SNOHOMISH — The opening of Glacier Peak High School in 2008 has had its effect on the athletics at Snohomish High School.
The Panthers, who were perennial contenders in many sports, have taken a hit in all sports, some more than others. The large pool of student-athletes that the Panthers on
ce had at their disposal was cut in half.
Not immune to the split was the Snohomish girls’ cross country program. Initially, the Panthers had a bit of the success that they had become accustomed to in the 2008-09 school year. But the past two years the program’s depth has taken a hit.
Not to mention that longtime Snohomish cross country coach Dan Parker accepted the same position at Glacier Peak the year it opened and has seen great success with the Grizzlies. Glacier Peak finished as the Class 3A state runner-up two years ago and won the team state championship last year. With Amy-Eloise Neale, the Grizzlies have a two-time defending state champion and one of the most exciting runners in the nation.
“Right now, those guys are on fire,” Snohomish cross country coach David LeWarne said.
Parker recalled facing Snohomish in his first year at Glacier Peak and losing to the Panthers.
“I think the seniors on the Snohomish team wanted to show me I shouldn’t have left,” Parker said.
He added though, that the competition between the two schools was never spiteful. He maintained a relationship with many of the runners he had at Snohomish even after he left. And if the Panthers are able to rise to level of some of their expectations, Parker couldn’t be happier — while still maintaining his competiveness.
“I love seeing it,” Parker said. “I still want to kick their (behind), but I love seeing it.”
And there is a reason to be excited for the Snohomish runners. They start the season with a largely unproven group, but a group that has a very high-ceiling. If they can harness the talent they have, other schools and coaches are sure to take notice.
Some already have — including Parker.
“I think the girls’ side is going to be more competitive than people think,” Parker said.
There is certainly reason to believe that sentiment. Two sophomores are returning coming off of impressive showings as freshman at the Class 4A state meet, Hailey Nyquist and Hannah Berntson. Nyquist finished 52nd a year ago with a time of 19 minutes, 42 seconds, while Berntson finished 63rd in 19:50. Also returning this year are senior team captains Leiran Cornish and Kaylee Nation. The Panthers are also welcoming a newcomer, senior Shelby Mills. Mills has plenty of experience as a long-distance runner in track, but joined cross country for the first time.
Mills suffered a devastating leg injury in 2010, but is healthy and back running strong.
“She was a huge talent before she got injured,” Parker said.
Parker also had compliments for Snohomish’s talented sophomores.
“They are fairly solid,” Parker said. “I would take them on our team in a heartbeat.”
But Nyquist and Berntson belong to Snohomish and LeWarne is excited to see what they can accomplish in their second year.
“I think they have had a decent summer of training,” LeWarne said. “They both have very limited high-school experience and with what they did, they both are expecting to build on it. Both of them are two and three sport athletes, involved is ASB, tremendous kids.
“…Both are stronger and they understand the sport a little bit more. I think they are excited about the team a whole as well.”
The overall team improvement should help Nyquist and Berntson.
“I think they are going to feel the power of the team behind them which can be kind of synergistic,” LeWarne said. “There is more than just them that are capable to competing to the level at which they have performed.”
LeWarne said they had some competition within the team last year, but said this year should be a little different.
“They had a little bit of company,” LeWarne said. “But I think that they are going to have more company this year.”
Parker and LeWarne seemed to agree that the Panthers are unproven, but Parker says it won’t take them long to take care of that.
“They are definitely an unproven commodity,” Parker said. “They should clear that up within the first month.
But LeWarne is careful not to put to put too much pressure on his team and isn’t all that interested in other people’s expectations.
“If you look at us on paper, we really don’t look all that intimidating,” LeWarne said. “We aren’t proven. We haven’t proven ourselves to be considered a contender. If I go ahead and say, ‘yeah we are,’ than I am blowing smoke where it doesn’t need to go. The only thing we have to do then is lose.”
“…I’m apprehensive to make any claims because there are so many variables.”
Cornish isn’t interested in outside opinion much either.
“I don’t think our team really cares about what other teams think of Snohomish,” she said.
And like a good captain should, Cornish believes in her teammates.
“We realize as a team, that we are as good as any other cross country girls’ team out there,” Cornish said. “Knowing that makes us even stronger, even if it isn’t spoken.”
Despite never running cross country before, the addition of Mills should be a big boost for the Panthers.
“She is just getting her strength back by the end of track season after having pretty close to a catastrophic injury,” LeWarne said. “She is going to be interesting to watch. She is pretty hungry. She has had a great summer of training.”
And Mills seems to accept the role of helping the team be more successful.
“I’m trying to pull us together as a pack and make us run better as a pack,” Mills said.
LeWarne says the most important thing is continuing to get better.
“I think the big thing now, is to build relative to each year,” LeWarne said. “I mean, we need to make progress each year. If we don’t make progress each year than I’m not feeling like we’re successful. And I think that we have seen steady progress.”
LeWarne may shy away from predicting any successes, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t excited.
“The excitement level is one of the reasons why coaches coach,” Le Warne said. “I’m excited to see what they can do.”
And for the runners, they just like that LeWarne makes it fun.
“He keeps the mood light,” Mills said. “As fun loving as he is, I can tell he wants all of his runners to do well. That’s what we all like about him, is that he doesn’t kill it for us.”
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