Although the Class B state cross country meet didn’t go as well as Coach Kurt Holliday and the Seward runners had hoped, Nathan Nottingham accomplished a first for the Jays.
The senior earned the runner-up medal in 16:50.06, the highest finish any runner from Seward has recorded, Holliday said.
“He deserves every bit of it,” Holliday said. “He’s worked hard all his career. He’s had some tough goes, but you like to see a kid achieve that in his last meet.”
Colin Standifer and Jonathan Jurchen, Seward’s second and third runners, did not have as strong a day. Standifer finished 46th and Jurchen 62nd.
“It was not the smartest day of racing,” Holliday said.
Michael Peery ran a better race, finishing his career in 61st place. Nic Classen (72nd) and Drew Collings (73rd) ran well for their first state meet.
“That experience will help them,” Holliday said.
He said the experience the underclassmen gained this year will stand them in good stead next season.
The girls, defending state champions in Class B, also had a tough day. Karnie Gottschalk was the top finisher in 32nd place, followed by Keegan Beisel (54th), Tessa Greisen (63rd), Natalie Axt (75th), Eden Schulz (81st) and Natalie Wintz (87th).
“When the top three struggle, a team championship is difficult,” Holliday said. “Everything went right last year. Not this year.”
Beisel graduates with two state medals and the team championship. Bethany Gebhardt and Michaela Broadwell will also graduate in May. Gebhardt was the team’s alternate.
“We will have shoes to fill,” Holliday said.
He hopes the returning athletes will put in the miles during the offseason to be ready to go come next August.
“It will be tough competing with teams like Norris,” he said, adding that the Titans have a good freshman class this year and another solid group coming up.
“It was a fun year,” he said. “This was a great group of kids, fun to coach. It didn’t end as we wanted, but there were a lot of good moments.
“Coach Royuk and I were pleased with how everything went.”
