PENDLETON — Four of the top seven runners for the Pendleton Heights girls cross country team that qualified for state last year have graduated. With a core of three seniors back from that team, coach Melissa Hagerman believes the 2017 edition can climb the steep hill before it and make another run to state.
“I’m super confident in the three coming back; they’re doing well,” she said. “Their practices are going well, and they have a goal — they want to get back to state. We just have to bring the rest of them along. I see improvements already; they’re getting used to the mileage and running faster. But, definitely those three are showing leadership.”
The returning seniors are Grace Baer, Christina Magers and Syd Parker; all were competitors at sectional and regional championships in 2016.
In early workouts this summer, Parker seemed to be leading the way, but Magers, who ran well in the postseason last year, and Baer are closing that gap, creating a healthy competition within the team.
“Grace is a machine,” Hagerman said. “She likes to compete, and she knows how to turn it on for a race. They’re really easy to get along with, and they’re good mentors for the young people. And they want it. They were challenged by the outgoing seniors to make it to state without them.”
A good bet to fill the No. 4 slot would be sophomore Kylah Stout, who already has a feel for what tournament advancement is all about.
“She actually stayed around in the postseason with us,” Hagerman said. “She got a taste of what it was like; I could see her getting hungry to be there. She had a really good track season; she was on our 4×800 team that made it to regional.”
The remainder of the team features a highly competitive group, including junior Elizabeth Welpott and senior Lauren Wheetley, who returns to cross country after playing soccer in 2016.
“Then we’ve got a bunch of freshmen who could definitely do some good for us,” Hagerman said.
Hagerman said the goals are the same as always for her team: to do well at county, conference and in the postseason. She said getting back to state is still a realistic goal, even though some odds-makers may think otherwise.
“It’s going to be tough,” she said. “There’s a rating system that said we have a 3 percent chance to get back to state this year. Our semistate is a really tough one. A 3 percent chance? What do they know?”
The Arabians will begin that quest at New Palestine Tuesday, Aug. 15.
