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2024 GENESEO H.S. BOYS XC TEAM

Pictured are most of the 2024 Team

024 Geneseo Inv. Results

LEAFS MINE RICHMOND HILL PARK GOLD

Pictured are most of the boys and girls team members.  They won the overall combined title.  Great Job, Leafs.

GENESEO HOST ANNUAL CROSS COUNTRY INV.

On Saturday, September 21st, the Leafs hosted their annual Cross Country invitational.  The meet offers teams a unique format that includes races for each class.  Medals were awarded to the top 20 finishers in each race (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, & Seniors).  In addition, championship plaques were awarded to the winner of each class race.  Then, all the team scores were added together to crown overall boys and girls team champions.  Then, those points were added together to crown an overall combined champion.  The race is timed by Shazam Timing and they simply do an amazing job.  The freshmen & sophomores ran together (girls 5 minutes after the boys) and then the computer scored the meet.  The juniors and seniors followed the same format.  It should also be pointed out that if a team didn’t have a full “Scoring 5″ ,”Ghost Runners” were used.  What is a “Ghost Runner”?  If there were 50 finishers in the race then each team not having a 5th runner would have a 51 put into their score.  If they were missing more than one add 51, or 52, etc.  Also, ALL runners counted in the scoring.  Usually, it is only the first 7 runners for each team.  The idea is for EVERYONE to impact the team scores. 

Credit for the concept of the meet goes to ITCCCA Hall of Fame Coach Dick Klloepfer from Crystal Lake.  He is currently in his late 80’s and still follows the sport closely.  I spoke to him just before the meet started to share that his concept still lives.  The meet back in Crystal Lake died several decades ago.  We believe that our meet is the only meet in the state of Illinois to use this format.

I love the fact that the meet’s duration has been cut in half but hated the fact that athletes had no clue what place they were in (other than the leader).  Coach Ehlert solved that dilemma by putting FAT numbers on the backs of the freshmen (9) and the juniors (11).  GREAT IDEA.  The weather for the meet was a bit warm for late September.  The daytime high was 89˚ with race time temperatures in the mid 70’s.  The winds were light at 6-9 mph from the SSE.  The course was hard and fast due to the lack of rain over the last month.  The field expanded this year from last year’s seven teams to twelve teams this year.  Jumping into the IHSA Sectional and Regional hosting rotation is certainly paying dividends.  More teams have already expressed an interest in joining in the fun next year.  It makes a lot of sense.  Gaining some experience on the challenging Richmond Hill Park course is a smart move that is sure to pay dividends later. 

On to the action.  The field included teams from:  Bettendorf (Rivermont Collegiate), Davenport West, East Moline (UTHS), Geneseo, Lemont, Macomb, Moline, Princeton, Rock Island, Rock Falls, Rock Island (Alleman), and Sterling.  The first race was at 9:00 a.m. sharp.  The race included the combined Freshman & Sophomore divisions.  The girls started four minutes after the boys.  I will discuss each race individually.  Then, the Junior & Senior Races (together) were up last and started at 9:45 a.m.  They used the same format as the first race.

The freshman boys got things started.  Freshman Henley Bourne led the way for the Leafs placing 2nd overall in the race.  His time of 18:03 is the 6th fastest time on the course EVER for a GHS freshman.  Henley ended up running the 4th fastest time for the Leafs on the day.  Teammates Kael McCord, Greyson Clearhout, and Fritz Bolme also “Cracked” the Top 20 to earn individual finisher medals.  Kael (13th overall & was timed in 19:14….#13 fastest Freshmen time EVER for a GHS athlete on the course).  Greyson (14th place and was timed in 20:22 which places him in the #21 Freshmen spot for a GHS runner on the course).  Fritz (16th place overall was timed in 21:05…..#24 for a GHS Freshmen on the course.  GREAT JOB, MEN.  Not far behind were Rylan Carlson (31st place timed in 23:56) and Patrick Versluis (33rd place timed in 24:04).  When the “Dust had Settled” the Leafs had placed a strong 3rd as a team in the division.  Moline won it with 50 points.  Rock Island was a close second with 57 points.  The Leafs were the only other team (12 total teams) to break 100.  They scored 72 points.

