On June 16th of 2014, a tornado swept through the UW-Platteville campus and edge of town. The swirling winds twisted, broke and uprooted hundreds of trees as it combed a four-mile part into the land. As our team bus drives down the hill into Memorial Park, we see the destruction along the wall of woods surrounding the bowl-like park. Dozens of trees with limbs still hanging from their neighbors or piled together like Pick-Up-Sticks make us think “what a mess!” We jump off the bus, look down the course and notice something strange; sunlight hits our faces! On our last visit, this area was shaded by huge oaks, walnuts and white pines. Most are gone with the few remaining trees looking like tall skeletons. The cross country course no longer winds through woods, but across open grass.

They tell us that saplings will be planted, grow quickly in the sunny environment and produce the giants of the future. On our team we are seeing the same thing. Our New Glarus-Monticello team lost many seniors in the last few years. Consequently, a new crop of youngsters are transplanted from JV to Varsity. They experience the pressure to grow as athletes, to improve and be competitive. Of the seven boys varsity runners, Kyle Fredrickson (18:08), Max Cruse (18:45), Andrew Newberry (20:14) and Cade Beutler (20:20) produce season bests. The boys end in 4th place out of 13 small school teams.

First year JV runner Jonathan Truttman (21:33) sheds nearly a minute from his best and gets closer to earning a varsity spot. Cole Runde (23:04) and Sam Austin (24:05) also produce fastest-of-the-season times. The JV boys end 10th of the 27 teams.

Continuing to bloom on varsity, Gabbie Sawyer (21:46), Ashley Risley (22:35) and Jane Thurow (23:45) come close to new bests while Tamara Elzen (25:59) knocks thirty-five seconds off of her previous fastest posting. The V girls finish 6th of 13 small schools.

Jenna Molencamp (24:22) snaps seconds off her former times and moves onto varsity for the next race. Gabby Whistler (25:15) produces a second best and good enough to also earn a varsity spot. Sydney Stecha (27:02) drops 37 seconds while Reagan Andersen (30:38) tops everyone by sawing six minutes off as she heals from injury. JV gals end up 8th of 27 schools.

The youngest shoots, our middle schoolers, run 1.5 miles. Adam Nelson (8:46) leads, with Mason Martinson, Ty Ready, Lucas Fink and Garrett Grossen in the “nines”. Mason Thompson, Ryan Austin, Simon Blohowiak, Griffin Ness and Desi Delforge run “tens”. Cole Maynard, Molly Molencamp and Dee Delforge finish in the “elevens”.

Next Saturday the NGM cross country team heads to Albany to compete at the Baertshi family farm. As the leaves turn colors, we hope to continue to improve and earn a few red, gold and yellow colors (ribbons) of our own.