Mt. Spokane starting off season on top
Any suspicion that the recent success of Mt. Spokane’s girls cross country team would disappear with the graduation of 2005 state 4A champion Megan O’Reilly has been put to rest in the first few weeks of the new season.
The Wildcats were second at state last year, finished fifth in 2003 and were undefeated in dual meets during O’Reilly’s sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
But they haven’t missed a beat this fall, winning their first four duals and doing it with only one senior, Jessica Klier, who finished 20th in the state meet last season.
And second-year coach Sean Linder’s numbers have improved dramatically since last year, jumping from 15 girls to 23 as the Wildcats graduated three girls but picked up 11, including a few who came to the cross country program from other sports.
“Last year’s team was the biggest we’d ever had,” said Linder, “but this is a big deal, getting up to 23. I think part of the increase is the success we’ve had, but also word of mouth about the fun the girls have.
“I try really hard to balance the work we do with having fun. I can’t imagine anyone doing this sport if they don’t enjoy it, so we try to keep a balance in our practices, meets and trips.”
He continued, “Megan’s gone, but her legacy isn’t. The best thing that could have happened to me as a coach was having that role model where the other kids knew she didn’t just stumble upon being a great runner. She showed that it was hard work and dedication, not just based on your running work but on commitment to a lifestyle where you take care of yourself.”
The Wildcats competed in the Mountain West Classic last weekend in Missoula, where O’Reilly is enrolled at the University of Montana, and had a chance to run and talk with her.
“She shared with the girls what she got out of our team at Mt. Spokane,” Linder said, “and why she chose Montana. She said it came down to that feeling of closeness and family that she experienced here, and when she was looking at colleges she was looking for that same sort of thing.”
The cupboard wasn’t exactly left bare with O’Reilly’s graduation. Three of Mt. Spokane’s current top seven runners finished in the top 50 at state last season, including sophomore Courtney Zalud (16th), Klier and junior Amy Pomante (46th). Sisters Becca and Sarah Craig, Stephanie Inouye and Kacey Smith complete the top group.
When Linder chose his captains this fall, he was looking for someone who would help keep the Wildcats moving in the right direction and Klier, as a veteran in the program, was an obvious choice. She entered the season without any anxiety about Mt. Spokane’s prospects “A.M.” – after Megan.
“My experience here has been that when someone really good leaves,” Klier said, “other girls step up and fill a spot, and everyone realizes that our team can still be really good. It happened first when Shiloh Deitz graduated and it’s happening now.
“That attitude comes from the way we’re coached, and we all learned a lot from Megan’s past successes and her outlook on running. That provided motivation for everyone, and the first weeks of the season have shown that we can be just as strong or stronger as a team.”
That sort of optimism is what Linder loves about cross country, a sport which he says serves as a big support group for adolescents at a time when they need it most and which, he says, taught him the value of hard work and responsibility.
So, for now, keep on counting Mt. Spokane victories and, even with their four-year phenom gone, don’t count the Wildcats out.