Volume 1, Issue 3
September 15, 2009
Rebel Yell! spartans compete at uw-parkside Boys 7th, Girls 11th at Rebel invite (9/05/09) With the annual Racine Horlick Rebel Invitational being run at the UW-Parkside cross country course, the meet attracts quality competition from both sides of the Wisconsin and Illinois border. Over 25 schools competed this year, and the meet trademarks were all there: hot temperatures, hundreds of runners, a cannon-shot start up a 3/4 mile hill, and a true, rugged CC course with national accredations. Boys Burst Through While Illinois powerhouse Lake Zurich breezed to the title, followed by a number of other Illinois schools, Coach Scott Hammer was encouraged with the Spartans’ 7th place showing amongst 20 teams. They were the 3rd highest finisher from Wisconsin. “I think the guys did a much better job of knowing where their teammates were,” said Coach Hammer. “Our top five guys all finished within 28 seconds of each other, which is exactly what we were looking to do.” Junior Ben Skurek led the way for the Spartans, finishing 37th, followed by a tight scoring pack of Eric Stoll, Sam Eichner, Noah Eichner and Ryan Goralski.
Girls Pl
Gr
Rebel Invite
Time
37
10
Candice Wayne
16:34
54
9
Kayla Janto
16:57
63
11
Raina Wedeward
17:17
73
9
Molly Hertz
17:33
79
12
Cate Virnich
17:37
80
12
Jenny Lemminger
17:38
83
9
Eden Rogers
17:45
96
10
Jonelle Ritger
17:58
Top 5 Average
17:11
Waukesha West
58
Libertyville
99
Kenosha Tremper
101
10
Beaver Dam
283
11
West Bend West
306
23
Total Teams
1
(2)
2 3
(8)
Progress and pack running have been points of emphasis during the young season. On what was a tougher course, Hammer noted that every varsity runner improved their times from Week 1 for the 5k distance.
Boys Pl
Gr
Rebel Invite
Time
32
11
Ben Skurek
17:50
35
11
Eric Stoll
17:59
37
12
Sam Eichner
18:00
41
10
Noah Eichner
18:08
50
11
Ryne Goralski
18:18
64
12
Aaron Serwe
18:34
68
11
Mason Petrin
18:39
84
11
Josh Ulickey
19:04
Top 5 Average
18:03
1
Lake Zurich
32
2
Libertyville
102
3
Northside Coll Prep
123
7
West Bend West
195
11
Beaver Dam
273
20
Total Teams
6 JV West Bend West 159 Hammer was particularly pleased with the maturity of senior Sam Eichner. “Sam really stepped up,” said Hammer. “Of all the guys running right now, none has more experience than Sam and it showed.”
Recognizing that it won’t be possible for for the top runners to continue dropping 20-30 seconds a week, Coach Hammer will be placing more focus on consistency of effort and small gains going forward. “We can’t afford to take and steps backwards. The season is too short for that,” mentioned Hammer. Wayne Impresses in Girls Race Running without a top varsity runner, Taylor Uebersetzig, the Lady Spartans achieved their goal of personal improvement and finishing in the top half of the Varsity and JV races. Varsity finished 11th out of 23 teams, while JV was 10th. Coach Naomi Fulton pointed to the team’s work ethic in practice as a reason for the marked improvements. “They are doing an excellent job of pushing each other up an down the line during workouts,” said Fulton. “There were personal ( Rebel Invite Continued on page 2)
10
JV
West Bend West
275
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The Spartan Harrier (Continued from page 1)
Rebel Invite
records all over the team!” The team focus was to stay strong, but reserved, up the long hilly start, and to work the line in the 2nd mile. Bolting up the starting hill and hanging on to lead the Lady Spartans was sophomore, Candice Wayne in a PR of 16:34 (37th). Kayla Janto (54th), Raina Wedeward (63rd), Molly Hertz (73rd) and Cate Virnich (79th) rounded out the scoring. “I was very pleased to have the top 8 girls all run under 18:00. It was great to have Candice and Kayla both break under 17:00,” commented Coach Fulton. In contrast to the UW-Parkside course, the Spartans will now prepare for the “pancake” at Arrowhead high school, the site of their next test. At that meet, they’ll likely face the stiffest competition they’ll see all season. “We’re going to work on staying together,” said Fulton. “If you can train every day with a teammate, you should be able to race with them, too.”
Spartans tested in powerhouse field Girls and Boys both 11th in state-caliber Arrowhead Invite (9/10/09) Girls battle Tough Field It would be easy to overlook an impressive performance by the Lady Spartans if only looking at the 11th place finish out of 13 teams at the Arrowhead Invite. But peeling back the layers of the onion a bit, this meet was a huge step forward for the young and improved team.
