Youth is served

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Sophomore Melanie Ramsey looks to carry the success of qualifying for state in the 3,200 meter run in track in the spring to cross country, where she'll be the leader of a young team.

By Dan Larson, Sauk Prairie Eagle

As Dan Winzenreid sees it, Melanie Ramsey's heart wasn't quite in cross country last season, at least not right way.

The Sauk Prairie boys' and girls' cross country coach doesn't think that'll be an issue this season.

Not after Ramsey qualified for the WIAA Division 1 girls' state track and field meet in the 3,200-meter run — 800 meters shorter than a girls' cross country course — in the spring as a freshman before finishing 23rd with a time of 12 minutes, 33.76 seconds.

"She just got better and better and better (as the season progressed)," said Winzenreid, who's also the boys' and girls' track coach.

And while Winzenreid admitted he doesn't think the carry over from her track success to the cross country season will be immediate— "In track you're working and working and then you peak, but then summer comes and you bring it down a little bit," he said — he does expect her to excel.

"When the meets count, I think she'll be very good because she's got a lot of talent," he said.

The talent on the team isn't limited to Ramsey, either. Sophomore Hannah Molitor and junior Haley Hunt figure to be the second and third runners, respectively, on a team that Winzenreid indicated has more depth this season than a year ago.

Molitor finished 17th at the Badger North conference meet last year and Hunt finished 30th, but Winzenreid said he's been "very pleased" with the improvements they've made in the offseason.

He said Hunt looks more like she did as a freshman, when she finished ninth at the conference meet and in the top 15 at the sectional meet.

"I think she's in better shape (than last year)," Winzenreid said, adding that he thinks the reason for the difference is that she ran during the summer before this season but didn't a year ago.

But perhaps the biggest reason for the added depth can be chalked up to simple math. Hannah Hubanks, who finished 27th at the conference meet last year, is the only girl to have graduated while freshmen Kyle Clifford, Jean Wedwick and Linda Gonzalez all join the team this year.

Winzenreid said Clifford and Wedwick figure to round out the team's top five runners.

A group, he thinks, is primed to improve on last year's fifth-place finish at the conference meet.

"We expect to be racing for the conference championship," he said, while recognizing that four other teams — including defending champion and state-qualifier Reedsburg — will that a challenge.

"I think we're a lot better than we were last year."

2008 Sauk Prairie boys' & Girls' Cross Country schedule

Sept. 2    —     @ Breuss Invitational, Monroe, 5 p.m.

Sept. 6    —     @ Verona Invitational, tba

Sept. 13    —     @ River Valley Invitational, Spring Green, 8:30 a.m.

Sept. 16    —     Badger Conference Challenge, tba, 4 p.m.

Sept. 20    —     @ Milwaukee Marquette Invitational, Washington Park, 10:30 a.m.

Sept. 23    —     @ Waunakee, Governor Nelson State Park, 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 4    —     @ Platteville Invitational, tba

Oct. 11    —     @ Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln, The Ridges GC, 10:30 a.m.

Oct. 18    —     Badger Conference meet, 9:30 a.m.

Oct. 25    —     WIAA Division 1 sectional, tba

Nov. 1    —     WIAA Division 1 state tournament, Wisconsin Rapids, The Ridges GC