Cook County High school and middle school work on a variety of stretching and strengthening exercises before they begin their long run for cross country practice. There are 39 kids out for cross-country this year between Two Harbors and Cook County High School. The two schools have teamed up to run together as one program.
Head Cross Country Coach April Wahlstrom has a large group of young, talented runners coming back from last year’s team.
“It seems like every year I am saying that we have a young team, and once again we still have a young team. We have about 13 seventh-graders out this year,” said Wahlstrom.
All told there are 26 kids from Cook County High School (CCHS) and 13 from Two Harbors out for the combined CCHS team.
Because Two Harbors joins with CCHS for cross country—and it is too far to travel for practice—Dan Hebi, a Two Harbors basketball and track coach, will coach the Two Harbors student athletes.
While state qualifier Joey Chmelik has graduated from the boys’ squad, Sean MacDonell, a junior, and ninth-graders Kiviok Hight and Jake Paron will be leading the boys’ team, said Wahlstrom. “We also have some younger kids joining the team who are really strong and could offer some surprise additions to our varsity,” added Wahlstrom.
“On the girls’ side we have Maya McHugh, a ninth-grader, Alyssa Martinson, a tenth-grader, juniors Matea Acero and Morgan Weyrens Welch, and Mel Stoddard, a senior. We also have Abigale Seipke and Ruby Walsberg, both juniors from Two Harbors who are returning from our varsity team of last year. We also have many younger girls out who could also offer some surprises.”
Sean MacDonell and Everett Holmes will captain the boys’ team while Matea Acero and Morgan Weyrens-Welch will captain the girls’ team.
As far as summer training, Wahlstrom said, “We had some kids who ran regularly, some kids who ran a few times a week and some kids who didn’t run too much.”
Whether or not the Vikings can contend for a girls’ or boys’ conference championship remains to be seen, but Wahlstrom has expectations for her runners.
“So here is the goal, to get these kids excited about running and racing; to have a season full of fun and adventure; to teach them a life-long sport, to help them work towards their goals of improvement and to continue having a team which respects and supports each teammate.”
The team’s first home meet is Thursday, August 28 at Pincushion. The 9th annual Viking Challenge will start with junior high boys and girls taking the starting line at 2 p.m., with junior varsity boys and girls taking off at 2:30 p.m. Girls’ varsity runners toe the line at 3 p.m. and the boys’ varsity race begins at 3:30 p.m.
Come out and cheer your Vikings on!
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