Young, McMahon: Leaders of the pack
Published 2:24 pm Thursday, October 1, 2009
It started out looking like a pretty tough rebuilding year for the Redmond High School cross-country team.
Not only did the $200 increase in single-sport athletic fees hurt tryouts, but the Mustangs also graduated a steller senior class of distance runners last year, including like Sarah Lord, Aiden Irish and Jillian Jaccard, who have all gone on to run at the collegiate level.
But with some young talent and a couple key returners, both the boys and girls’ teams look to be competitive again this season.
YOUNG AT HEART
While a relative unknown at the start of last year, senior Mack Young, who won the Class 4A state cross country meet with a blazing time of 15 minutes, 18 seconds last fall, now recognizes that he has a target on his back.
“There’s a little more pressure than last year, for sure,” he said. “I’m definitely back under the radar… but I’m good with pressure.”
Villeneuve admitted that his boys’ team, which turned out just 20 this year, is thin, but he has three outstanding front runners who should keep the program competitive.
“With Mack, Will (Young) and Miles (Hille), we have a really strong front three, but right now we don’t have the four-five,” said Villeneuve, explaining that five runners’ places are tallied towards team point totals. “We lost the rest of the kids so we have new replacements. We’ll be competitive, but I just don’t know how competitive.”
MCMAHON RETURNS
The Mustang girls’ team was fortunate to get state-caliber senior Devin McMahon back this season. McMahon was tagged as one of the state’s best runners in 2007 after finishing fourth at the 4A state meet, but suffered an unfortunate heart illness that kept her away from the sport she loved her entire junior year.
“I’m really excited,” said McMahon on finally returning to the trails. “I’m probably in overall better physical and running condition (than 2007), I did the team training and came to the summer workouts, and I worked hard.”
So far this season, McMahon’s times seem to be on target with, if not better than, her sophomore-year performances.
She has finished first in all six meets she has run this season, including running an 18:12 5K earlier this year at the Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park in Seattle, which was one second off her 18:11 time at the Kingco Championships on that same course two years ago, when she finished second.
The girls’ turnout this year stayed pretty strong at 32, including a number of three and four-year returners who should steadily improve over the course of the season and push for a berth at state.
“I think we can (be competitive), we got Devin back, so that helps soften the blow a little bit,” Villeneuve said. “We have some really promising other runners, we got Hayley Jorgensen and Melissa Villeneuve back, they’re fourth-year lettermen. We have some stability and continuity from the past and some younger runners that are looking really good.”
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CROSS COUNTRY AT A GLANCE
RHS BOYS
• Head Coach: Denis Villeneuve, 18th year
• Last Year: 12-1, 4A Kingco runnerup, district champion, 4th place at 4A state meet
• 2009 turnout numbers: 20
KEY RETURNERS
• Sr. Mack Young: Defending state champion came into his own during the postseason last year. There’s more pressure this year, so can he rise to the challenge?
• Jr. Miles Hille: Third-year returner should improve his times over the course of the season with Young pushing him.
• Sr. Will Young: State meet returner rounds out solid top three.
TOP NEWCOMERS
• Sr. Kevin Light: This may be his first year running cross country, but he has loads of track running experience.
• Jr. Wesley Vance, Fr. Johnathan Stevens: Couple of hard-working young runners will provide stability for upcoming years.
QUOTABLE:
“With Mack, Will (Young) and Miles (Hille), we have a really strong front three, but right now we don’t have the four-five. We lost the rest of the kids so we have new replacements. We’ll be competitive, but I just don’t know how competitive.” — Redmond coach Denis Villeneuve
RHS GIRLS
• Head Coach: Villeneuve, 18th year
• Last Year: 12-1, 4A Kingco runnerup, district runnerup, 9th place at 4A state meet
• 2009 turnout numbers: 32
KEY RETURNERS
• Sr. Devin McMahon: Missed last season due to illness, but had incredible sophomore campaign as district champion and a fourth-place showing at state. Putting up times on par with her 2007 season.
• Sr. Hailey Jorgensen: Returning district runner has steadily improved.
• Sr. Melissa Villeneuve: Fourth-year returner and coach’s daughter will be energetic co-captain.
TOP NEWCOMERS
Sophomores Allie Nichols, Holly Young, Lauren May, Rachel May: Huge crop of talented sophomores trying out looks great for program’s future.
Jr. Becca Benoit: Experienced trackster has run everything from the 400 to 3200 meters.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Mustangs currently have four girls from the past two seasons that have gone on to run cross country in college: Jenny Light (‘08, Santa Clara), Sarah Lord (‘09, Boston College), Jillian Jaccard (‘09, Loyola Marymount), and Jacqui Vautin (‘09, Grinnell College)
BEAR CREEK BOYS
• Head Coach: David Miller, fifth year
• Last Year: 2B Sea-Tac League runnerups, districts runnerups, 10th place at 1B/2B state meet
• 2009 turnout numbers: 13
KEY RETURNERS
• Sr. Josh Erickson: Senior placed sixth at districts last year, will look to lead a good crop of seniors to another state run.
• Sr. Jake Matthews: District returner will look to steadily improve on his personal-best time of 18:57.
• Sr. Robert Kelley: District returner has fastest personal-best time on the team of 17:58.
TOP NEWCOMERS
• Sr. Brian Matson: Former soccer athlete ran tons of miles over the summer to condition for this season.
• Freshmen Dylan Kern, Jimmy Gorzalski: Pair of talented freshmen will be a threat for the upcoming years.
QUOTABLE
“The boys team returns three solid runners all capable of finishing in the top 10 at the district meet. Each have goals of finishing in the top 20 in the state… the team hopes to return to the top of the podium at districts. The team is almost all seniors and freshmen – the seniors are leading, but the freshmen have a lot of talent. It is an interesting mix.” — Bear Creek Cross Country head coach David Miller
BEAR CREEK GIRLS
• Head Coach: David Miller, fifth year
• Last Year: Sea-Tac 2B League runnerups, district champions, 8th place at 1B/2B state meet
• 2009 turnout numbers: 5
KEY RETURNERS
• So. Joy Twentyman: Finished sixth at districts in 2008, ran a 23:01 last year.
• So. Madelyn Magee: Excellent athlete placed 11th at districts last year and should see big improvement in times this year.
DID YOU KNOW?
Former Grizzly Hayley Hunt (Class of 2006) is currently the senior captain for the NCAA Division III Wheaton College Cross Country team in Illinois.
OVERLAKE BOYS
• Head Coach: Pete Traube, third year
• Last Year: Last place, 1A Emerald City League
• 2009 turnout numbers: 26
KEY RETURNERS
• Sr. Chris Shank: Experienced runner trained hard over the summer, ran solid at tri-district meet last season and is ready to take over as the top runner and co-captain.
• Sr. Kevin Bush: Co-captain and well-rounded athlete advanced to tri-districts last year on the Owls’ golf team.
• Seniors Josh Kliot, Nick DiPietro: Pair of upperclassmen returning from last year’s top seven, got good mileage in over summer, ready to build and improve.
TOP NEWCOMERS
• Jr. Georges Petitpas: Solid summer of training, has great potential. Ran second on the team at the first meet of the season.
• Freshmen Connor Buhaly, Curtis Yokoyama: Pair of freshmen will be a threat to crack the top seven. Represent the future of the program.
QUOTABLE
“With our new additions forming a nice pack with the athletes returning form last year’s top seven, we’re hoping the boys will be able to work together to be more competitive in the ECL.” — Overlake coach Pete Traube
