|
Cross Country 2007 Outlook
Every team would like to think that it has a chance to compete
for the national championship, but not many are willing to say
as much at the beginning of a season.
Bob Smalley, head coach of the
Highlanders cross country teams, may be soft spoken, but give
him credit: he’s willing to state that both the men’s and
women’s 2007 cross country teams have the ability to qualify for
the NAIA national meet at the end of the season.
This is Smalley’s twentieth season as coach of the Highlander
runners, so he’s experienced enough to be realistic and add
several important “ifs” to that statement. “If we can stay
focused spiritually and remain healthy,” Smalley says, “I would
expect that both teams could, realistically, finish in the top
three in our conference, and have a good shot at qualifying for
Nationals.” (To do so, each team would have to be ranked in the
NAIA’s Top 25.)
A look at the teams gives credence to Smalley’s optimism. The
men’s team will return seven of its top nine runners, including
top-ranked Dan Ballard, a junior, who was a cross country
national qualifier in 2006. Joining him will be junior Chad
Stauring (ranked #2 on the team last year), sophomore
Landry Jarvis (#3); junior Jacob Connor (#4); senior
Michael Platt (#5); senior Joe Campagna (#8) and
junior Aaron Williams (#9). “These men melded into a
competitive team in 2006,” Smalley says, “and with another year
of maturity will provide a solid base for what we expect to be
an outstanding season in 2007.”
Nor will they be alone. Joining the team are four first year
students that will “add to the team’s depth,” Smalley says,
including Jesse (Greg) McConnell (Dryden, NY/Dryden High
School) and Jonathan Spear (Franklinville,
NY/Franklinville High School), who was a member of the 2006 New
York state championship team.
The women lost their top runner last year (Mary Gibson) to
graduation, but the next five all return, led by sophomore
Katie Fadden (ranked #2 on the team in 2006) who qualified
for the NAIA national meet in track last spring in the 10K. Also
returning are senior Irene Vickner (#3), junior Rachel
Rhodes (#4), senior Heather Hutton (#5) and junior
Lydia Thornblade (#6).
Joining this strong returning corps are eight first year
students, which should make for competitive training and a
strong team dynamic. Among them will be high school standouts
Ashlie Wilson (Mexico, NY/Mexico) and Heather Sayre
(Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro High School), who is the third member
of her family to run for Houghton College.
In addition to the strong past performances of the returning
runners and the significant recruits, Smalley is banking on the
off-season preparation of both teams. “Their performance in
2007,” he says, “will be a reflection of the hard work that was
put in by our athletes during 2006 and this summer.”
Among that “hard work,” Smalley includes more than just miles of
training. “This is a great group of athletes who are serious
about their studies, and they’re missions-minded” he says. He
notes that both men’s and women’s squads were named NAIA All
Academic teams and that they participated in two team missions
opportunities this past year. “These athletes are committed to
hard work and self discipline.” Smalley says, which sounds like
a solid basis for optimism about making that trip to nationals.
| 
