The St. Peter’s cross country team is running full force into the new season with a more intensive training schedule that has already proved effective in the first competition held at Maumee Bay State Park on Aug. 19 as several of the runners dropped minutes from their times the previous season.
“I’m pretty happy with the first race. It was a tough course and they’re all definitely ahead of their times from last year,” said Coach Mike Mion.
Junior captain Alyssa Mills was one who dropped substantial time at Maumee, earning seventh place with 22:55—three minutes quicker than her time last year.
Senior captain Sean Stockmaster also improved from last season’s first meet, earning first place with the time 18:05.
He hopes to make it to the State tournament and beat 16:45, a.k.a. Coach Mion’s personal best time in high school. “I have that time marked in my bedroom,” he said.
Rounding out the captain positions on the varsity team are seniors, Taylor Dauterman, Anthony Schlitt, and Autumn Cadle.
The team consists of 21 total athletes; 17 high school runners and 5 junior high runners.
“We have a girls’ varsity team, which I’m really excited about because we haven’t had a girls’ team in four years,” said Mion. He added, “We’ve got a lot of returners. Sean Stockmaster is one who didn’t get quite out of Tiffin last year, but I have high hopes for him.”
New to cross country are eighth graders Anthony Katsaounis and Megan Maxwell. Both of whom aim to keep meeting their personal goals for each race. Maxwell mentioned, “We’ve been training all summer, so right now it kind of feels like a second season. At the beginning it was really hard, but I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better.”
Other new additions to the program are the daily running journals that each athlete records in throughout the season to map out training, races, diet, and sleeping. “My goal is to teach the runners how to take care of their bodies,” said Mion.
Coach Mion further commented, “I’ve had a lot of help this year from assistant coaches Mark Mills and Mike Zook. Because of my schooling, it’s difficult for me to be here all the time, so they’re heading up some practices and meets, and I’m really thankful for that.”
“I’m pretty happy with the first race. It was a tough course and they’re all definitely ahead of their times from last year,” said Coach Mike Mion.
