State Bound!

Hi NGMCC Crew,

Thank you for all the support at Sectionals, it was absolutely incredible! All of your support is no doubt why we saw the efforts that we did, I saw each athlete give it everything they had and more. That is all I can ask for as a coach and it brings me great happiness. Well done athletes, well done parents and fans! Another huge congratulations to the Ladies Varsity Team for qualifying for STATE!! Not just making it but winning Sectionals! We crunched the numbers knowing that we had to have a good day, but the ladies decided that we were going to have a great day. What an experience! Great job ladies. Moving forward, we will be continuing practice this week at Monticello. Every athlete on the team is welcome to join us 3:50-6 pm Monday-Thursday at M, bus leaves NG at 3:40. Next Saturday, we have enlisted a Coach Bus to drive the Ladies team (and any other athlete on the team that wants to come) to Wisconsin Rapids. Here is our schedule atm: Saturday Team Schedule: 7:15 am Pick up M 7:30 am Pick up NG 10:00 am Arrive at Ridges 10:15-11:45 am Walk Course 12:30 pm First Boys Race 2:30 pm Our Race ~4:00 pm Leave Ridges ~5:00 pm Pizza Hut in Portage ~8:00 pm Arrive back in NG ~8:15 pm Arrive back in M I am in the works on getting a fan bus too, I will send an email confirming this week. The schedule for the Fan Bus atm is: Tentative Fan Bus Schedule: 8:45 am Leave M High School 9:00 am Leave NG High School 11:30 am Arrive at Ridges Golf Course (shuttle or drop off unknown atm) 12:30 pm First Boys Race 2:30 pm Our Race ~4:00 pm Leave Ridges for NG ~6:30 pm Arrive in NG ~6:45 pm Arrive in M

Coach Dennis

Sectionals 10/21

Hi NGMCC Crew,

Once again we travel to Monroe and Twining park to compete on their rolling course. Unlike the last time we were here, we will have favorable running weather with a high of 59 adding to the excitement. We will be competing against 14 other teams, including Deerfield/Cambridge, Mount Horeb, Edgewood and Monroe. Please see the link for more Meet Info. Schedule: 8:30 - NG Bus Leaves 8:45 - M Bus Leaves 9:30 – Course opens for warm-ups 10:00 – Coaches meeting will be by the North Shelter House 10:45 – National Anthem 11:00 – Boys Race 11:45 – Girls Race 12:30 – Awards

NGMCC in the News - Articles by Coach Dennis

Fast Times Frenzy

By Dennis Haak

The morning fog is in the thick with anticipation, our shoes damp with excitement for the River Valley Blackhawk Invitational. One of most highly acclaimed meets in Wisconsin, known for the competition it attracts but also for the fast, challenging course. The well-manicured course leaves athletes breathless, in a state of shock after they have run it. The athlete, not knowing exactly what had transpired after the gun had gone off. But to the fans watching the races it was obvious.

The first race of the day for New Glarus – Monticello Cross Country is the Large School boy’s race. Our varsity boys are readying themselves for the race, toeing the line for the last 30 seconds. The boys, focused but calm. BANG! 7 NGM boys and 129 other athletes start tearing down the straight away. What normally is a cobbled affair, running on grass, with your legs buckling from side to side on uneven lumps. The long grass swishing past your toes as you move one foot in front of the other. But there was none of that, the athletes were smooth and silent on the pristine course. As they round the first corner, you can almost see smiles on the athlete’s face at the ease of the course. In the blink of the eye, 136 athletes gone. Sprinting to the next section of the course, you catch the leaders whizzing past only hearing the air they displaced. A gleam in their eye, paying no attention to the screaming fans. Up, down and around the course they all go in a trance with a toothy smile. Within a few minutes they are rounding the last corner, streaming down to the finish chute. Soon we see our first NGM blue jersey, Tanner Gardner (18:58), zip past the finish line. Tanner breathing like a steam engine blowing steam, and slowing waking back up to what had all occurred. Not a moment later Dylan Gardner (19:15) crosses the line, then Joren Salas

(21:06), Grayson Rodefeld (21:07), Jackson Umhoefer (21:13), Royce Jordan (22:23) and Iain Vinson running 1 mile before strategically retreating to stay healthy. All the boys meet at the finish line and try to figure out what just happened.

