Springfield, Illinois – August 2002, -- Thirty future cross country superstars took to the SHG track this morning for their first time trial of the season. The course was one mile; four times around SHG’s new all-weather track. Threatening rain and a strong cool breeze surrounded the timid and nervous yet ready runners. Val Contri (6:49), Mike Witsman (6:51), Nick Garcia (6:52) and Trey Dhabalt (6:57), in that order, made the task at hand look easy. All boys ran a sub 7:00 minute mile and rumor has it Witsman is only going into the 6th grade! Could that be true?
 
“Serious promise,” is what Coach Ralph, AKA Coach JR, said the team holds for this years season. With a mere one week of training under their belts, and more than half the team running sub 7:30 minute miles today, promise might just be the perfect word.   This years BSS/SAS Cross Country team is composed of 39 athletes. More than half of them are 6th graders.
 
Returning from last years State Team are Melissa Gay (7:14), Darian Dolenc, Kiley Enno, Anne Cumming (7:16) and Kaitlyn White (7:30). All girls along with Olivia Gay (7:18) have been training the entire summer on their own in hopes of making the trip to state again this year. The goal seems within their reach.   Currently just two spots are open on the girls sectional seven team and 6th graders Abby Vespa, Julie McDermott and Katie Dresser are vying for those spots posting 8:01, 8:08, and 8:14 respectively on the track this morning. Ashley Eck who wasn't here today and newcomer Jill Haxel are serious hopefuls for the girls sectional team as well.
 
ONLY seven runners are allowed to advance to sectionals in mid October. Michael Enno, Contri, Witsman, Garcia, Dhabalt, Mapes and Andy Ralph (7:02) are securing those spots for now, but Ben Ahrens (7:02.5), Gus Bloink (7:03), Greg Larson (7:08), Peter McDermott (7:10), Chris Frank (7:11) and Ryan Timoney (7:12) are loudly banging on that sectional door by posting mile times under 7:13 today.
 
Thirty-nine members deep and only beginning their second week of the season anything could happen and everything is possible for these future BSS/SAS cross country super stars. The team is in its infancy. Only 5 of their 39 teammates are 8th graders. The rest of the team is composed of 6th and 7th grade competitors. Quite possibly this is the youngest team around. It is going to be great fun watching them succeed.