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Now that the Creston cross country squad has participation numbers back up in the 50s to match the mid-1990s, and some rising team success to rival those squads of nearly 20 years ago, head coach Pat Schlapia said the current runners have one thing to work on.
“Guys, listen,” he said at Monday’s postseason banquet in the high school commons, “when they have a trophy presentation, don’t be stunned. Go up and get it!”
Laughing, Schlapia was recounting the team’s reaction at this year’s Nodaway Valley Invitational at the hilly Greenfield Country Club course. The girls had just been announced as runner-up, in a field that included rated 1A teams Griswold and Earlham.
Now, the boys announcement was being made, and when state-rated Nodaway Valley was announced as second place, Schlapia and the team realized that meant Creston was the winner of the championship trophy that sat on display during the banquet Monday.
“We’re no longer just hoping to finish ahead of somebody so we don’t get last,” Schlapia said. “We’re learning that we need to pay attention to the team finish. This year, we had team success that we haven’t had since the 1990s. It’s nice to pull up with 51 runners on loaded buses again, and show that we can be competitive with the good schools in southwest Iowa.”
Assistant coach Gary O’Daniels said with the returning runners joining with a good influx of runners from this year’s eighth grade, “We’re looking at Creston cross country to be a force to be reckoned with in the next three or four years.”
Competition within the squad itself for the prized seven varsity positions seemed to spill over into improved performances on meet day, Schlapia noted.
Optimism builds
The optimism about improved team scoring surfaced early, he said, when Creston placed fourth in the girls division and seventh in the boys at the home Panther Invitational in September.
Then came second-place finishes at Orient-Macksburg, and the school’s best-ever combined boys and girls finish at Perry as the girls were third and boys fourth.
That set the stage for the Nodaway Valley performance.
Then, in southwest Iowa’s largest invitational meet at Atlantic, the girls had the school’s best finish there in 15 years by taking sixth, and the boys were 15th among 25 schools. That was followed by girls taking fourth and boys eighth at the Hawkeye 10 meet. The girls gained Creston’s best finish at conference since the runner-up finish by the girls in 1992.
Freshman Maria Mostek and junior Emily Wignall earned all-conference honors by finishing in the top 10.
At the state qualifier meet, Mostek became Creston’s 11th entry in the past 12 years. She was 24th in the Class 3A state meet in a season-best time of 15:24 after taking fourth in the qualifying meet.
Wignall just missed a third trip to state, taking 14th place in 16:33, which was 18 seconds off the 10th and final state qualifier in the meet at Atlantic.
Senior Luke Powell led Creston boys in a 53rd-place finish at the district meet after taking 25th in the conference in 18:49.
Both teams are young and on the rise, as the next boys at the conference meet were freshmen Brant Hudson and Jay Wolfe and sophomore Garret Taylor. junior Travis Miller, sophomores Zack Peppmeier and Kruz Adamson were next in the lineup, along with freshmen Kaleb Cook and Dorian Peterson.
After Mostek and Wignall, Creston’s top girl runners were senior Kirsten Sawtelle, and freshmen Maddie Skarda, Raegen Smith and Savannah Hartman.
Other seniors honored Monday were four-year letterwinners Allison Wood and Laura Scott, three-year letterman Tyler Rafter and new seniors Ben Burkhead of East Union and manager/runner Cody Raddatz.
Wyatt winners
Powell, Scott and Wood shared the coveted Chris Wyatt Award, presented annually to the senior or seniors who exemplify “what Creston cross country is all about,” Schlapia said. It is named after former team member Chris Wyatt, who died in an auto accident before his graduation in 1985.
Panther points
O’Daniels explained the “Panther Pride Points” calculations, based on the number of runners a team member finishes in front of during the course of the season.
In six of the eight grade levels for boys and girls together, records were set this year, the fourth year of the system. Boys record setters were Jay Wolfe, ninth grade, 1,066 points; Kruz Adamson, sophomore, 1,031 points; Travis Miller, junior, 914 points; and Luke Powell, senior, 1,314 points.
Girls record-setters were Maria Mostek, ninth grade, 1,389 points; and Emily Wignall, junior, 1,271 points. Wignall also holds the sophomore record, while current Waldorf College runner Dana Miller holds the senior record of 817 points. That record would appear to be in jeopardy with Wignall next year.
Schlapia said it’s clear why he wants improvement in the summer running club and preparations for the 2012 season. He also credited the staff that includes O’Daniels at the high school level and middle school coach Clay Arnold with volunteer assistant Maggie Downs. He said that program is generating more than 20 participants annually now.
“What’s next for our program is to get a team to qualify for state,” Schlapia said. “This year’s motto was ‘Don’t Stop Believin.’ For next year, we’re working on something along the lines of Mission: October; and Destination: Fort Dodge.
“Now is the time to start thinking of that goal that begins in nine months,” Schlapia said.
Letterwiners
(Number of letters)
Seniors — Ben Burkhead (1), Luke Powell (4), Tyler Rafter (3), Kirsten Sawtelle (1), Laura Scott (4), Allison Wood (4), Cody Raddath, Mgr. (1).
Juniors — Travis Miller (1), Katie Stevens (3), Emily Wignall (3).
Sophomores — Kruz Adamson (2), Chelcee Downing (1), Zack Peppmeier (1), Garret Taylor (2), Caitlyn Adams, Mgr. (1), Alissa Stuart, Mgr. (1).
Freshmen — Kaleb Cook (1), Savannah Hartman (1), Brant Hudson (1), Maria Mostek (1), Dorian Petersen (1), Maddie Skarda (1), Raegen Smith (1), Jay Wolfe (1).
Participation Awards
Juniors — Ryan Cook, Samantha Eslinger, Dalton Kromminga, Emily Lange, Shelbi Northwick, Emily Schroeder, Carlea Schuler, Jacob Wolfe.
Sophomores — Brittany Bunker, Skyler Cook, Zaidy Frank, Grant Hall, Hannah Johnston, Itzayanna Rubio, Daniel Scott, Jeremy Stoll, Michael Walsh, Logan Wood.
Freshmen — Jared Cannon, Bree Daggett, Jessica Drey, Hannah Hagle, Tyler Helm, Kyle Jennett, Ashley Knipfer, Monica Powers, Albert Weis.
Team Awards
State — Maria Mostek.
Hawkeye 10 all-conference — 2. Maria Mostek; 10. Emily Wignall.
Hawkeye 10 academic all-conference — Not released yet.
Chris Wyatt Award — Luke Powell, Laura Scott, Allison Wood.
IATC Senior All-Star Meet — Luke Powell, Kirsten Sawtelle, Laura Scott.
Summer running club — Luke Powell, Monica Powers, Kirsten Sawtelle, Emily Schroeder, Laura Scott, Emily Wignall.