Rebecca Hermann has been part of three consecutive state titles at Nederland. It's Hermann's sayonara season this fall. Can the Panthers make it four? Photo by Alan Versaw.
The fall sports get to open the school year and, so, there is a longer build-up to these sports than the winter and spring seasons. Longer build-ups mean more questions. Here is a selection of some of the most intriguing questions facing us this cross country season.
1. Last year, Eleanor Fulton, Kelsey Lakowske, Hannah Everson, Kailie Hartman, Kristen Kientz, William Kincaid, Danny Carney, and Spencer Wenck each qualified for Foot Locker Nationals or Nike Cross Nationals as individuals. As a state Colorado was represented at these events way out of proportion to its population. Will this phenomenon repeat itself in 2011?
2. 2A cross country has struggled with numbers to this point, especially on the girls side. There are a few promising signs on the horizon. Rumors out and about have Front Range Christian, Union Colony, and Sky View Academy working on starting up programs. Lutheran-Parker should inherit some of the runners from what was once Denver Lutheran (though this phenomenon might also push Lutheran-Parker into the ranks of 3A). Will this be the year that 2A turns the corner on stability?
3. The Fort Collins boys went from a team that finished outside of the top 10 at state in 5A in 2009 to a team that finished fourth in the nation at NXN in 2010. The Hotchkiss girls went from a team that didn't qualify for state in 2009 to a team that finished second in state in 2010. As such, Fort Collins and Hotchkiss win last year's overachiever awards. Given that Fort Collins and Hotchkiss have now eliminated themselves from this year's contest, who will be the overachieving teams of 2011?
4. Last year, I wondered out loud if any larger schools on the western slope would be able to reverse the trend of recent years and make some serious noise at the state meet. The best these schools could muster, however, was a pair of eights from Moffat County--and this despite a strong resurgence by the smaller school programs from the western slope in 2010. So, once again, I'm wondering. Will this be the year of the return of the western slope 4A and 5A programs?
5. Cheyenne Mountain will preview its bid to host the state meet with its inviational on September 10. It's not exactly like going head-to-head with Liberty Bell, but the St. Vrain Invitational is that weekend and already has an enormous following. Will Cheyenne Mountain get a big turnout and will their efforts turn a few heads?
6. Speaking of Cheyenne Mountain, 4A girls is shaping up as one of the state's most interesting races this fall. Will Cheyenne Mountain be able to withstand the challenges from Thompson Valley, Niwot, Centaurus, Evergreen, Niwot, and a few others to repeat as state champions? The Indians lost some folks to graduation, but the underclassmen showed a lot of strength in track this spring.
7. The girls from Nederland and Fort Colllins have strings of three consecutive state championships alive right now. The Classical Academy has eight consecutive. None of these three teams look to be staring at down years this fall. Are there any teams out there prepared to upset some apple carts?
8. Freshman girls can be big game changers in this sport. Right now, it appears as if Jordyn Colter, Aubrey Till, and Tabor Scholl will be bursting onto the scene this fall. What schools will they be running for, and who will have the most impact this fall? Will there be others we don't know about yet?
9. Heat and humidity (or lack thereof) were big stories throughout September last year. Will the weather repeat as a big factor this fall? In particular, will Liberty Bell be a little cooler than last year's 87F?
10. Are Telluride's boys going to be as strong as they look on paper? If so, watch out!