Anthony Wollum is ready to take on the season as the team leader.

Give it my all — with no regrets

In 2014, Anthony Wollum was the youngest and fifth runner on the Canby-Minneota boys’ cross country team. Since then, he’s seen the older runners prance off to college careers — and now, he’s in the driver’s seat for a boys team that has “put in their time” to get ready for the season.

“This year I’m feeling really good about our chances to make state as a team,” said Wollum. All summer long he and many other members of the team started two weeks after the track season ended and have been running two times a week together.

“We ran all summer, except the ‘blackout week’ when we couldn’t have our coach there.” Otherwise Coach Beth Jessen, who has a passion for running, was there to help. “She has eyes on everything, She always knows what we’re doing, it’s almost spooky,” said junior runner Jalyn Ufkin.

Running all summer wasn’t just Wollum’s idea. The entire squad bought into the plan and it’s put them in a position where they expect to take a shot at placing first or second in the section to advance to the state tournament. “They all want to make it to state,” said Wollum.

“That’s always more fun,” he added. The pieces are in place — now the former “youngsters” have to become veterans, pick up the pace and make it happen. “What I like about it is that it feels like a family,” said Minneota runner Sean Dilley. Dilley, who travels with his family to Alaska each summer, didn’t let down when he was in the land of the midnight sun.

“Yeah, Sean’s been up in Alaska running with the bears,” chuckled Jalyn Ufkin. There was some risk involved, because, “I read about kid who got mauled by a grizzly,” said Dilley.

But he began his cross country routine right after track and he wasn’t about to let up just because he was on vacation. So Dilley carefully negotiated the Alaskan country and got his running in. Ufkin figured he logged 177 miles this summer and Dilley said he had about the same.

The list of boys who have some experience and are capable of making a difference for this year includes Wollum, Ufkin and Dilley, plus Sam Buysse of Minneota, Ethan Thovson, Blake Stoks, Nolan Harding, Zack Hanen, Tristin Peterson of Minneota and Alexander Full.

All have placed in meets in the past two years. And to add to the team’s potential, Minneota junior Jared Josephson is coming off a successful track season and is running right onto the cross country team. It’s his first time in CC, but his track experience gives him a solid chance to help the team.

Also joining for his first time was Minneota senior Riley Yost. “All those guys who are returning means we’ll have a lot of guys fighting for spots,” said Wollum. When Wollum emerged as the team leader in his sophomore year, he did it with a bunch of inexperienced young runners.

“Ever since I was a freshman we’ve been building (this team),” he added.What makes him especially happy is the fact that after he’s gone, there will be others moving up to carry the torch. “They’ll still be good next year,” he added.

Wollum would like to place in the top 10 at state. He sees that as a do-able goal. A year ago, he was 25th — earning him all-state honors. Now, he’d like to go out even higher. He’s been working so hard and putting so much effort into this upcoming campaign, he admits, “It hasn’t hit me yet that it’s my last year.”

Wollum has garnered a lot of respect from his teammates. “I want to help make Anthony’s last year really great,” said Ufkin. Dilley shook his head in agreement.

For Ufkin, running is a matter of getting ahead on the fellow ahead of you, then trying to catch him, “Pass him and go from there.” Dilley takes a different approach. “It depends on the course. If you go out too fast, it can be pure death.” Cross Country/5 Canby-Minneota runners.

“The first meet here is great,” said Ufkin. “It’s nice to have the Camden Conference meet here, too,” added Dilley.

A few years ago, Coach Jessen noticed someone else was holding a “night meet”, so she decided to give it a try. They’ve been holding the classic event ever since and it’s been successful. “It’s already next Friday night,” said another of the runners, Nolan Harding.

That meet on Friday, Aug. 25 starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Canby Golf Course. Teams included will be: Canby-Minneota; Adrian; Community Christian School of Willmar; Deuel School of Clear Lake, SD; Heron Lake-Okabena; Lakeview; MACCRAY-Renville Co. West; Marshall; Murray County Central; Ortonville; Pipestone Area; Redwood Valley; Russell-Tyler-Ruthton; Sioux Falls Roosevelt; Sioux Falls Washington; Tracy-Milroy-Balaton; Worthington and Yellow Medicine East. The team won’t run at home again until the Camden Conference meet on Monday, October 16.

