SMOKY VALLEY HARRIERS LOOK TO FINISH FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS

By Staff

LINDSBORG – For the 2023 season to be successful, the Smoky Valley cross country teams will rely on nine returning runners to continue a solid foundation to get the teams from lower final ten to top five or better at the state meet.

Viking head coach Zack Vogel begins just his second season in charge of the program though he has ten years coaching harriers. Jennica Rose is assisting Vogel with the teams this season.

In 2022 the Viking boys placed second in the Central Kansas League meet before finishing eighth at the State meet in Lawrence. The Lady Vikings won the league championship before moving on to earn the highest placing in state in school history with a a fifth place landing.

As with most seasons, the two teams will need to replace those who graduated and it is no different in Lindsborg as Smoky Valley graduated Tytus Reed and Wyatt Johnson off the boys team while Taylor Helton, Olivia Bengtson and Adrien Lochard all closed out their Lady Viking careers.

Not is all lost though for coach Vogel as he has five key returnees to continue building a solid foundation with for the Viking boys in Samuel Peterson, Brayden Eyer, Kaden Bishop, Britton Becker and Sebastian Pavlovich. Newcomers to push the returnees will be Pierce Keller and Charley Bowman.

For the Lady Vikings, Keira Mullen, Hope Willems, Sophia Fruits, and Esther Clark will be the core of the team while Sophia Eyer, Emma Chaput, and Roxie Riedel are three newbies who will push for varsity time.

“I am excited to start my second season as the Smoky Valley cross country coach,” noted coach Vogel in summarizing his reflections of the upcoming season. “We are looking to build off a solid foundation that we began building in 2022. It was exciting to have the girls earn fifth-place at state meet and set a new school standard while the boys managed to finish eighth. Both teams have been working hard this summer as they get ready for the season and they are all excited and motivated as well.”

Both the Viking boys and Lady Vikings will open the 2023 season on Thursday, August 31 hosting an invitational on their home course.

2023 SMOKY VALLEY VIKING CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE:

Thursday, August 31 = Host Invitational (Both High School/Middle School)

Thursday, September 7 = At Hesston Invitational

Thursday, September 14 = At Clay Center

Tuesday, September 19 = At Southeast of Saline

Thursday, September 28 = At Halstead

Tuesday, October 3 = At Ellsworth

Thursday, October 12 = At Central Kansas League Meet in Pratt

Saturday, October 21 = At State Regionals

Saturday, October 28 = At State Championship Meet in Lawrence

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(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)