Despite heat in the mid- to upper-90s as summer winds down, the high school cross country teams in the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley have a plentiful crop of runners out for the 2009 season. Both teams have about 50 members, and each has aspirations of running in the state championship meet in late fall.
San Lorenzo Valley High
This year, head coach Rob Collins leads the deepest boys team he has seen in his time at SLV.
Senior Allan Hetke is the team’s top runner, followed by classmates Ian Shisler, Alejandro Torres and team captains Ben Swan and Stephen Cooper.
“The guys are training a lot,” Collins said. “They are very well-driven and goal-oriented. The question is who is going to make the final seven at the end of the season.”
Freshman standout Cody Johnson, the younger brother of former Cougars track star Taylor Johnson, will do his part, along with Ian Rutman, Alex Rinkert, Matt Barton, Quinn Rodgers and Landis MacMillan.
The Cougar boys, ranked first in the Central Coast Section in Division IV, aspire to win both league and section titles and make the state championship.
Meanwhile, the Cougar girls could challenge Aptos for the league title this season, Collins said.
“The team is a lot better than last season,” he said. “We’ve got the tools. It’s going to be very interesting how the season goes on the girls side.”
Senior Emma Ussat is the top runner for the Cougar girls, and seniors Haley Eggleston and Caitlin Taylor are the team captains. Sophomores Carly Sasscer, Mariah Lindberg and Sierra Wallen figure into the mix, and Raquel Yeomans stands out among 10 freshmen on the team.
Scotts Valley High
After the most successful cross country season in school history, including a trip to the Central Coast Section meet for both the boys and the girls teams, it’s going to be difficult to top the excitement of 2008.
With a full squad, though, expectations remain high for 2009.
“We were third last year in league, and each team made CCS for the first time,” head coach Doug Chase said. “We’re anticipating we’re at least that good. Are we good enough to beat SLV and Aptos? I don’t know.”
Seniors Kyle McNulty and Kevin Mangen lead the Falcon boys, followed by Tyler Edwards, Matthew Abraham and Luke Thornley.
“We’ve deeper than we’ve been,” Chase said. “Now we’ve got no excuses.”
After McNulty and Mangen, Chase said, the next few runners are so closely matched that the order of the top five could change every time they race.
The girls are led by senior sisters Lauren and Kayla Germany. Freshman Vanessa Fraser and transfer Twyla Hawley are likely to shake things up, along with returning runners Hailey Roumimper, McKenzie O’Toole and Maria Rodriguez.
“We are quantum leaps better than two years ago and better than last year,” Chase said.