Girls Pl
Gr
Arrowhead Inv
Time
46
10
Taylor Uebersetzig
16:36
48
11
Raina Wedeward
16:38
The meet showcased an impressive collection of state-ranked teams, including the #1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 ranked teams in Division 1 and the #2 ranked team in Div 2. Looking beyond those thoroughbreds, Coach Fulton also had her eyes on on the defending Wisconsin Little Ten conference champions Oconomowoc, as well as the team from Watertown, who was 3rd at conference in 2008.
49
10
Candice Wayne
16:40
50
9
Kayla Janto
16:40
60
9
Molly Hertz
16:57
66
12
Cate Virnich
17:09
80
12
Jenny Lemminger
17:39
Using those teams as the barometer, the Spartans attack is not far from where they aim to be several weeks from now. They finished only 5 points behind Watertown, and their “4-pack” was only 20 seconds off the pace of Cooney’s main group of scorers.
81
9
Eden Rogers
17:42
Top 5 Average
16:42
1
(4)
Homestead
The pack attack was what Coach Fulton was looking for. “Everybody worked together,” said Fulton. “Varsity one through four pulled each other along the whole way.” The group of Taylor Uebersertzig, Raina Wedeward, Candice Wayne, and Kayla Janto ran most of the race together, finishing within :04 of each other.
2
(1)
Whitefish Bay
82
3
(2)
Waukesha West
103
4
(3)
Arrowhead
105
Oconomowoc
174
7
68
Watertown 248 But it was the race by freshman Molly Hertz that had Coach Fulton buzzing after the 10 meet. “She ran a perfect race, moving up the whole time and passing girls along 11 West Bend West 253 the way,” mentioned Fulton. 14 Total Teams Hertz PR’d by over 30 seconds and brought the 5th 4 JV West Bend West 156 scorer for the Spartans under 17:00 for the first time in several years...and encouraging sign for a team that will be back at the same Arrowhead course for Sectionals later in the year.
Cate Virnich, Jenny Lemminger, and Eden Rogers rounded out the Varsity effort, bringing all 8 eight runners under (Arrowhead Invite continued on page 3)
Left: Coach Fulton praises the finish of Molly Hertz, while 2 Eden Rogers and Raina Wedeward look on.
Arrowhead Invite
(Continued from page 2)
18:00...also for the first time in several years. Coach Fulton also praised the work of the JV team, who finished 4th out of 13 teams. Jonelle Ritger (18:15), Melissa Dock (18:20), Megan Theisen (18:40), Brittany Varano (18:40) and Alissa Kuester (18:47) combined for 156 points, displaying the team’s impressive depth against the tough field. Boys Still Dropping Time The Spartans finished 11th amongst stiff competition at the Heartland Arrowhead Invitational. Coach Scott Hammer knows a thing or two about getting a team to “peak” at the right time. The third meet of the year is not that time. That’s why Hammer was again satisfied that his boys handled a heavy work load in practice earlier in the week, and still responded with PRs all over the Arrowhead cross country course.
The Spartan Varsity Boys Team gets set at the Arrowhead start.
“We did 1000 meter intervals about 30% faster than race pace on Tuesday,” mentioned Hammer. “They handled that workout very well, but I’m sure their legs were feeling some lingering effects during the race today.”
Boys
The Spartans were again led by Junior Ben Skurek, who completed the flat and fast course in a PR of 17:42, taking 33rd amongst 97 runners...and laying claim to the Time team’s “yellow jersey” for another week. “Ben came into this race with a specific and well thought-out race plan,” said Hammer. “He has learned from his sophomore year 17:42 experience and is becoming a very consistent and reliable Varsity runner.”
Pl
Gr
Arrowhead Inv
33
11
Ben Skurek
47
11
Ryne Goralski
54
10
Noah Eichner
18:04
58
12
Aaron Serwe
18:10
61
12
Sam Eichner
18:14
67
11
Mason Petrin
18:24
71
11
Eric Stoll
18:26
82
11
Josh Ulickey
18:47
Top 5 Average
18:01
Waukesha West
78
1
(8)
17:58
2
(9)
Arrowhead
85
3
1D2
Shorewood
87
4
(14)
Germantown
101
Watertown
222
11
West Bend West
253
13
Oconomowoc
308
13
Total Teams
9
7
JV
West Bend West
Ryne Goralski, Noah Eichner, and Aaron Serwe also set PRs, pacing through between 17:58 and 18:10, while Sam Eichner capped the scoring with an 18:14. “It’s hard to single out just one runner today,” said Hammer. “But Ryne Goralski is a guy who just continues to impress me. Last year Ryne ran 22:37 at this meet. What a difference a track season and summer running makes!” Mason Petrin, Eric Stoll, and Josh Ulickey also ran the Varsity race for the Spartans. The team now has nine days before their next test at the Waukesha South Invite at Minooka Park. Coach Hammer simply wants the boys to stay focused on moving in the right direction. “We just need to continue to improve week after week,” said Hammer. “After seeing Watertown and finishing behind them, we know that we have our work cut out for us in order to finish in the top 3 at Conference.”
