The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Vern Hollister
Correspondent

If anything helped establish the sport of cross country in the Northern Lakes, it was the first ever conference meet. In history, J.J. Aschinger will go down as the first male runner to take first along with his Laona/Wabeno boys team. Three Lakes girls led by Lindsy Cook won the inaugural girls half.

"It took two years," Laona/Wabeno cross country coach Rich Sorenson said. "We needed more teams. At least half the schools had to have the sport. Florence was the fifth school," he said. "When coaches look at conferences, they see how many go to state. Three Lakes sent a girl to state (Cook). People in and out, they see they're at sectionals. We need to get people to state for the conference."

Two years ago, Aschinger reached state, and people noticed. That kind of advertisement helps the sport locally and state-wide. "J.J's had a good year," Sorenson said. "He didn't make it to state; but, overall, he had a good career. Right now, he's looking at colleges who are interested in him."

In Crandon, Jessica Keao serves as head coach. Again this season, the Cardinals hosted an invitational. Again, more recognition. Instead of runners trafficking on a route near the school, the event was run at Crandon's International Raceway, a bit more terrain-demanding than the usual courses. Frequently meets are run on golf courses. The Crandon girls team finished second at their own meet.

"I thought it (the season) went well," Keao said. "It was nice to have enough girls to compete for spots. Having a conference meet gave our runners attainable goals," she said, "and I was glad to have it. It was a boost to our conference and our sport."

At last week's cross country banquet, Keao awarded most valuable runner awards to Sierrah Bocek with a season's best time of 17:43 and to boys competitor Alex Ostrowski with a season's best of 18:43. Ostrowski also received a captain's award. In addition, receiving awards for most improved were Taylor Schallock and Stephanie Schmidt. The two runners cut over three minutes off their times during the season.

For cross country competitors, improving times doesn't come in five- or ten-minute chunks. It's more likely to occur in seconds. Even a minute is good as finishers one through twenty, for example, may arrive within 60 seconds of one another. Other variables according to Keao include the shape they are in when they begin a season.

"Quite a few," she said of her runners, "had their best times at sectionals."

Two Cardinals, Ostrowski and Bocek, achieved all-conference honors at the conference meet from their finishes. Place seventh and higher, all-conference.

The combined Laona/Wabeno squad, coached by Sorenson from Laona and John Twardowski from Wabeno, featured five all-conference runners. Two girls, Marissa Bartels and Brittany Mischo, were named all-conference, and both are ninth graders. Three boys, Aschinger, Cody Orley, and Jake Prasser, made the initial all-conference team.

Sorenson said that some Rebels runners cut two and three minutes off their times. "In cross country," he said, "three minutes is everything. If you see a minute or two improvement, that's great. It's one of the hardest sports physically and mentally. It might take all year to see results."

Crandon loses one senior, and Keao would like to add more male runners to the team so that they have enough to compete as a team. "It gives a new dimension to the meet," she said.

Sorenson and Twardowski lose Aschinger, which will hurt; but Orley and Prasser return. "The girls, we're not losing one person," Sorenson said. "We'll be loaded for bear. Illnesses and injuries are what killed us this year. We went from two full teams to one."

Laona/Wabeno won the Lena Invitational, and both the Rebels and the Cardinals compete at invitationals loaded with larger schools. "We go to tough meets," Sorenson said. "We might be killed, but we need the competition."

They also could use the recognition, as a school, as a conference, and when they show up at sectionals.

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