After a late start and an early end to the 2020 season, the Martin County West cross country teams are thankful for the chance to compete this fall.
MCW didn't get to finish the season last year when the high number of Covid cases in Martin County forced the school to go to full distance learning, which meant extracurriculars were canceled. In addition to the regular season being cut short, that meant no section meet.
"We were one of those unfortunate teams that was shut down at the end of September so our athletes didn't see a full season last year," said MCW coach Stannetta Svobvoda. "We were supposed to host the conference meet so we had to give that up and we couldn't go to a section meet. They really missed out on all of those things even though things weren't normal but things just ended abruptly for us."
Everything is upbeat for the Mavericks this season, which opened with a meet at Beresford, S.D. Friday.
"We're looking at what we can control day to day," Svoboda said. "We can't control all of the other people out in the community but we can control what we do. Every day we can come back and run is a good day."
MCW has 16 athletes participating in cross country.
"That's a lower number than usual, but we say it's quality rather than quantity," Svoboda commented. "The quality of the athletes is really good. They're there for a purpose and they're willing to work hard and they have some great goals that they're setting for themselves so that's more important than having a huge number of athletes, but have to make sure we are smart and stay healthy and that's a key part to our training."
Sophomores Katie Hartke and Liz Peterson are co-captains of the MCW girls squad.
Both attended a running camp at Augustana University for the second straight year. Of course, the 2020 camp had an altered format. Svoboda said this year they got the full camp experience.
"I think they've really matured by being at that camp with others who love to run and have a passion for running," said the MCW mentor. "And they're trying to spread that passion for running to the athletes on our team. Most of the girls are inexperienced because last year we only had three teams at a meet and this year we have some out for the first time. The majority of athletes have never truly been to a real cross country meet.
"We've spent practice time talking about how it works. We get off the bus, set up camp, start your walk through, do your warm up, you come back and stretch, do your striders, you put on your spikes. It's really different when you have just three teams. There will be 32 teams at our first meet. They can't visualize how many athletes will be competing."
For the boys, junior Jamesson Forsberg and sophomore Grant Koehnen are the captains. Junior Riley Cole is another top returnee for the Mavericks.
Koehnen also attended the same running camp as the two members of the MCW girls team.
Cross country in Minnesota has changed to a three-class format for the postseason. The Mavericks will compete in Section 2A.
Svoboda pointed out that no Section 2A teams (boys or girls) were in the preseason Top 10 in the ratings compiled by the Minnesota Cross Country Coaches Association.
"Two teams are going to make it (to the state meet), 'so why not us be one of those top two?' Svoboda said.
"We wrote down all the times at the end of the season last year and compared them with the times we did at a time trial on Monday so you're looking at October times compared to August times," she commented. "There's going to be a huge difference, but we're really pretty close to a lot of those teams. We know we'll progress from August until October."
Next on the schedule for Martin County West is the Augustana Twilight Meet next Friday.
The regular season ends Tuesday, Oct. 19 with the Mavericks getting another chance to host the conference meet at Fox Lake Golf Course.
MCW CC schedule
Fri., Aug. 27 - at Beresford. S.D.
Fri., Sept. 3 - at Augustana Twilight
Sat., Sept. 11 - at Luverne
Fri., Sept. 17 - at Loyola
Thurs., Sept. 23 - at Jackson County Central
Sat., Sept. 25 - at Milaca Mega Meet
Tues., Sept. 28 - at Murray County Central
Thurs., Oct. 7 - at I-90 Invitational, Fairmont
Thurs., Oct. 14 - at Madelia
Tues., Oct. 19 - Conference meet, Fox Lake Golf Course
Schedule subject to change
Postseason
Minnesota cross country teams are using a three-class format this postseason.
MCW will continue compete in Section 2A. The section meet is Thursday, Oct. 28 at Blue Earth.
Teams:
Blue Earth Area
Central
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial/Nicollet
Lester Prairie High School/Mayer Lutheran
LeSueur-Henderson/Minnesota New Country School
Madelia/Truman/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Martin Luther
Mankato Loyola/Cleveland
Maple River
Martin County West
Minnesota State Academy For The Blind
Minnesota Valley Lutheran
New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva
Saint James Area
Sibley East
Sleepy Eye St. Mary's/Sleepy Eye/New Ulm Cathedral
United South Central/Alden-Conger
Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton
State meet
The state meet is Saturday, Nov. 6 at St. Olaf College in Northfield.
Tentative schedule:
Class 3A boys: 9:30 a.m.
Class 3A girls: 10:30 a.m.
Class 1A boys: 12 p.m.
Class 1A girls: 1 p.m.
Class 2A boys: 2:30 p.m.
Class 2A girls: 3:30 p.m.