NCKS News
08.31.2010 - [NCKS]
The Rock Hills Grizzly Cross Country team enters this years competitive season with seasoned and unseasoned runners. "We could be fairly competitive if two things happen," commented Coach Terry Bailey. "First, our veteran runners need to pick up where they left off at the end of last season. Secondly, our group of freshman need to come along as the season progresses and run strong for us in the League and Regional meets."


Retuning from last years squad are seniors Phillip Alcorn, Kevin Garman, Allison Thompson and Juniors Kendra Alcorn and Zach Spiegel. Phillip Alcorn is the defending Pike Trail League champion winning last year's League meet with a time of 18:52. Zach Spiegel finished in the top ten competitors last year finishing in 8th place. Kevin Garman rounded out the Rock Hills runners with a 14th place finish.


Alcorn qualified for the state meet in Wamego with a 14th place finish at the Regional Meet in Hill City. Spiegel and Garman ran well but did nto qualify for the State Meet. At Wamego Alcorn finished in the middle of a field of 123 runners in class 2A.


Allison Thompson and Kendra Alcorn are the two returning members of the girl's squad. Thompson showed continual improvement as the season progresseed last year. She finished in the top ten at the League Meet with an 8th place finish. She placed 40th in the field at the Regional Meet.


Kendra Alcorn has been waiting in the wings for her turn to shine. For the past four years the trio of Hillary Callaway, Megan Hake, and Rachel Renken have dominated distance racing in this part of the state. They are all gone this year due to graduation. Alcorn finished third at last year's League Meet, 9th at the Hill City Regional and was a medal winner at the State Meet in Wamego, finishing in 17th place.


Bailey is counting on these proven runners to set the standard for not only his runners, but for others in the area. He also has high hopes for the newcomers to the team.


Brice Ost is well known in the basketball circles of North Central Kansas. Ost is extending his athletic skills to cross country this year. Not only will his presence improve the cross country team, it will strengthen his physical foundation for his senior basketball season.


Joining the team this year will be four freshmen: Ryan Spiegel, Manuel Fischer, Leo Zeller, and Ariel Landruth. According to Bailey, the freshman have approached the daily training activities with maturity and determination and he expects them to contribute greatly to the team's success.


With seven boys on the squad, Rock Hills can field a bonafide team each meet. Five runners are needed for a team to meet the reequirements for a bonafide team. With only three girls, each runner will be running as a non-team member.