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MHS cross country returns leading runners

By Justin Nutter - | Sep 3, 2013

2013 cross country schedule

Sept. 5 — at Jeff West

Sept. 12 — at Holton

Sept. 19 — McLouth Invitational

Sept. 26 — at Troy

Oct. 3 — at Horton

Oct. 10 — at Pleasant Ridge

Oct. 17 — at NEKL (Rim Rock)

Oct. 26 — Regionals (TBA)

The McLouth High cross country program is under new leadership for the first time since 2007, and the new head coach will have one of the biggest Bulldog rosters in recent memory.

Rookie coach Ryan Scott, who recently arrived in McLouth from Tonganoxie, will lead a group of 20 runners — up from 16 a year ago. Scott is new to coaching cross country, but ran as a student at Liberal High School.

“I was interested in coaching, so anything I could do to help out the school was kind of my angle,” Scott said. “I ran for a pretty competitive program and I had a pretty good coach, so I learned from his repertoire.”

Scott inherits the top runners from last year’s team, which began a co-op system with Oskaloosa. OHS junior Savannah Noble is back after leading the girls in nearly every meet last season. On the boys side, senior Logan Hoobler and junior Ryan Bristol both return after pacing the Bulldogs throughout the 2012 campaign.

In an attempt to lower times early in the season, Scott has encouraged runners to try to match the pace of some of the top times from last year’s races.

“Coming in, I like to try to create some new expectations and challenges,” Scott said. “We’ve kind of been setting those expectations a little high, but the kids have adapted to it really well.”

Scott said the original plan was to simulate a full race last week at the MHS fall preview, but the team ran a shorter race because of extreme heat.

The Bulldogs will open their season at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Jeff West Invitational. Noble and Hoobler both earned individual medals at last year’s meet, placing 25th and 37th in their respective races. The Bulldogs will host their annual home meet Sept. 19 at Stan Braksick Sports Complex.