Staff Report

As the 2020 Prescott Cardinal Cross Country season began last week, runners and coaches prepped for a season many feared would be put on hold. However, two weeks ago WIAA identified cross country as one of those high school sports that could start on time. After a collective sign of relief the boys and girls cross country teams are prepping full throttle. This fall the Prescott harriers have been preparing for “Hernia Hill” in Amery, readying to race in sweltering August temperatures, and running on a newly constructed home course behind the new high school.

“We have good numbers again this year,” says Head Coach Alexis Lahn. “We have a good mix of experienced runners and some promising underclassmen so we are excited about this year.”

With numbers in the mid 30’s this year’s version of the Prescott cross country has one primary goal. Team work. “One of the things we want to do this year is to develop into a cohesive unit,” says junior Shelby Sizemore. “It is about having confidence in yourself but also in the abilities of your teammates.”

Junior runner Eric Korfhage nods in agreement. “I think Zac Knee and the other seniors helped us last year and now as upperclassmen we have to do the same. We have to be leaders. We have to encourage and cheer on our teammates.

“It’s a tough sport,” says Lahn, “and helping your teammates is paramount. You have to learn how to use and rely on each other in practice and especially in competitive races.

As both teams prepare for the St. Croix Central Invitational on September 3rd, Lahn calls St. Croix Central and New Richmond two of the teams to beat. As far as the Cardinals, Lahn and Assistant Coach Matt Sachs have many reasons to be optimistic.

“Senior Kira Penk has been working hard all summer and I think is poised to have a great year.” Lahn also namedAmandaAulciems as another girl “who just loves to run and has been impressive in the early season.”

“We have to stay healthy this year and if we do that I think we can have kids who will be really successful this season.”

When it comes to cross country, success is not always measured in winning races. It is about improving each race out and working on the mental part of running.

“Running is such a ‘mind over matter’ sport,” says junior Grace Gale. “Pre-race preparation is so important in cross country. I try to think of things to get my mind off the race and not overthink it.”

For Eric Korfhage it’s about eating well and getting a good night’s sleep the night before. “It all plays into it and like so many runners you have to try and figure out a way to get off the race and relax. That is the key for me, to find a way to relax.”

“For me I listen to music,” says Shelby Sizemore. “It is interesting to see how different people cope with the nerves of running a race, because if you start to think too much, you start to tighten up and begin to think negatively. When that happens things can really go downhill fast.”

“There are the physical skills of cross country, but equally important are the mental skills,” says Lahn. “I think what each runner does to prepare themselves to run is unique to each athlete,” says Assistant Coach Matt Sachs. “There are a lot of factors that play into the mental approach, the weather, the course, the number of runners. We talk about all those factors in practice.”

Along with Eric Korfhage, Sophomore Tyler Loucks has earned early season accolades. “It was pretty obvious from day one that Tyler has worked very hard in the off season. He has really been running well,” says Sachs.

Both Lahn and Sachs expect major contributions from underclassmen this season. “Whether a runner finishes 1st, 5th, or 7th in a meet all runners have a role and it’s important for the entire team to understand individual success cannot happen without help from your teammates. Matt and I stress that every day at practice,” says Lahn.

“All the kids have been working really hard and for some of the incoming 9th graders it is a difficult transition to running high school cross country,” says Lahn. “There is always something positive that happens at every practice and at every competition. Whether it be finishing with a personal best or finishing the race one place higher than their previous race. As coaches those are the great moments when you see kids enjoying a goal, a sense of accomplilshment.”

Photos by Melissa Loucks.