HUNGRY FOR MORE

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Howard County preview

Comets offer new look following big losses

Kokomo Tribune - Wednesday, August 20, 2014

— Western’s boys cross country team is ready to chase after more championship hardware.

The Panthers are four-time defending Mid-Indiana Conference champions and two-time defending Logansport Sectional winners.

The Panthers graduated a big senior class that included state qualifier Matt Grider — but the cupboard is far from bare.

“We always have high expectations,” coach Gary Jewell said.

The Panthers are led by seniors Riley Carter, Auston Davenport and Caleb Maddox and sophomore Josh Everetts. In the spring, Davenport and Everetts ran on the Panthers’ 4x800 relay team that reached the track state finals and set an all-time all-area best time.

“They’ve had a really good summer of training,” Jewell said of his top four runners. “Riley Carter finished third in the Haynes-Apperson run and was third in our Panther Prowl in Russiaville.”

Junior Josh Scott and freshmen Alex Taylor, Alex Davis and Cooper O’Neal are leading candidates for the Panthers’ Nos. 5-7 spots. Freshmen Tyler Lechner and Nate Nicholson also are in the mix.

“At any time this year, we’re going to probably have two freshmen running in our top seven,” Jewell said. “We had a really strong middle school team the last three years and we’re going to hopefully see a nice transition of that up to the varsity level the next four years. They were conference champions three years in a row and they went to the state middle school championships.”

Western opens Thursday with the Northwestern Combination meet.

The following are looks at the other Howard County teams.

KOKOMO

The Wildkats need to reload after running to North Central Conference and Logansport Sectional runner-up finishes last year. They have to replace graduated seniors Jeremy Breedlove and Jordan Fivecoate. Breedlove was the NCC champion and a state qualifier. Fivecoate made the all-NCC team.

Longtime coach Ricke Stucker has six returning lettermen — senior Jadyn Whitehead, juniors Logan Hawk, Colten Pearce, Ethan Sharp and Conner Wood and sophomore Max McHaney. Sharp made the all-NCC team last year. Stucker pointed to sophomore Coy Brandon and freshmen Corey Dea and Justin Taflinger as promising newcomers.

“We have the largest number of boys out, 16, that we have had in 10 years,” Stucker said. “We had five kids work hard in a summer capped by our cross country camp at hilly Brown County State Park.

“We lost one of the best 1-2 punches in KHS cross country history with Jeremy Breedlove and Jordan Fivecoate so it will take until October before we gel. We also have 10 rookies that need to be taught good habits and must break bad ones. It will take time, but everyone is working hard.”

Kokomo opens Thursday with the Northwestern Combination meet.

• The Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches has appointed Stucker as an Indiana All-Star cross country coach for the sixth time.

NORTHWESTERN

Northwestern has to replace several runners, including all-conference selection Zach Duranto, from a squad that finished fifth in the Logansport Sectional last year, earning the final advancing spot to the Culver Academies Regional.

“We have a good group this year,” coach Dave Stevens said. “They’re all working really hard at trying to improve. We have a lot of new runners — one- and two-year type guys — but they’re not showing any signs of that being an issue.

“One of my seniors, Taylor McClain, is trying to heal. He broke a bone in his foot during the summer. But other than that, we’re healthy. Overall, I feel pretty good.”

McClain, senior Josh Perry, junior Owen Munson and sophomore Spencer Hutchins are the Tigers’ top four runners.

The Nos. 5-7 spots are unsettled. Senior Aden Merchant, sophomores Corey Menning, Jake Duranto and Camden Hochgesang and freshman Michael Bolyard are the leading candidates.

Stevens noted five of his 14 runners are new to high school cross country.

“We’re going to have some good and we’ll probably have not-so-good meets as they get experience. But I’m pretty optimistic about where we’ll be come October,” he said.

The Tigers open Thursday with their annual Northwestern Combination meet.

EASTERN

The Comets graduated Lewis Duke, who won the Mid-Indiana Conference and Logansport Sectional runs last year. He went on to finish second in the regional, seventh in the semistate and 70th at state.

The Comets also have a new coach. Ben Cox replaces Brandon Mink.

“We have six boys out for the team this year,” Cox said. “They’re having a good time running together and I’m looking forward to seeing them compete.”

Matt Kerner is the Comets’ lone senior.

“Matt works hard but also helps us keep things fun,” Cox said. “He throws in a good joke when you’re in the middle of something tough and it’s a good mental pick-me-up.”

The Comets also return juniors Brenton Cherry, Trevor Buchanan and Evan Hursh. Cox noted Cherry is looking focused in practice following a good summer.

Cox also has freshmen Josh Reprogle and Aaron Schaaf.

“They ran in middle school so they are not new to the sport,” he said. “Both have runners in their families and have learned by watching and running with them.”

TAYLOR

The Titans have just two runners. Senior Derek Yeiter is a first-year runner and freshman A.J. Good is up from the middle school team.

Taylor opens Thursday with the Northwestern Combination meet