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CROSS COUNTRY: Blue Jays will be green early in the season
Girls and boys teams will run Saturday in Liberty Invitational
By Kevin Goodwin
In many ways, Liberty High’s girls and boys cross country teams will be as green as the grass they will run on at the season-opening Liberty Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Only eight seniors are on the two teams combined. And many of the runners for the Blue Jays will be competing in their first varsity races when they step up to the starting line at Stocksdale Park.
“I don’t really recall ever being this young,” said Liberty coach Tim Nixon. “It’s an exciting time. I don’t remember having this many running varsity for the first time. The experience does help, but then again, a 5K (kilometer) race is a 5K race, and the best-prepared teams are usually the ones that succeed in the end. And we have a lot of young kids that have worked their tails off to be successful.”
Junior Megan Yohe returns to lead the girls team. Yohe took 11th at state last season as a sophomore and had a strong track season, taking eighth in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet.
“Megan’s a pretty accomplished runner for her age,” Nixon said. “She’s a all-stater and has looked good in practice.”
Michelle Foster, freshman Marriah Schweitzer and sophomores Casey McIntire and Cassie Weathers have made strong bids to make the varsity team. Junior Tina Bradshaw will have to sit out the first few weeks due to a stress fracture.
“We are actually all underclassmen on the girls side,” Nixon said. “The young kids have come out on top at the time trials.”
Senior Tyler Stuber is the top returner on the boys team, which took 11th at state a year ago. He will be joined by sophomore Matt Armstrong, junior Hossam Hassan, senior Jefferson Hostin, junior Anthony Stasiak and sophomore Josh Houck.
Juniors Ben Garrison and Tyler King, and senior David Warnex are also expected to vie for varsity time.
Nixon knows this season will be a work in progress for both teams.
“The situation calls for a little more patience,” Nixon said. “We know we are going to take a few lumps early on from teams that have a combination of talent and experience. But the kids have worked hard, and I hope to see the same kind of determination that got them on the varsity team in the first place will get them through some of the races coming up.”
Liberty will compete against Oak Park, St. Joseph Benton, Park Hill, Park Hill South, Columbia Rock Bridge, Platte County, Warrensburg, Truman, Turner, St. Teresa’s, Notre Dame de Sion and St. Joseph Central at the meet.
The meet will begin at 8 a.m. The girls varsity race begins at 10:45 a.m., followed by the boys varsity race at 11:15 a.m.
Sports writer Kevin Goodwin can be reached at 389-6652 or kgoodwin@npgco.com.
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Only eight seniors are on the two teams combined. And many of the runners for the Blue Jays will be competing in their first varsity races when they step up to the starting line at Stocksdale Park.
“I don’t really recall ever being this young,” said Liberty coach Tim Nixon. “It’s an exciting time. I don’t remember having this many running varsity for the first time. The experience does help, but then again, a 5K (kilometer) race is a 5K race, and the best-prepared teams are usually the ones that succeed in the end. And we have a lot of young kids that have worked their tails off to be successful.”
Junior Megan Yohe returns to lead the girls team. Yohe took 11th at state last season as a sophomore and had a strong track season, taking eighth in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet.
“Megan’s a pretty accomplished runner for her age,” Nixon said. “She’s a all-stater and has looked good in practice.”
Michelle Foster, freshman Marriah Schweitzer and sophomores Casey McIntire and Cassie Weathers have made strong bids to make the varsity team. Junior Tina Bradshaw will have to sit out the first few weeks due to a stress fracture.
“We are actually all underclassmen on the girls side,” Nixon said. “The young kids have come out on top at the time trials.”
Senior Tyler Stuber is the top returner on the boys team, which took 11th at state a year ago. He will be joined by sophomore Matt Armstrong, junior Hossam Hassan, senior Jefferson Hostin, junior Anthony Stasiak and sophomore Josh Houck.
Juniors Ben Garrison and Tyler King, and senior David Warnex are also expected to vie for varsity time.
Nixon knows this season will be a work in progress for both teams.
“The situation calls for a little more patience,” Nixon said. “We know we are going to take a few lumps early on from teams that have a combination of talent and experience. But the kids have worked hard, and I hope to see the same kind of determination that got them on the varsity team in the first place will get them through some of the races coming up.”
Liberty will compete against Oak Park, St. Joseph Benton, Park Hill, Park Hill South, Columbia Rock Bridge, Platte County, Warrensburg, Truman, Turner, St. Teresa’s, Notre Dame de Sion and St. Joseph Central at the meet.
The meet will begin at 8 a.m. The girls varsity race begins at 10:45 a.m., followed by the boys varsity race at 11:15 a.m.
Sports writer Kevin Goodwin can be reached at 389-6652 or kgoodwin@npgco.com.