Sun staff
There’s no place like home… unless you’re on the New Richmond cross country teams, then it really doesn’t matter where you’re running.
Both editions of the 2014 Lions distance teams won their respective sides of the New Richmond Cross Country Invitational this past week, contested on the school’s campus, and while a bevy of local talent was on display, the red and black were the teams atop the standings. A place they hope they can stay throughout the remainder of the regular season and into the postseason.
“The girls’ team I expect to win the district this year,” head coach Rylan Shebesta said. “I think that we’re one of the top two teams and how they set up districts with two races, I think we’ll be one of those district champions.”
The girls are led by Claire Burns, the reigning Runner of the Year in the American Division and a two-time All-League First Team selection. Burns ran a 19:44.00 at the NRCC Invitational, which rates her as one of the top-20 runners in the region.
“She’s improving,” Shebesta said. “Last year, she worked really hard over the summer and ended up peaking too early. This year, she’s done a lot better holding off until later in the year to peak, so I’m expecting her times to steadily go down.”
Shelbi Simpson and Taryn Rupp are the next best on the squad, Shebesta said, and they finished in 5th and 6th, respectively, at the home invitational.
Emily Belmont, a soccer player pulling double duty, Grace Hauserman, Bailey Haas and Zoe Crabtree round out the top-7 runners for the girls’ team.
On the boys’ side, a steady six runners have paced the team headed up by defending Runner of the Year, Bobby Bingham.
Charlie Spicker and Luke Glenn have shown impressive form of late and Darik Page notched a top-20 finish this past weekend. Daniel Stoy and Emerson White also had solid showings while Carter Light and Luke Smiddy are on the cusp of getting into a consistent scoring lineup.
While the girls’ team are the odds-on favorites not only to win the league and the district race over the next month, the boys’ competition is expected to be a tougher road to hoe.
“The (SBC) is really close,” Shebesta said. “This year, I think it’s a three-team race between us, Western Brown and Batavia. I know we won fairly decisively at our home invitational, but Western Brown always runs really well at the league meant regardless of how they perform a few weeks prior.”
The good news for the Lions on that front is that they will again host the league meet in two week’s time on Sept. 11.
Both Lions’ teams have a pair of warm up meets prior to sorting out the SBC, first at the St. Xavier Invitational on Sept. 27 and then at Williamsburg’s invitational the following week.
The district meet is a week after the SBC league meet on Oct. 18 with regionals and possibly state as the final destination over the next fortnight.
To learn more about the Lions and what they’ve accomplished so far this season, check out their page on the New Richmond athletics website at nrschools.org/CrossCountry.aspx.