Two Teams Will Get A Trip To State
Frontier boys cross country
At long last, Frontier League cross country gets two teams to state.
“It’s nice to have two,” said East Valley coach Dave McCarty. “The only problem is I think three could go.”
The Knights have the best returning lineup, based on last year’s district finish. Four runners return who placed among the league’s top 21.
“East Valley is the team to beat,” said West Valley coach Jim McLachlan.
But the Eagles and perhaps Riverside are not to be ignored and the Knights open the league season Oct. 10 at Riverside.
“That could be the championship right there,” said McCarty.
Don’t count out the Eagles. WV is a state perennial and has the league’s best distance runner in Clayton Holmes. Last weekend the Eagles put three runners in front of EV’s top finisher at the All-Valley cross country meet.
The Eagles must replace three seniors who were major ingredients in last year’s second-place state finish.
Yet, said coach Jim McLachlan, “the boys team had the second-best Farragut Park camp times of any over the last four years.”
WV has big shoes to fill
Qualifying for state is always uppermost in the minds of West Valley cross country runners.
“The boys want to go,” said McLachlan. “It remains to be seen. There are three big shoes to fill.”
Included are the Eagle two-four-five runners.
Holmes gives WV a front-runner and sophomore Sean McLachlan will be close.
Showing improvement are veteran junior Eric Gorton and particularly sophomore Dave McNeil.
Varsity veterans, junior Eric Brosvik and Steve Moore will determine how high the Eagles fly.
“Those runners have to step up for us to be competitive,” said McLachlan.
Others vying for varsity spots are seniors Adam Mortensen, Ken Oldmixen, freshmen Jeremiah Phillips, John Frostad and James Slaughter.
EV has one puzzle piece to fill
With four of the top 10 returning district placers already in the puzzle, EV needs just one piece to complete it.
Dustin Sletner finished fifth last year in district to qualify for state. Three others, Bryan McCarty, Ryan Skinner and Jim Marlow finished one after another in 18th through 20th places.
“Dustin looks like number one,” said McCarty. “Ryan’s been coming on the last couple of workouts. Between those two, it’s nice to have a one-two punch.”
McCarty’s son is currently sidelined by bronchitis following a productive summer.
“He, Jim, Sean and Dustin logged over 300 miles each,” during the summer, said McCarty.
Sophomore varsity runner Ryan Coordes and letterman Sean Williams also are back.
Two freshman, Chad Hansen and Marshall Greene could take up the slack left when senior Nick Granly was lost because of knee surgery.
Other possible contributors are senior Jake Kammers, Colby O’Very and sophomores Joe Weiler, Matt Auclair and Jason Kann.
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