Up next were the Sophomore Boys.   Leading the way was Jack Kreiss (9th place overall and timed in 18:53…..his time moved him into #14 for a GHS Sophomore Runner EVER on the course).  Next up was Micah Johnson (15th place overall and timed in 19:37…..good for 17th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 list).  Alex Aleman also joined in on the fun (19th Place overall and timed in 20:34…good for 20th for a GHS Sophomore EVER on the course).  Each man earned a “Top 20 Individual Finisher Medal”.  It should also be pointed out that Alex took well over TWO MINUTES off his personal best for the course.  He has been working VERY hard and it is paying off.  Connor Runty just missed the top 20 with his 25th place finish.  He was timed in 21:59.  The Leafs only have five sophomore runners on the team and Jacob Berry has a bad case of shin splints and was held out of the meet.  The Leafs ended up placing a strong 3rd in the team competition.  Lemont won the division with 58 points.  Moline placed second scoring 79 points.  The Leafs scored 104 points to grab “da Bronze”. 

The Leafs saved their best team efforts for the last two races.  The Junior boys took off at 9:45 a.m.  Jaxson Sottos continued his great season with some very aggressive racing.  J.J. payed the price of going “for It” but we loved the effort.  He ended up placing 3rd overall in the race and was timed in 16:22 for a sweet personal best on the course.  His time is the 2nd fastest time EVER for a GHS Junior on the course.  Not far behind were Graysen Carlson (9th overall and timed in 17:56…..10th fastest GHS Junior EVER on the course), Kaden Elmer (11th place overall and timed in 18:29…..13th fastest GHS Junior EVER on the course), and Aidan Bries (12th place overall and timed in 18:38…..14th fastest GHS Junior EVER on the course).  Congratulations to Jaxson, Graysen, Kaden, and Aidan for earning a highly prized “Top 20 Individual Finisher Medal”.  Calvin Bell also had a great race and ended up just missing “the hardware”.  Calvin placed 22nd overall and was timed in 20:22.  He didn’t get to race the course last year but he DESTROYED his personal best from Freshman year by almost 7 minutes.  His time is the 25th fastest Junior time EVER on the course for a GHS runner.  Matthew Darnall sprinted home in 34th place.  He was timed in 26:32.  Matthew has battled some illness recently and ran a brave race.  When the points were totaled the Leafs found themselves winning the division.  GREAT JOB, MEN. They scored a mere 57 points.  Rock Island placed 2nd with 85 points with Moline 3rd scoring 101 points.  

The meet saves the best for last….”da Seniors”.  Dylan Gehl busted loose for his best race of the season.  He placed 2nd overall and was timed in a quick 16:08 on a warm day.  His time is now the 2nd fastest time EVER for a GHS Senior on the course.  Joining in on the fun were:  Max Johnson (14th Place and was timed in 18:47…..10th Fastest Senior EVER on the course), Rylan Lambert (18th Place overall and was timed in 19:27…..14th Fastest Senior EVER on the course), and Jacob Taylor (20th Place Overall and timed in 20:15…..17th Fastest Senior EVER on the course).  Congratulations to Dylan Max, Rylan, and Jacob for earning Top 20 Finisher Medals.  GREAT JOB, MEN.  Not far behind were: Christian Haney (25th Place overall and timed in 20:51…..18th fastest Senior EVER on the course), Tyler Holtzen (30th Place overall and timed in 21:43…..22nd fastest Senior EVER on the course), Connor Douglas (31st Place Overall and timed in 21:54…..25th fastest Senior EVER on the course…..ALSO almost a 5 Minute personal best for the course…didn’t run it last year), Shane Bagby (33rd Place Overall and timed in 22:18), Mason Anderson (35th Place Overall and timed in 23:24), and Camden Baumgardner (38th Place Overall and timed in 25:21….over a minute personal best on the course.)  GREAT JOB, MEN.  The Leafs ended up winning the division scoring 78 points.  UTHS was second scoring 84 points with Rock Falls placing 3rd scoring 94 points.

