NYM to host meet at Sonnenberg Farms

File photo
Jemma Goeson is part of a youthful charge leading the future of the New York Mills cross country team.


By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The New York Mills cross country team will have a youthful flare to their team this season.

The Eagles open the season with just one junior and no seniors on the team. The cross country team enters the fall with three seventh graders, three eighth graders, four freshmen and two sophomores on the squad. 

The young Eagles will have some big shoes to fill as they look to fill in the gaps left by four seniors from last year’s team, including Elijah Geiser, Heath Hammond, Audrey Weller and Jacob Thorsrud.

Despite the youth, head coaches Heidi Dresser and Greg Esala said there are a number of runners who should have a solid season for the Eagles, including some who are new to the sport. They highlighted Bailey Hammond, Jemma Goeson, Sadie Hotikainen, Helena Kimber, Millie Schik, Loren Underdahl, Noah Radniecki, Chavez Cannon, Layton Meyer, Gus Tumberg, Finn Costin and Mathew Freyholtz.

Esala said the goal of the season will be to have all of the runners improve their race times and continue to push each other on the course. 

“Our season will be successful when all of our runners improve their race times and discover how they can push themselves to become better cross country athletes,” he said. “Each year our goal is to have our runners learn that hard work will cause them to improve and enjoy running.”

Esala said the favorites in the conference this season will be Wadena-Deer Creek and United North Central.

The Eagles open the season on Thursday afternoon when they host Alexandria Christian School and Ashby-Brandon-Evansville at Sonnenberg Farms north of NY Mills. The meet is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.