Conley. All three return from last year's state qualifying team. Mather finished 117th last year and Whitehead was 123rd.
"To do that, we have to be running our best races of the season," Brewer said of a top 10 finish. "We definitely want to go up there and prove we belong there."
Albany freshman Johnny Kallgren and junior Trent Kuebli have to tighten the gap from the Comets' first runner to their fifth. At the sectional, the Comets had a 1 minute, 2 second gap between Whitehead and their fifth runner. Brewer knows that gap must be narrowed for the Comets to break into the top 10.
"I think if that happens then top-10 is attainable," Brewer said. "It would be ideal to get it to 45 seconds. One thing we learned last year is we didn't go out hard enough. That last mile, you have to dig a little bit."