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The Spartan Harrier
Did You Know? ...that there’s a mystery Cross Country fan in town? The “golden shoe” showed up in the garden of a freshman on the morning of the Jamie Block Invite.
Spartan Youth Movement For a sport with no “cuts” and no previous “club” experience necessary to contribute at the high school level, one would think that building numbers and depth in a Cross Country program would be a relatively simple task for a coach. Think again. It’s not easy. That’s why Coach Naomi Fulton, in the middle of her first full season at West Bend West, is so thrilled to have a healthy group of 9 freshman girls out for the team this year. That represents nearly half of the 23-member squad. What’s more is that these “frosh” faces are having an immediate impact on the team. Kayla Janto, Molly Hertz, and Eden Rogers have been three of the eight-person Varsity team since the first meet of the young season. Janto has consistently handled “lead pack” duties with upperclassmen, while Hertz has solidified the roll of the all-important “#5 scorer” on the team. Rogers has made the battle for the 8th varsity position a legitimate competition each week....something a CC coach is always grateful for. The JV squad has also benefited from the youth movement. At the recent Arrowhead Invitational, freshmen Alissa Kuester and Tina Skurek factored into the Spartan scoring for a JV team that finished 4th in a field of 13. Not bad at a meet where 6 of the 13 schools came in having their Varsity team ranked in the Top 8 of the State Poll in either Division 1 or 2. Both runners ran times that would have had them running Varsity for the Lady Spartans at the same point of the season on last year’s team.
...that the 2nd Edition of the Spartan Harrier had over 125 viewings in the first week of being posted on issuu.com/wbwcc ?
“I am very proud of the freshman ladies,” said Coach Fulton. “They are really giving it their all at practice and working together. They are a very fun, hard-working group that I am excited to work with for the next four years!” So where did this bumper crop come from? Rogers, Skurek, Kuester and Payge Mullen all had older siblings who exposed them to the sport. Janto and Elena Heimark were influenced by parents who previously ran or coached cross country. Others, like Hertz, Alex Beversdorf, and Tess Kopecky, were encouraged by friends to go out for the team. “I’ve been playing soccer since I was 6 and I was looking for a new challenge,” said Hertz. No matter the reason for coming out, the girls are having a blast. “My favorite thing about being on the team is the support of the girls, hanging out having a good time, and doing something we all love...running,” added Kopecky.
Cross country is a fall sport, where team bonding begins already during summer training. It also brings girls of all grade levels closely together. The additional benefits of having “big sisters” all over the school by the time the freshmen take their first pop quiz is something the girls made special note of. “The transition to high school was a lot easier, because when I see upper-classmen in the hallways, they wave and make me feel welcome,” said Janto. “Then it doesn’t seem like such a scary place.” What will be scary is if Coach Fulton can continue to find freshman classes like this one, and keep each one building upon the talent ahead of them.
2009 Freshmen: Bottom - Alex Beversdorf, Eden Rogers, Molly Hertz, Elena Heimark. Top - Kayla Janto, Payge Mullen, Tess Kopecky, Alissa Kuester, and Tina Skurek
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The Spartan Harrier
Spartan Harrier links & Tips www.wisconsinrunner.com/wccca/ Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association - the most current site for recent results and state rankings. www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/ Journal Sentinel Preps Page - click the Cross Country Focus link for a weekly update on area cross country. http://westbend.wi.oursportscommunity.com/csd/CSD.html#21//////~Sports%20Wire//~//////////// Daily News Community Sports Desk - a new medium for getting local news and announcements out about your team. Check it out - The Harrier Newsletter is “out there” with a link to www.issuu.com/wbwcc
Trying to Print the Newsletter from the Issuu.com website? Many people have asked how they can print a copy of The Spartan Harrier. It’s a bit tricky. After you’ve pulled up the newsletter you want to view, and before you’ve magnified it for easier reading, click the grey rectangle that says “Full Screen” in the upper left corner of the page. Then wave your mouse at the top of this “full screen view “ and a menu will appear. The icon looking like a printer will allow you to print two pages at a time. (Not the easiest thing in the world, but at least it can be done.)
The Bloody Harrier Award Can you identify these Spartan legs? Whoever said Cross Country wasn’t a contact sport? Actually, this picture didn’t do this wipeout justice. Nothing a little visit to the finish-line ambulance couldn’t take care of.
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