Next up is the varsity ladies, much like the Verona Invite, among schools many times their size. Having beaten their nerves last week, they were strutting calm and collected. Before long the ladies are toeing the line and taking off down the straight away silently. Their smiles growing as the straight away progresses. They bound around the course before making the final turn and sprinting to the finish. The first blue NGM jersey belongs to Molly Olson

(20:21), moments later is Melanie Fink (20:37), followed by Lily Maynard (21:06), Ruthie Zuber (21:31), Lucy Melvin (21:53), Emma Martinson (22:37) and Camryn Arnett (22:45). The NGM Ladies take 6th overall, 2 points behind Sun Prairie East and only losing to Dodgeville/Mineral Point in our Division (ranked 3rd in Division 2).

Michelangelo O’Brien is next up, this time bound and determined to break 40 minutes after a hot and hilly Verona Invite. As the gun goes off, he leaves the start line in a sea of blue, but not NGM. The 50 Madison West JV boys had surrounded him and taken him with them down the starting straightaway. Michel finally breaks free from the pack and is able to run his race. As he rounds the final turn, he starts sprinting to the finish, desperate for every second!

He crosses the line and looks at his time. 37:37, 3 minutes and 32 seconds he beat his best 5k time by.

Last up before the Middle School Races are the junior varsity ladies. Following suit to the other races, the ladies gleefully bound down the starting straight and onto the course. The first to break through the sea of runners in NGM blue is Ruth Marty (24:04), followed closely by Abigail Biank (24:11), Mirielle Smith (25:14), Ella Salas (25:39), Ella Skidmore (25:42), Alaina Smith (26:19), Juniper Lounsbury (26:34), Sophie Stecha (26:48), Abi Burk (29:47), Elena Marunde (32:41), Devi Durest (33:10), and Adyen McCoy (39:08). The JV ladies took 10th overall in a very competitive field and spearheaded one of the largest personal record margins NGMCC has seen! A total of 50 minutes were shed between this race and Verona, almost an average of 2 minutes per athlete. Devi Duerst improving the most and helping lead the JV ladies to their excellent performances.

The Running Circus

By Dennis Haak

The curtains draw, and the show begins in Fennimore, WI for the New Glarus – Monticello cross country team. But what could be the opening act? A kick line? Acrobatic feats or maybe even a death defying dive? How about 14 different varsity cross country races? The curtains draw and meet starts straight into the action with a unique twist. Each one of our varsity athletes readied themselves to race against only their equivalent rivals. 7th runners vs

7th runners, 6th runners vs 6th runners, so on and so forth with up to 3 races happening simultaneously, and 16 races total with the junior varsity starting the flurry of races. As soon as you lose sight of one runner, more come into picture in a different race. The race officials directing the meet, like the ringmaster of an expertly choreographed show.

First up to the curtain are our junior varsity ladies, vastly outnumbering the other teams due to the absence of Darlington and Lancaster. Our JV ladies consisted of half of the entire field! After carefully crafting a plan to make their opening act the best of the day, they line up to start their race. BANG! The curtain is up and they are off! Everyone performing their roles, racing off down the straight away and towards the looming hills of the Hickory

Grove Golf Course. Up and down, almost like a seesaw, the course navigates around the fairways and across the golf course. After 3 miles they finally make it up the last hill, and after having climbed 300 feet throughout the course they sprint the final 200 meters. NGM blue after NGM blue crosses, we count 8 NGM JV ladies before a member of the next team!

Ruth Marty (24:05), leads the JV ladies followed closely by Kaylie Clark (24:46), Abigail Biank (25:06), Mirielle Smith (25:22), Ella Skidmore (25:32), Sophie Stecha (27:01), Ella Salas (27:23), and Juniper Lounsbury (27:24) all in a row. Before the ladies have a chance to count all the NGM in already, Devi Durest (34:22) flies past the finish line, followed by Ayden McCoy (39:22). Alaina Smith strategically pulls out at 2 miles while dealing with an injury and

Violet Lounsbury runs 2 miles in her 2nd performance this year.

Next up is the boys junior varsity, and NGM’s own Michelangelo O’Brien (39:16) being the star of the show amongst 23 other JV boys. Starting his race while the JV ladies are only halfway done with their race. He races down the straight away in his Saturday’s best NGM blue for his performance. Shortly after we lose sight of Michel, the varsity athletes are lining up for their shows.

