Cross Country gets state meet course preview

By Sophie Meads,

HUB staff writer

The blue devil varsity men’s cross country team toed the line at this year’s Clovis Invitational looking to repeat as champions in the division one race.

The main purpose of the team traveling to central California was to get a look at the state meet course and race against stiff competition.

The competition proved itself on Oct. 6, 2012 as the team placed worse than last fall even though their team time was over a minute faster.

Senior Jack Scranton lead the blue devils to a fifth place finish with his fifth place effort as Brian Song, Jasper Laca, Paul Mohr, and John Tersterman rounded out the top five scoring times, placing 37, 38, 41, and 66. Gavin Monges and Daniel Rowen finished sixth and seventh for the blue devil squad.

Assistant coach and DHS alumni Tim Groth says that although the team did not place as high as last year, the goal of the meet was still reached.

Junior Daniel Rowen attributes the team’s place to a deeper field than last year, as everybody on the team who had ran this course before got a personal best time.

Rowen believes the team’s strategy of pack running was a big factor in all of the improved times. “It motivates me to go faster because I don’t want to let [my teammates] beat me, ”Rowen said about pack running.

Groth concurs with Rowen that pack running is beneficial for the team. “It gives us depth because that way if one person has a bad race another person can step up and take their place and the team still does well,” Groth said.

Although the cross country team is racing next weekend at the Bronco Invitational, the men’s varsity team will give their legs a break in order to prepare for championship season. The team’s goal is to win the section title and perform well at the State Meet on November 24.