Both senior high cross country teams won third in district, junior girls won third in district, junior boys won first and all are going to compete in the state meet in Harrison Saturday, Nov. 5.
“Four junior high girls will go. You can move ninth-graders up at the end of the year,” coach John King said, adding that there is no state competition for junior high.
“Our team is qualified. I get to take nine boys and nine girls -18 total.”
“The state meet is in Harrison. It is by far the toughest course I’ve ever seen. There is only about 60 yards of flat ground in the 3.1 miles (5K),” King said.
“We’ve been running the hill at the football stadium to prepare.”
In 1985, Pea Ridge, a 1A school at the time, won state. In 2008, the girls team won district.
“We’ve got some kids who really enjoy running, they enjoy the sport. The sport is very mental. If I’ve got a baseball player who is not involved in fall sports, I have him run,” King said.
“There is not a better sport to determine how competitivea person is. When you hit that 2-mile mark, you have to fight through the oxygen debit... I believe it builds a mental toughness. At best, it will reveal mental weakness.”
King ran when he was younger in the military. He said there wasn’t cross country offered inschool when he attended.
“I enjoy it. It was not voluntary. When I got up early to run, it obviously made the rest of my day more refurbished.”
“We’ve got some good young runners. I’m really amazed. We’ve got a good solid core,” he said. “I tell them, ‘You guys have been given a gift.’”
It’s hard for them to find time for school, sports, running and jobs, but they do it.
Some of the girls are first year runners, one senior, Heather Houy, is running for her second year. One freshman, Rilee Patrick, has been running for years.
Patrick recently won the D.A.S.H. memorial 5K in the women’s division.
Natalie Flippo said: “It’s my emotional release. I can go out and it releases endorphins ... to achieve something. I am a tough girl.”
Gloria Vargas, an alternate, said she runs to stay in shapeand just focuses on getting to the finish line.
Anna Morgan said she is good at running.
Mikheala Cochran said she enjoys getting the medals.
Michaela Tuszynski said she runs first then does her homework.
Emma Pitts, a first-year runner, said she is “starving” all the time.
All the girls agreed they no longer drink soft-drinks (sodas) or eat fast-food, but are more aware of eating nutritiously.
And the boys?
Well, Justin Stamps said he runs because coach King told him to. “I was in football ... I still play basketball andbaseball.”
Tristan Trundle said he ran years ago, when he was about 7, with his grandfather, Jesse Cagle from Corpus Christi, Texas, who qualified for the Olympics but did not compete after being injured.
“I was 160, now I’m 135,” Trundle said, adding that running now “got me off the couch.”
Jarrin Paryzek said he runs because “Lexy and Schar told me to.” His elder sisters, Lexy and Scharla Paryzek both competed in athleticsat Pea Ridge High School. “I don’t hate it. It’s nice to see yourself improve,” Paryzek said.
Hunter Sill said he runs to build his mental toughness and hopes to one day run a half marathon. He said he has already run a 5K with his father.
Lloyd Kalberloh said it is difficult to balance the time, but he gives up social time.
“You put in the time to compete and just feel like you’ve accomplished a great feat.”
Blackhawk Cross Countryteam members going to state include:
◊Jr. girls: Mikheala Cochran, Anna Morgan, Rilee Patrick and Emma Pitts, freshmen; and Gloria Vargas, alternate.
◊Jr. boys: Nick Hardy, Blake Sheppard and Tristan Trundle, freshmen, and Jarrin Paryzek, alternate.
◊ Sr. girls: Michaela Tuszynski, sophomore;
Natalie Flippo, junior; and Heather Houy, Kaylee Nivens and Kayla Wright, seniors.
◊Sr. boys: Lloyd Kalberloh, Gage Kelso, Hunter Sill and Justin Stamps, sophomores; Evan Tillman, junior; and Colby Schooley, senior.
Sports, Pages 9 on 11/02/2011