7th Runners: Camryn Arnett (23:28) 1st

6th Runners: Emma Martinson (23:16) 1st

5th Runners: Lucy Melvin (22:51) 1st

4th Runners: Ruthie Zuber (23:16) 2nd

3rd Runners: Lily Maynard (23:12) 2nd

2nd Runners: Melanie Fink (21:45) 2nd

1st Runners: Molly Olson (21:06) 3rd

7th Runners: Iain Vinson (Injury)

6th Runners: Royce Jordan (23:38) 7th

5th Runners: Jackson Umhoefer (22:18) 6th

4th Runners: Joren Salas (21:07) 6th

3rd Runners: Grayson Rodefeld (21:18) 7th

2nd Runners: Dylan Gardner (19:52) 4th

1st Runners: Tanner Gardner (Injury)

The JV ladies score a perfect 15 points, with 3 runners to spare and our varsity ladies claim the team title by an impressive 8 minutes of combined team time. Our boys varsity take 7th overall while dealing with injuries. Overall, times showed the difficulty of the course being on average 1 minute slower for the athletes than what we would have expected.

Cross Country Spa Week

By Dennis Haak

Our legs were dragging after our meet at Fennimore last week, the hills were fun but they had done their damage. So we did what everyone would do, we enjoyed some rest and relaxation at our own personal spa! Monday, we got to enjoy a short adventure hike with a beautiful view and a waterfall…from the sky. Tuesday, we warmed up our legs and then warmed up our brains with some Cross Country Jeopardy. Wednesday, we enjoyed a sensationally warm outdoor pool and tiny personal masseuses that fell from the sky, melting all of our troubles away. Thursday, we got to have a destination practice at Monroe to cheer on our very own New Glarus – Monticello Cross Country Middle School team as they competed. Friday, we were back from the spa and started getting ready for our meet the next day at Platteville.

Saturday morning felt like a Monday morning of the work week, you're physically back to work for the week but your mind hasn’t punched in yet. But the R&R was worth it, as our legs will be ready for the challenge ahead.

The Varsity Boys were the first up to meet the challenge. We talked through the gameplan and the boys were the very picture of calm and ready. BANG! The boys were off in a flurry of colors from the 33 different team that had made their way to the Dick McKichan Platteville

Invite. Our NGM blue being lost in the starting chute chaos. However before long the NGM varsity boys make their way 2 by 2 by 2 into the Limestone loop for the final time. First out of the loop is Dylan Gardner (19:09), sprinting from the bridge, blurring more and more as his speed increases in the final kick! Next is Joren Salas (19:50), spectators have to move their heads just as fast as they run past just to identify the runners. As soon as our neck has a chance to recoil, Grayson Rodefeld (19:59) flies by. Next is Tanner Gardner (21:25), who was slowed due to a worsening injury, but almost in support of Tanner, Jackson Umhoefer (21:29) fires past, followed closely by Royce Jordan (21:33) completing our 6 V boys. The Boys take 11th in the Small School Division amongst very competitive teams.

Next up are our V Ladies, discussing the rising temperature and also the rising elevation of Platteville’s hill. The ladies’ responses ranged from whimpering “that’s a big hill” to an indifferent “oh, there’s a big hill” to being fired up shouting and fist pumping “hill

yeah.” With their plan in place, they took to the course running confidently amidst the 160 V ladies in the race. They race across the bridge into the Limestone loop, then across the bridge and up the hill, then across the bridge to a second Limestone Loop and finally

again across the bridge for the final time sprinting to the finish. We don’t wait long before the first NGM blue donned by Molly Olson (20:32) whizzes past, Melanie Fink (21:07) doesn’t let the suspense build before flying past, followed by Lily Maynard (21:24), and Lucy Melvin (21:43), Emma Martinson (21:54), Camryn Arnett (23:17), and Ruth Marty (23:34). The NGM Ladies secure first place in the Small School Division over some tough Darlington and Lancaster Ladies.

On to the JV Boys, again the dynamic duo of Iain Vinson and Michelangelo O’Brien take to the line together. Much like Fennimore as well, the heat of the sun playing a big factor. Before it warms up anymore the boys are off! Crossing the bridge in spectacular

fashion, once, twice, thrice, frice before reaching the finish line. Iain beats the heat and passes the finish line in 31:23. Michelangelo crosses the finish line after completing the hard and now hot course in 38:20.

Last but not least are our JV Ladies, they toe the line for their trials to and fro across the bridge. Their gameplan locked in just in time as the gun goes off. They bound down the starting chute thinking of how to make each bridge crossing better than the last. Before

long their final bridge crossing is being put behind them as they sprint to the finish line. Abigail Biank (24:29) leads the NGM blue across the line accompanied closely by Kaylie Clark (24:34), then Ella Skidmore (25:16), Sophie Stecha (26:32), Juniper Lounsbury (26:51), completing her first 5k is Violet Lounsbury (28:35), followed by Ella Salas (29:27), Alaina Smith (29:50), Elena Marunde (33:26), and Devi Duerst (35:34). The NGM JV ladies take 3rd overall (Large School and Small School), beating a tough Monroe JV ladies’ team for the first time this year!

