Walsh, Jackson back for one last shot

Kokomo Tribune - Tuesday, August 25, 2003

Kyle Walsh and Jim Jackson opened quite a few eyes during their junior seasons of cross country.

Now, the two Western High School runners are seniors and they're eager I0 build on the accomplishments of 2002 The Panthers earned their first trip to the IHSAA Semistate since 1985 and Walsh became the first Panther boy since David Graves in 1986 to earn a trip to the state meet.

"Kyle and Jim are one of the top 1-2 punches in the state of Indiana," Western coach Dana Neer said. "They're both legitimate all-state candidates. With them leading the way, I feel like we are going to be extremely competitive once more.

Walsh is the defending champion of the Howard County, Mid-Indiana Conference and Marion Sectional meets as well as several invitationals. Not one to let up, Walsh opened the season by setting the course record in the Fountain Central Invitational.

Through the regional last year, Jackson never finished lower than fifth in a large meet and he's begun the same way by taking third in Saturday's meet.

"One the aspects of last Year's team was the goal of trying to develop our fifth through seventh runners and the ability for them to lower their times," Neer said. I feel like this year, one to seven, that we are as strong as we've ever been,

"There are several reasons for that besides Kyle and Jim. The younger guys obviously are seeing the work ethic and vision that Kyle and Jim. It's prompted him to set high goals and standards for their own running.  I feel the pieces we need are coming together.

One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle was who would replace Ryan Hurlock, but junior Michael Marley is already looking strong in the No. 3 spot, No. 4, Neer believes Andy Snow, who has trained but hasn't been able to run, is looking strong. The other three spots look to be contested by senior David Aldrich, sophomore Eric Walsh, freshman Luke Minor and first-year senior Josh Shepherd.

"As a freshman, Eric battled some nagging injuries but lie hasn't had those problems and is running as good or better times as he did all last season," Neer said.

"Eric, Luke and Andy made a lot of progress this summer, "Josh may be in his first year but we haven't had to baby him at all. As one of the top wrestlers in the state, he knows hard work and it looks like he'll contribute right away."

Also back are seniors Niko Gruber, Pete Adelson and Mike Moser, junior Moshe Rison and sophomores Adam Bahler and Shawn Parkins.

Here's a look at the rest or the Howard County buys cross country teams.

EASTERN

Comet coach Brandon Mink has just seven boys out, but that includes four of his top five runners from a year ago.

Back for another season are seniors Derek Woods, Who made the all-county team, and Matt Maher, junior Johnathan Fansler sophomore Trevor Young. They'll be joined by three "promising" freshmen — Ryan Martin, Drew Parton and Kedrick Athon.

"We're pretty happy about having a good, stable nucleus to build around," Mink said, "The freshmen guys will be crucial for us, especially by the end of the season to be contributing with the top four guys. They have some good experience from junior high and that should allow them to move up quicker than if they were totally new.

KOKOMO

Graduation hit the Wildkats hard, taking three of their top four runners from last season.

Leading the way back is senior Bryan Phillips, an all-county performer who led the team in the North Central Conference and sectional meets. Others returning to the team are senior Greg Lindberg, juniors Daniel Riffe, Nick Hobbs and Seth Sexton and sophomore Tommy Weir. New to the team are freshmen Cameron Cunningham and Ryan Perry and senior Brett Sanders.

"Daniel and Matt both had good summers," Wildkat coach Ricke Stucker said. "We’re hoping some of the rookies surprise us, We need someone to step up and say 'I want to run fast and be on the varsity."

NORTHWESTERN

Tiger coach Pete Schroer has one thing that his fellow coaches would love to equal - eight freshmen.

"I can't remember a larger number of freshmen than that. It's a good group of kids who are coming through, some good athletes," he said. "If they stay with it, there's some really good potential there.

"I told them at the beginning of practice, they're going to learn a lot. With the people we have and some good hard work, it's going to be fun to see where we end up.  I believe the future looks good whether it happens this year, or next,"

The eight freshmen join a team that returns five of the top seven runners from 2002.  Junior Carleton Smith, another-all –county runner, will be joined by seniors Michael Rudy, John Bahler and Steven Bangs and classmate Kirk Kennedy. The Tigers also added Rolando Claudio and Jordan Reed after strong track seasons while sophomore Josiah Huskies transferred to the school this year.

"We can't let the number of freshmen we have overshadow what talent we have and how good we can be," the coach said.  "Watching them in practice, Carleton is doing a good job of leading the team. To go with Carleton and Michael, John Bahler did his best job ever of putting in miles over the summer. Then, we have the experience from track of Claudio and Reed. They have the nod over the younger guys in contributing at this stage."

Of the freshmen, Matt Ulmer will likely be the first to help the team. The other freshmen are Adam Stevens, Brad Hoff, Chase Hinkle, Josh Galloway, Zach Catt, Jesse Bauson and David Bahler.

"There are some really good athletes in there, the kind that need you on your cross country team to give it depth and make it strong," Schroer said. "With them, their best days are ahead. We'd like to keep them intact as much we call. The history at Northwestern has been that when we have a group that stays intact, it's a group that is very successful.”

TAYLOR

After running as an individual for his first two years, Titan junior Christopher Sinnett will be leading an actual team into competition this season.

"We have eight guys out and that's the most for many, many years," Taylor coach Jim Grossman said, "This is really the first year for nearly all of them" Sinnett earned his second selection to the all-county team last year by running near the top in every meet, including a third-place finish in the Manchester Regional.

"Christopher's a competitor and he goes out and runs his practice. I think he's anxious, but he'll take [this season] as it comes," Grossman said.

He'll be joined by returning junior Josh Thomas and six newcomers: sophomores Phillip Sinnett, Robert Whitacker and Joktan Hart and freshmen Kile Dotson, Ronnie Miller-Norris and Cody Vaughn.

"The only way to build a team is to have competition among teammates, Everybody benefits from that, even Christopher," Grossman said.