Loyal-Greenwood cross country team has lower numbers for 2022 running season
The Loyal-Greenwood cross country team will have enough runners to field a girls team this year, but the boys will be competing as individuals this season. The smaller pool of athletes that make up the squad will come with its own set of challenges, but the individual athletes are expected to be competitive at meets.
Eight girls and three boys make up the Greyhound team this year, which are similar numbers to last year’s girls team, but lower on the boys side -- low enough to keep the boys from fielding a full team. Jim Genteman, one of the coaches of this season’s team, said the girls team is entirely made up of seniors and freshmen, a rather odd situation.
“We have eight girls, five seniors and three freshmen,” he said. “It’s nice that we have the senior girls for leadership, but I’m not entirely sure on the freshmen how they will do. There is a lot for them to learn.”
Only having three boys, Genteman said will force them to compete on an individual basis. Looking at each one, he said both Connor Genteman and Cody Eckes have years of experience and are solid runners. Lucas Nielsen on the other hand is a newcomer, and will be looking to Connor and Cody for some guidance.
“We only have three, Connor, Cody and Lucas,” he said. “Cody, he’s gotten a little taller and stronger and he almost got below 20 minutes last year. My goal is that he gets lower (in time) at each race ... Connor, he put in a lot of miles over the summer and has been all-conference for the last couple of years. We are going to focus and try to get that again this year. Lucas, he’s a freshman. By the end of the year I hope he doesn’t run like a freshman but more like a senior and learn how to run consistent miles. Connor and Cody should take him under their wing and work with him a little bit.”
As for the girls, Genteman said their numbers and overall experience level will give them a chance to be closer to the top this season. Individually, he said it is hard to say how the girls will do, but when the end of season competitions begin, he said it will be as a team that the girls will show their strengths and succeed.
“The girls kind of plateaued last year as they came to the end of the season,” he said. “I hope we come out a little stronger. At conference, Colby was at the top last year and they will be again this year. If we end up in fourth it will be good. We’re better as a team and if we go on (to regionals and beyond) it will be as a team.”
Five seniors make up a large chunk of the Loyal-Greenwood team: Halle Aumann, Maci Bogdonovich, Leah Scherer, Katlund Etlicher and Aubre Robida. Juniors on the team are Cody Eckes and Connor Genteman and Summer Smith, Bailey Eckes, Addison Holm and Lucas Nielson are the freshmen.