Falling Temperatures Bring Falling Times

By Dennis Haak

The Fall heat wave broke just in time for the New Glarus – Monticello Cross Country Team to head to the Baertschi Invite hosted by Albany. The cool 40-degree temperatures sending shivers through the runners as they get off of the bus. Yet no one seemed cold.

Excited grins began to creep over their faces as they think about the race ahead and running with the first fall weather. The weather was not the only thing they were excited about, as the Baertschi Course was the epitome of fall weather. Taking place in the country side between Monticello and Albany, the runners weave amongst the falling leaves, down tree covered lanes and along the Allen Creek. The course is decorated in pumpkins and leftover corn from the fields, almost completing the list of fall related items. By the time the athletes got done walking the course they were grinning ear to ear in anticipation.

The varsity ladies were the first to race and they strutted from the team camp to the starting line, proud to be the first to enjoy the meet. The sun had arrived and almost seemed to shine brighter around the starting line. Warming the ladies while the cool morning breeze floated past. The spotlight of the sun soon brought the crowd to a whisper as the race was ready to begin. BANG! The gun fires and the ladies take off up the starting hill, racing to be the first one to experience the fall atmosphere. Before the smoke of the gun has fully cleared the runners are making their way past the starting line, NGM blue sprinkled nicely in the field. The runners complete the first loop and cross the road heading towards Allen Creek. Runners are soon mesmerized, forgetting their pain. Snapping back to reality only after crossing the road again. They complete one more loop before the sprint over the last mound to the finish. Molly Olson (21:03) grins past, just after that Melanie Fink (21:13) beams past, then Lily Maynard (21:27), Lucy Melvin (21:54), Emma Martinson (22:10), Camryn Arnett (23:12) and Ruth Marty (23:29) running a season personal record. The Varsity Ladies take 2nd in the Large School Division to Sectional rival Mount Horeb by 8 points.

Seeing the exciting time the varsity ladies had, the varsity boys are ready to take their place on the starting line. They smirk as the countdown begins, knowing exactly what is in store for them. Their smiles hesitate for only a second as the gun goes off and they begin bounding up the hill. Before long the have rounded the first loop and make their way across the road. Just as the last boy passing the road we see the first boy come across again. As the NGM boys make their way around the last loop, their smiles holding true only changed by the amount of sweat on their faces. They top the last mound and sprint to the finish, sweat flying off as they sprint past. First to cross the line in NGM blue is Tanner Gardner (19:18), followed by Joren Salas (20:51), mirrored by Grayson Rodefeld (20:52), Dylan Gardner (20:56), and Royce Jordan (21:44), with Jackson Umhoefer curbed by an injury shortly after the start.

Next up are the junior varsity ladies, and before long they are off! Their photogenic smiles as easy a tell as the NGM blue as they fly past completing the first loop. They cross the road, heading towards the river ready for their turn running through the fall dreamscape. They cross back over the road while the wind cools them down making sweat almost obsolete. They round the last loop with vigor and sprint towards the finish! Abigail Biank (23:55) is first to rep the NGM blue across the finish accompanied by Kaylie Clark (23:57), followed closely by Mirielle Smith (25:12), Ella Skidmore (25:31), Juniper Lounsbury (26:18), Violet Lounsbury (26:27), Elena Marunde (26:38) completing her season goal of running 5k nonstop, Ella Salas (27:23), Devi Duerst (32:30) while counting only 20 walking steps, and Ayden McCoy getting a season PR of 38:56. Alaina Smith strategically pulls out at 2 miles dealing with injury. Our JV ladies take 4 th overall to some very talented teams.

Last but not least are our JV boys, having steeled their excited expression for hours up to this point they were the picture of calm and collected. Not waiting a moment more, the race was off! The JV boys using the cool weather to their advantage, take off at PR pace. They round the first loop, they cross the road, they cross the road again showing no signs of slowing down. They complete the final loop and crest the finishing mound, sprinting through the line! Iain Vinson (27:52) breaks through the line and the 28 minute barrier, soon Michelangelo O’Brien (35:49) crests the hill following suit, he breaks through the finish line along with the 36 minute time barrier.

NGM fields a whole team for the Open Race! Led by Coaches Dennis Haak and Dana Olson, supported by New Glarus Athletic Director Mitch Cernek, parents Mike Fink and Charlie Umhoefer and future Cross Country runner Nathan Heil. Sadly, they don’t count up the points, but we can go home with a better appreciation of the hard work that all the NGM athletes did today.