THE GIRLS, while young, got a lot of experience last year. Ninth grader McKenzie Ruether was in the state meet as an eighth grader and will bring her leadership skills to this young team.

Faith Traen of Minneota is a sophomore and ran well last year and at the sections. Senior Kalli Jelen has been running for years on the cross country team and the track team and likely will be counted on for leadership this time around.

Also making great strides a year ago was Kameron King, who is also a junior. Callie Deslauriers was also one of the top girl runners during part of the year. No doubt the team will miss Emily Gillingham.

But Ruether ran right beside her into the state meet and at the state the two finished in 88th and 89th places out of 76 runners. The Canby-Minneota girls also have a large contingent of young runners and some may come along fast, as did Ruether.

They have a long history of running strong at the sections and it’s likely they could put together a strong season and take a run at a state berth. Certainly Ruether was a surprise to some, but Coach Beth Jessen said, “We knew she was going to be a strong runner. She’s been improving every year.”

She sees the same for Traen, the Minneota runner who will take the torch passed to her by fellow Minneotan Gillingham.Last Year: The Canby-Minneota Cross Country teams did not qualify for the state tournament. However, two girls, senior Emily Gillingham and ninth grader McKenzie Ruether qualified for state.

So did boys junior Anthony Wollum. Ruether and Wollum return to the team this year and both are expected to assume leadership roles on their teams. Wollum placed 25th and earned All-State honors. It was his first time earning this honor.

Gillingham and Ruether finished 88th and 89th out of 176 runners. This Year: The roles may be reversed. While the girls were the team to beat and the boys were young and learning, now it’s the boys’ turn as a team and the young girls will have to build their squad.

Assistant Coach: Allison Pesek.

Roster: Seniors: Kalli Jelen, Lauren Jensen, Tristin Peterson (Minneota), Madison Verhelst, Anthony Wollum and Riley Yost (Minneota).

Juniors: Allison Anderson, Sam Buysse (Minneota), Callie Deslauriers, Bryce Hansen, Sarah Hansen, Marissa Hansen, Zack Hansen, Nolan Harding, Jared Josephson (Minneota), Kameron King, Kaylee Leppke, Abby Rangaard, Jalyn Ufkin, Carter Wente and Ethan Thovson.

Sophomores: Kortni Arndt, Sean Dilley (Minneota, Jordan Fairchild, Alexander Full, Makenzie Hemish, Kayelee Johnson, Jack Nemitz, Andrew Thorp, Faith Traen (Minneota), Paige Welsh (Minneota) and Zach Waldrum.

Freshmen: Isaac Bach, Hannah Jelen, McKenzie Ruether and Rachel Wollum.

Eighth Grade: Natalie Bach, Tristan Bierschenk (Minneota), Aidyn Bruns, Grace Drietz, RyAnn Hansen, Delaney Houseman, Blake Stoks, Camryn Ufkin and Presley Viessman.

Seventh Grade: Brandt Eischens and Joseph Wollum. Sixth Grade: Kenadi Arndt, Nicholus Full, Braelyn Merritt, Amber Moeller, Zach Orouda, Kelton Ruether, Gabby Verhelst, Kolton Duis and Mia Olsen.

Schedule: Canby-Minneota Aug. 25, 6:30 p.m. @ Canby Aug. 29, 4:30 p.m. @ Cottonwood Sept. 7, 4:30 p.m. @ Tracy Sept. 11, 4:30 p.m. @ Marshall Sept. 18, 4 p.m. @ Clear Lake (Deuel) Sept. 23, TBD @ Milaca Sept. 26, TBD @ Slayton Oct. 5, TBD. @ Luverne Oct. 10, 4 p.m. @ Adrian Oct. 16, 4 p.m. Camden Conference at Canby Oct. 26, Section Tourney, TBD @ Madison Golf Course

Sean Dilley

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