SENIORS HONORED

Pictured are most of Geneseo’s Seniors signing the team posters

At the conclusion of the award ceremony, the overall team awards were handed out.  Team plaques were awarded to each class winner (the Leafs WON both the Junior and Senior Class Races).  Then they found out that they had WON the Overall All Combined Boys Title.  Then, both the girls and boys teams were Crowned Overall Combined Champions.  The girls barely missed winning the Overall Combined Girls title by a mere 7 points.  It was a great day to be a Leaf.

I would also like to point out that hosting meets are a wonderful experience for the program.  However, it isn’t the best situation for coaching.  To put it lightly, Coach Ehelrt was a busy dude.  Unfortunately, Coach Brown wasn’t able to be there.  Add to that the fact that Coach Skopek (girls head coach) was in France supporting his wife in the world triathlon championships.  And, Fredericks 1 & 2 were of little help due to #1’s health issues.  Hats off to Coach Ehlert.  Great Meet.  After the meet, he blasted off to St. Louis for a wedding and a funeral.  Then, he drove home Saturday night.  Oh My…..

What’s next…..Sterling’s Rock River Invitational next Saturday.  After that…..the Freeport Pretzel Invitational.  Then, the Metamora Running Red Invite will be up (they host the IHSA Sectional Meet this year).  After that….it will “Championship Meet Season”.  Get Ready to Roll, Men.

RICHMOND HILL PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

“EVEN THE KITCHEN SINK”

Pictured are 18 of the Leafs 27 team members with their “Treasures”

ANNUAL “DUMPSTER DIVE”

On Thursday, September 18th, the Leafs participated in the team’s annual “Dumpster Dive”.  The city of Geneseo has both a fall and spring clean-up day.  People simply put items that they want to discard out by the street and the city picks it up for free.  Individuals looking for “Treasures” come from all over the area.  The team started to bring back a few items early in 2018 (Head Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert’s first year on the job).  The tradition has both continued and grown.  Pictured above are what the boys brought back following a short recovery run.  The items where then made available again.  Watching them bringing the items back was worth the wait.

SENIOR SHANE BAGBY SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Pictured is Senior Shane Bagby who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

Senior Shane Bagby was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by the committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday (Thursday this week).

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, September 11th through Wednesday, September 18th.  During that time the Leafs participated in First to the Finish Invitational.  The meet was held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  Shane didn’t compete in the meet (only our top 10 runners competed) but Shane was selected ANYWAY.  The reason?  Well, actually many reasons.  Shane was recently selected by the Geneseo Food Pantry as their Volunteer of the Month.  Pretty impressive for a high school student.  On top of that, Shane was also named a “Commended Student” in the National Merit Scholarship Program.  Well Done, Shane. Here is what Shane had to say about his involvement with the Geneseo Food Pantry.  “The summer before my junior year I was working full time. After working so much, I had a decent amount of money saved up. I live close to school so gas expenses were pretty low, and I still have a lot of my savings. So when the next summer came, I was able to volunteer at the food pantry worry free from threat of expenses. It was perfect. However, I’m no saint. As much as I love it there, I admit that the reason I initially joined was to get my silver cord. I hate saying that though, because it implies that I’m doing it begudgingly or involuntarily, and that’s not true at all. I love it there. I said in my volunteer of the month nomination that the people there are the salt of the earth, and I stand by that. I haven’t met many better people. After volunteering there all summer and up to now, I can say that my perspective has changed. There is something so special about being a part of something so genuinely good. It’s hard to put into words. Charity, generosity, and humility are traits that I have come to hold dear. At any rate, I’ve been happy to help, and I’m going to try to do something similar throughout my life. It’s so rewarding.”  Great stuff, Shane.  It is RARE to find people who are willing to donate so much time and energy to a wholesome cause.  Finding someone with those traits in high school is “Off the Chart”.  Shane is a wonderful young man and we are truly honored to have him as leader on the 2024 Geneseo Boys Cross Country Team.  The team has some BIG goals for the 2024 season.  Shane is in a position to help make those dreams come to fruition.  Leadership opportunities exist and are omnipotent.  Carpe Diem!!!

