Cross Country: Harriers set eyes on 3A prize
Hillsboro cross country team aims to clear second-place hurdle
BY RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
For the last two years, Hillsboro Trojan cross country coach Brian Kennell and his team have had to play second-fiddle to the Class 3A state champion.
First it was to perennial cross country power Riley County in 2000.
Then a year ago at the Class 3A state cross country championship, a state title was again within the Trojans' reach.
But the dark-horse Holcomb Longhorns came out of the blue, leaving the Trojans again runners-up of a state title.
Two straight years of coming so close, yet so far.
As the sun rises on a new season, Kennell's young group of runners set their sights on again trying to clear the second-place hurdle.
Second place may be a height too high for the Trojans to clear considering the loss of sixth-place state finisher Pete Richert and state qualifier Matt Unger.
The team takes a blow with the departure of Kaleb Borg.
How well Kennell can fill what may appear to be size 30 shoes will play a key role in the Trojans' success in 2002.
"The success of our season depends on how well we replace last year's seniors Pete Richert and Matt Unger," Kennell said. "I am confident that we have several runners that are going to work hard and make the significant improvements the team needs."
And much of that rests on the shoulders of two twins, juniors Aaron and Daniel Yoder.
Aaron and Daniel took 19th and 20th at state, respectively, the highest placing runners returning to a team that will feature two seniors, Nick Unruh and Billy Winegarner.
The Yoder twins are only expected to get better this season and they come from a family of tremendous runners.
The duo will likely trim more time off their 2001 personal best times of high 17.00s in 2002.
Junior Tyler Stout also turned in a strong 2001 season, qualifying for the state meet.
A year older, Stout could be on the verge of a big year.
The same can be said of Unruh, who has been overshadowed by the performances of upperclassmen.
Unruh, along with Kody Borg, round out the field of the five Trojan runners which qualified for state.
"We are excited again about building on our success of last season," he said. "We are hopeful to compete at the same level we did last season. This means qualifying for the state meet and finishing high there."
Sophomore Kody Borg leads what appears to be a promising class that will also feature Sammy Espada, Michael Fisher and Michael Bookless.
The quartet showed great potential last season for Hillsboro's junior varsity team.
Sophomore Karl Magnuson and freshmen Daniel Bookless and Robert Jost are new runners that Kennell looks for big things from in the future.
The team's youth seems to pose no threat to Kennell's confidence of the 2002 outlook.
"We need several runners to step up and fill the spaces left from our graduating seniors," Kennell said. "I am confident that several of the younger runners will improve and compete at the level we need them to."
Defending the MCAA league title may too be another task strenuous for the Trojans with Hesston, Collegiate and Smoky Valley barricading the road.
Should Hillsboro qualify for state, Kennell figures the defending state champion Longhorns and third-place finisher Belleville to be good.
Hillsboro embarks on its quest to get past second place today when it travels to Smoky Valley.
"This is always a good meet to start the season with," Kennell said. "The course is hilly and very good workout for the runners.
"We've won this the last two seasons and we are hoping to win it again this year."
The meet begins at 3:30 p.m.
