GIRLS
The Chisholm High School Longhorns girls cross country team has been exemplary in every aspect of the word this season.
“The team returned a core group of seniors that have been in the program a long time who have improved every year and continue to do so,” head coach Mike Driskill said. “Their continued progression throughout the season has been ahead of last year’s. To continue to improve each year is a testament to their hard work and commitment.”
Seniors Emily Nelson, Emma Kruska, Lauren Nelson, Abigail Heinrichs and Addison Pecha have “made it real fun for all involved this year,” Driskill said.
Pecha, Lauren Neson and Edynn Campbell, a junior on the team, make up the individual top three. Pecha is a two-time all-state selection.
“Addison is an extremely competitive person who has been Chisholm’s top runner for several years,” Driskill said. “With these three girls, they match up pretty well with the top three girls from the other top-ranked teams we will be competing with at the state meet.”
Their success on the course is a sweet experience, but nothing affirms Driskill’s decision to coach than watching his student-athletes become stewards of their talents.
“A potential problem arises on race day when the younger students need to ride the bus with the high school students. Many times, the attitude towards having younger students on the bus with them from the high school team members have not been positive, Driskill said. “The best moment for both teams in my eyes were when we recently had an after school meet that I took the younger ones to and the high school runners took it upon themselves to drive close to 90 minutes to the meet after they finished their practice in order to cheer on the JV team and the middle school and elementary runners.”
The varsity runners began to cheer and encourage the program’s youngest promising athletes whose responsibility it will be one day to pass on their legacy.
“They don’t realize it yet, but their greatest accomplishment was that they began to leave a
legacy of themselves in the program that they have worked so hard to build,” Driskill said. “Their influence on the younger runners will carry on for years to come.”
BOYS
Chisholm’s boys have had exceptional success this year.
“Having graduated two quality seniors from last year’s fourth-place team, we’ve had several boys who took on the challenge to replace them. Along with a few returning runners, the team has routinely averaged a faster team average this year than last year’s.”
The team’s seniors, along with the girls’, have pushed the boundaries of their younger teammates and exhibited dedication.
“Since we practice more than we race, I think it would have to be both teams’ willingness to try
new workouts that they were not used to. With 11 total seniors, their willingness to do so made
the transition to a new coach real smooth,” Driskill said. “Other than one team in the past whose members did not miss a single workout or a single meet, these two squads have been the most faithful in making extra practices and making up workouts that they might have to miss.”
Senior Karsen Hennigh and sophomore Miles Occhiuzzo have established themselves as the team’s top runners. Both have consistently run 5k times in the 16-minutes range.
“Karsen has been a huge part of the program and has been a great leader this year. In 42 years of coaching, I have previously named four captains for a cross country team as I have high expectations for what a captain should be,” Driskill said. “Karsen is one of those individuals who meets all the key points I look for, so he became the fifth captain that I’ve honored.”
Hennigh was not considered a unique talent in middle school, but when your coaches use words like “extremely faithful and hard worker” to describe you, you’re due for a come-up.
“He has now made himself into a runner that the cross country community in high school now knows,” Driskill said.
Elijah Pounds, another senior, has been a crucial contributor for the Longhorns.
“[Pounds] is beginning to run better than he ever has. He gives us a third runner that few other teams can match,” Driskill said. “His continued improvement in turn continues to make the team stronger.”