Shane is the proud son of Audrey and Brad Bagby.  He is the proud the “Big Bro” of Alex (current GHS 10th grader), Avery (current 8th grader), and Alaina (current 6th grader).

Here are Shane’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “N/A.”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND / OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “I haven’t really been involved with any activities at school other than athletic teams.  In hindsight, I wish I was”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “All Food”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “The Shawshank Redemption”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rock. Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Starset, and Volbeat are some of my favorite bands.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Aleksandr Karelin. I know he’s the bad guy, but man he was such a powerhouse. His old matches are just cool to watch….(Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin is a Russian politician and retired athlete. Karelin competed in Greco-Roman wrestling, representing the Soviet Union and Russia between 1986 and 2000).  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Don’t rest on your laurels” -Many people have said this. I love this quote.”;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I didn’t like Football very much. In hindsight, I should have done Cross Country starting freshman year. I love the sport..”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “You’ll be as good as you want to be.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Henley Bourne, Junior Graysen Carlson, Junior Kaden Elmer, Senior Dylan Gehl, Senior Christian Haney, Senior Max Johnson, Sophomore Micah Johnson, Sophomore Jack Kreiss, Senior Rylan Lambert, & Junior Jaxson Sottos

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

HISTORIC DETWEILLER PARK

Pictured is the sign near the entrance to Detweiller Park in Peoria

LEAFS PLACE 22nd AT
FIRST TO THE FINISH INVITATIONAL

On Saturday, September 14th, the Leafs traveled to Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park to participate in the First to the Finish Invitational.  The meet is HUGE and offers competition for 1A, 2A, and 3A boys and girls teams.  There was also an Open Race that had over 1,000 runners.  The weatherman provided a warm early fall day with daytime high of 85˚.  The course was hard and fast but with the huge fields a LOT of dust was generated making breathing a challenge.  The team hopes to be making a return trip to Peoria to run in the IHSA State Finals come November.  Detweiller Park has served as the host site for the State Meet since 1971.  Thus, “cracking” the Detweiller Park Top 25’s for a GHS athlete is no easy task.  Every other course that we race on has changed over the years so the lists don’t go back too many years.  That is sad to me because great performances by Maple Leaf Greats have been lost to history.  Sadly, we can’t control that.  The closest thing GHS XC has to school records is the Detwiller Park Top 25’s.  On to the meet.

The Leafs competed in the 2A boys race.  The 66-team field included teams from:  Antioch, Arlington Heights (St. Viator), Belvidere, Belvidere (North), Breese (Central), Canton, Champaign (Centennial), Champaign (Central), Charleston, Chicago (Agricultural Science), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chicago (Northside College Prep), Chicago (University), Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central), Crystal Lake (South), Danville, Dunlap, East Peoria, Effingham, Freeburg, Galesburg, Geneseo, Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), Grayslake (Central), Jacksonville, Jerseyville (Jersey), Joliet (Catholic), LaGrange Park (Nazareth Academy), Lawrenceville (Red Hill), Macomb, Manteno, Marengo, Maroa-Forsyth, Midlothian (Bremen), Norridge (Ridgewood), Ottawa, Peoria (Central), Peoria (Richwoods), Plano, Pontiac, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rockford (Boylan), Sandwich, Sterling, Streator, Sycamore, Tinley Park, West Chicago (Wheaton Academy), Wheaton (St. Francis), & Woodstock.  There were 18 State-Ranked Teams “On da Line”. 

