NDWB's Calvin Denney, left, Helped the Nike qualify for state.
Headline photo above top: NDWB's Lian Haeger (212) runs in the Grayhound Invite
Matt Levins - The Hawk Eye / John Gaines Photography
FORT DODGE — The Notre Dame-West Burlington high school cross country program has endured plenty of growing pains through the years.
The Nikes have officially arrived.
The ND-WB boys will toe the line for the first time ever as a team at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course when the Class 2A state meet gets under way at 2:45 p.m. Friday.
When the gun goes off to start the race, the Nikes will step into history.
“That was our goal from the beginning,” ND-WB coach Ryan Ritter said. “We switched it. We saw where we were and we switched it. We want to do good when we get to state. We thought that we could do it, but you have to come and run. We think we’re in pretty good shape, but we have to go run the race. Now we’ll see what we can go do at state. It’s going to be exciting for them.”
NDWB's Hannah Ritter crosses the finish line in 3rd place at the Grayhound Invite
Competing for the ND-WB boys will be freshman Cavin Denney, sophomore Matthew Olson, seniors Liam Haeger, Prior Bowen and Case Johannsen and sophomores Erik Anderson and Keaton Petersen.
The Nikes are excited to compete against the best runners of the state.
“We’re having a lot of fun. It’s not about being serious. It’s about making memories and having a good time. That’s what it’s all about. That’s why I love it so much,” said Denney, the Nikes’ quiet leader. “Last year I did this individually. This year it’s going to be great going up with my team. It will be comfortable. Overall I’m hoping to go up and run well and do well as a team.”
“It’s one of the only times we did it as a team,” said Oleson, the most improved runner on the team this season. “Last year we had three individuals — one guy and two girls. They were pretty much the only high school girls on the team, too. We didn’t have much of a girls team. Our numbers are up now. I’d say it’s a big accomplishment making it as a team this year.”
For the Nikes, it all started with training over the summer. On days and nights when the heat index was over 100 degrees, the ND-WB cross team was putting in the work in anticipation of this season.
They are bearing the fruits of their labor.
“We’ve been running all summer,” Bowen said. “We’ve had some really good practices. We have a good coach. He helps us a lot. We keep going and have gotten slowly better over the years. Now we are here.”
For the younger runners, it is a valuable experience. They hope to make this an annual tradition.
“It was in the mindset of trying to get to state,” Petersen said. “Now we’re in the mindset of how are we going to do at state? I want to perform as best as I can at state and not just say I went to state.”
ND-WB once again will be represented in the Class 2A girls race at 2 p.m. by senior Kaitlyn Kipp and sophomore Hannah Ritter. They will be making their second straight appearance at state together and have some lofty goals of their own.
“I’m so excited. We’ve been wanting this for a long time, so I was really happy that we qualified together,” Hannah Ritter said. “State is just a really fun weekend. I’m so happy that we’re going again.”
“I’m really excited,” Kipp said. “I’m definitely going to cherish the memories that will be made there.”
Joining the ND-WB girls duo in the Class 2A field will be Mediapolis senior Avery Dietz, Central Lee junior Aubree Bunnell and Louisa-Muscatine junior Fiona McGill.
“It’s exciting. It’s something I never thought I would do in cross country, so it’s exciting,” Dietz said. “I took summer training a lot more serious. I put in a lot of miles this summer, which definitely helped with the heat. Running with my coach a lot helped. He pushed me a lot.”
“I think I really want to go up there and have fun, shoot for a PR and see if I can beat my placement from last year,” Bunnell said.
Mediapolis senior Will Schmidgall and Central Lee freshman Drake Newton are serious contenders to get on the deck as all-state selections.
“I want to go up there and do my best and try to PR and have my teammates keep pushing me,” Newton said.
“It feels great. I’ve been waiting for this all season,” Schmidgall said. “I’m just glad everything worked out.”
NDWB's Keaton Petersen, right, catches his breath at the finish line at the Grayhound Invite