Cross country team off and running

The Custer High School Wildcats are heading to their first meet of the cross country season Friday, Aug. 29. 
The team is once again led by head coach Karen Karim. Karim has been coaching Custer cross country in some form since 1996 and has been the head coach since 2007. 
“Cross country is an awesome sport to coach. The weather is nice. It’s beautiful in the fall. The meets do not take forever. You just go there, and you run your races and you leave,” Karim said. “So it’s not like a track meet where you’re there all day. We get absolutely the best kids from the school, in my opinion. They’re just hard workers, and usually, they’re there because they want to be there.” 
Karim added that all the athletes get to participate and see improvements as the season goes along. 
“It’s really fun to watch kids grow as runners and athletes throughout the years,” said Karim. 
Karim is joined in coaching by assistants Mindy Dooley, Gage Winkler and Gordon Drew.
Last year the Wildcat boys were runners-up at the state meet. The team lost its senior, Sean Shipp, which Karim said are big shoes to fill. However, Karim said senior Kian Rusch is expected to have a solid season after recovering from a knee injury and a great summer of training. 
“I hope that he can step into where Sean was as a leader and a competitor in the races. I expect him to be my low stick or top runner,” said Karim. 
Karim has another group of returning varsity runners that she expects to do well this season. They were young last year, so Karim is expecting to see improvements this year. 
Of these, Karim said to watch out for Austin Drew.  
“I have big expectations for him as a junior this year. He was good last year, and hopefully he’s that much better. He’s put in the work this summer,” said Karim. 
Karim also said to watch Zach Cooper, Zane Gunnell and Peyton Krueger.
“Those kids were all three just freshmen last year, and so as sophomores this year, with a little bit of experience under their belts, my hope is that they’re going to be vying for medals at the state meet too. I have another senior named Saylor Rice who was not in the varsity last year, but he looks pretty good for the start of the season. So I’m hoping that maybe he’ll sneak in there and earn a varsity spot,” said Karim. 
“Hopefully, we can make a run at, if not a state title, at least one of those top places at the state meet,” said Karim. 
The full lineup includes seventh grader Easton Dooley; eighth graders Adam Hohn, Austin Hewett, Banks Frasier and Carter Cooper; freshman Brooks Wheeler; sophomores Ayden Dooley, Connor Lundy, Jaxson Pomarleau, Peyton Krueger, Zachary Cooper and Zane Gunnell; juniors Austin Drew, Ian Schiffer, Jared Cooper and Jayse Noem as well as seniors Kian Rusch, Samuel Cochran and Saylor Rice. 
Karim said there are a lot of athletes vying for a spot on the final varsity team this season. 
She said the leadership and talent of the athletes are definite strengths of the team. The youth of the team could prove to be a weakness, as it makes the athletes more susceptible to injury. 
“It’s a very talented team. So I would hope, if things go well for us as the season goes on, that we can challenge for one of the top spots at the state meet,” said Karim.
For the Wildcat girls, the number one returner and senior Keira Alfson recently broke her foot in three places in a horseback riding accident. Alfson has been a varsity runner since junior high.
“I want to shout out to all the work and effort that Keira has put in, because she’s not going to have a season, and she was actually primed to do very well this year,” said Karim. 
With the loss of Alfson, Karim said there are a lot of question marks because some of the other athletes do not have as much running experience. Varsity runners Lexi Wilkins, Mikayla Dennis, Makenzi Ham, Keira Thorp and Holly Nielsen are all returning to the team. 
“I also have some other girls that have come back out that weren’t out last year,” said Karim. “Hailey Woodward and Mattea Marshall could easily be sneaking into one of those varsity spots.”
The full lineup includes eighth grader Emma Halverson; freshmen Bella Carrier and Kendra Thorp; sophomores Evelyn Garcia, Lexi Wilkins, Makenzi Ham, Mattea Marshall and Mikayla Dennis as well as juniors Hailey Woodward, Holly Nielsen and Jacie Behlings.
Karim said the athletes’ experience is a definite strength of the team, and the loss of Alfson will be a weakness for the team to overcome.  
Last year, the girls did not place as a team at the state meet. Karim said the goal for this year is to make it in one of the top three spots in the region and make it to state. 
Karim said Sioux Falls Christian and Hill City will likely be the Wildcats’ top competitors this season. 
The Wildcats’ first meet of the season is the Douglas Early Bird Invitational Cross Country Meet Friday, Aug. 29 at 9 a.m.
“It’s nice to get out there and see where they’re at. For the kids’ sake, just to get that first meet out of the way and some of the nerves and expectations. It’s just a little measuring stick for them,” said Karim.