A Look Into the Mental Grit and Unity of the Heyworth XC Team
Cross country is a sport that tests the limits of one's mind and body. The dedicated athletes that make up the Heyworth cross country team faced blistering cold mornings and humid afternoons to put in the work necessary to succeed and meet their goal times. However, this season wasn’t just about racing against time, rather it was a testament to the power of unity and bonds that allow you to improve. As a team, the Hornets overcame challenges and shared victories, so we will revisit the highs and lows that defined this season for the Heyworth XC team.
Coach Updegraff said “Much like Taylor Swift, if you coach long enough you will experience many different “eras” of your coaching career. These “eras” are generally separated into distinct groups like your first team, your first group of seniors, and your first successful team. The 2023 season marks the end of 2 eras for our team. First, the 2023 seniors are the first and only group to have me as their cross country coach for all 7 years that they have been running, 3 in junior high and 4 in high school. Second, this marks the end of our first era of sustained success including 2 teams qualifying for the state meet in junior high (with a close miss on the 3rd straight trip), and 4 years of excellence where the boys team was perennially ranked in the top 50 1A teams in the state. The last runners on those teams will graduate at the end of the year.
However, some eras must end for new ones to start. The main way that I will look at the 2023 season is as a bridge between eras. We had an awesome group of upperclassmen that continued to perform at a high level while teaching a young group of talented runners how to be successful. Nearly every runner set their all-time PR this season, and every runner had huge improvements from the beginning of season to the end. However, this group’s greatest legacy will be setting the foundation for our next window of success.
The boys team was led by the senior trio of Alex Dahlhauser, Nathaniel Roehrig, and Aven Johnsen which #1, #2, and #3 runners in some configuration for the whole season. Senior Kyler Williams had a strong finish to the season, as did junior Jacob Pickett. The biggest surprise on the boys team was the quick ascent of freshman Jack Hanrahan who moved up to the varsity team in week 3 and never looked back. All 11 boys had great seasons with huge in-season improvements. Nathaniel Roehrig and Alex Dahlhauser both qualified for the Sectional meet, where both boys ran their all-time best races. This was Nathaniel’s 2 time qualifying for the Sectional meet and Alex Dahlhauser’s 3rd straight trip to the meet.
The girls team was led by juniors Danielle Strunk and Kate Pickett, who were our #1 and #2 runners for the entire season, and who had huge in-season gains in performance. The biggest surprise of the season was the comeback of Izzy Day who returned to the team after her recovery from 2 major hip surgeries last year. She had an exceptional end to the season running her all-time PR at the tough PORTA regional course. Danielle also had a strong regional race and nearly qualified as an individual for her 2nd Sectional meet.”
As the season concludes, the boys and girls cross country teams can look back on a season marked by hard work, determination, and improvement. The collective efforts of all runners were evident in the steady progression of race times. The team's commitment to improvement and a strong presence of underclassmen set a promising trajectory for future seasons.
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