Mens’ Cross Country on Streak for State

The cross country team has a chance to make state history by making state for a 23rd consecutive time at the end of this season, and so far, things are looking good for the team to accomplish that. Currently, the team is tied with Ankeny’s record of 22 consecutive trips to State.

In the season’s first meet on Sept. 4, the Tigers won the Ames Invitational and placed five runners in the top nine. Sophomore Sam Schillinger finished first for the Tigers and third overall with a time of 17:04.

A few days later on the 11th was the Marshalltown Invite. There were 22 teams at the meet, and seven of the top 15 ranked teams in the state, so the competition was stiff. At the end of the meet, however, the Tigers placed five runners in the top 20 and won the meet. Schillinger finished fifth overall and first for the Tigers once again, running a 16:11.

The Rich Engel Classic ran on Thursday Sept. 18, but results were not available at the deadline of the paper. The Tigers next meet is on Thursday, Oct. 2.

“The fact that we are unbeaten through two meets and that we beat the third ranked school in the state last year says a lot about how the season is going so far,” senior Hiram Marquez said. “We did that without one of our best guys, Jake Hartman, who is out with an injury.”

Marquez was not the only one that was enthusiastic about the season so far.

“This summer, everyone trained harder than before,” Marquez said. “We promised ourselves that we were going to get on the podium at State this year.”

Head coach Troy Becker shares the same ambition.

“We have some very big goals this season for all of our teams. We want to win a district team title and finish in the top three at State. We have a chance at doing this if we stay healthy and keep working as hard as we have been,” Becker said.

Assistant coach Jeff Hartman said that the team has a relaxed outlook this season.

“The boys are running relaxed and are having fun. In the end, I guess that’s what it takes,” Hartman said.

 

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