More than 30 cross-country Viking runners are being coached this fall by April Wahlstrom. Team members working out on Pincushion are (l-r) Roman Schnobrich, Emma Olfson, Joey Chmelik, Sarissa Falk, Will Seaton. In the back (l-r) Mara MacDonell, Kelly Summers, Adrianna Berglund.
With the loss of 10 kids—many of them leaders—the Vikings boys’ and girls’ cross-country running team is in a rebuilding year. But with 31 kids running this fall, the youthful harriers have some talent.
“As the season progresses I expect the kids to improve. They are already starting to see the results of their summer workouts. We should be somewhere in the middle of the pack in most meets this year,” said new Head Coach April Wahlstrom.
Wahlstrom and Chris Hegg are switching places. After more than 20 years as head coach Hegg is handing off those duties to Wahlstrom, his assistant the last two years.
With Kieran Scannell transferring to a private school out east and David Bergstrom forgoing cross-country so that he can concentrate on tennis, Ben Seaton, a junior, should be the top runner for the boys’ team. At least at the start of the year.
The girls’ team is headed by Audrey Summers with a host of other girls hot on her heels. Wahlstrom named Ben Seaton and Sarissa Falk captains and two other co-captains will be selected by the team, said Wahlstrom.
While the kids are doing a lot of long-distance running, hills and intervals,
Wahlstrom has also added weight training and core training to their regime.
“The kids really have good attitudes. We have lots of younger runners, but they are seeing that with the loss of all of the runners through graduation or moving away, spots on the varsity are opening up. This is exciting and motivating to them. They are starting to see that they can contribute sooner rather than later,” Wahlstrom said.
As for the kids who didn’t do the mileage this summer, “Live and learn,” said Wahlstrom with a laugh.
To start the season the boys’ varsity is made up of Ben Seaton, Joey Chmelik, Nate Carlson, Drew Christiansen, Pete Summers, Will Seaton and Everett Hommes. Junior varsity racers include Sean MacDonell, Roman Schnobrich, Alex Ditmanson, Owen Cruickshank, Kyle Martinson, Luke Fenwick and junior high runners Andy Kern and Fletcher Kasell.
The girls’ varsity includes Audrey Summers, Sarissa Falk, Sara Shied, Matea Acero, Mara MacDonell and Emma Olfson. The JV team includes Cailan Carpenter, Adrianna Berglund, Maggie McMillan and Ava McMillan. Junior high runners are Abby Seipke, Ruby Walsberg, Lily Gruber-Schulz, Jasmine Swenson, Julia Larsen and Alyssa Martinson.
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