Leading the way for the Maple Leafs “Dynamic Duo” of Junior Jaxson Sottos and Senior Dylan Gehl.  Each man earned a highly coveted “Top 50” Finisher Medal.  Jaxson has been the Leafs’ #1 man in every race thus far and led the way via his 29th place finish.  He was timed in 15:43 which is a personal best and moved him into the #13 Junior position for a GHS Runner EVER on the course.  Not far behind was Senior Dylan Gehl who ran a season best time of 15:50 which placed him 35th overall.  By the way, almost 600 runners raced in THIS race.  Dylan’s time moved him into the #15 Senior position for a GHS Runner EVER on the course.  Both Jaxson and Dylan hope to get another chance to improve their times later this season.  That opportunity will come in November and is call THE STATE MEET.  Great job, Men.  Keep up the good work.

Next up was Geneseo Junior Kaden Elmer who is the the Leafs’ “Reigning Bell Ringer”.  Kaden responded with a season best time of 17:14 which placed him 160th in the field of 575 finishers (there were numerous DNF’s).  Kaden shared that when he lost contact with his teammates the race got really difficult for him.  Racing with a “Pack Mentality” is omnipotent.  Either with your teammates or other runners in the field who you have raced before and know you can “Hang” with.  Every race is an opportunity to improve on tactics.  Carpe Diem.

The rest of the Maple Leaf Top 7 was in the middle of the “Dust Bowl”.  Literally.  With no rain for weeks and thousands of runners racing over the course the runners in each race created a “Dust Cloud”.  Not a good thing in a sport that demands a LOT of oxygen consumption.  Senior Max Johnson (199th place timed in 17:38), Junior Graysen Carlson (224th place timed in 17:48), Sophomore Jack Kreiss (233rd place timed in 17:54), and Freshman Hanley Bourne (250th place time in 18:00).  Each gave it what they had.  There weren’t too many smiles after the race as they guys were NOT satisfied with the results. 

Not too far behind were Senior Rylan Lambert (318th place timed in a season best time of 18:29.)  Great Job, Rylan.  Sophomore Micah Johnson (410th place timed in 19:24) and Senior Christian Haney (586th place timed in 20:32) closed the Maple Leaf efforts on the day.  Each man had a film of dust over them.  You could actuallly see dirt on their teeth.  Nasty conditions putting it mildly.

When the team scores were tabulated the Leafs found themselves in 22nd place.  There were 66 scoring teams in the 2A boys race.  The team wasn’t happy to see 7 teams from the sectional meet that we were assigned to last year (the 2024 assignments have Not been released yet).  Thus, as of this meet, the Leafs are not headed back to the IHSA State Finals.  I wouldn’t put too much stock in these results.  The bottom line is the overall team had a tough day.  We have every confidence in this team.  We need the 2024 Senior Leaders to work together and pull this team together.  Our team is blessesd with TEN amazing Seniors.  Each man possesses a plethora of leadership potential.  Each of us needs to help them to “Let it Loose”.  The end result will help lead the team 2024 Maple Leaf Harriers to a successful “Championship Meet Season”.  Remember, you are a Family….a “Band of Brothers”.  EVERYONE matters.  Try and be the “IT Guy”  for the team that provides the “Final Pieces to the Puzzle” for this year’s team.  Let’s keep those BIG DREAMS ALIVE!  God Bless EACH of you.  All the best this season and beyond.

This team is blessed with a plethora of talent and it is going to be a LOT of fun watching the team “Pull Together”.  I always include a page in the XC Cross Country Yearbook that is titled “Philosophy of a Geneseo Distance Runner”.  It seems appropriate to me to share that with you now.  I’m not sure how many of you have actually read it.  I grabbed “Bits and Pieces” of it from numerious sources.  I have always found it to be full of inspiration and it has aided myself and a plethora of former Maple Leafs over the years.  I hope the same for the 2024 team.

NO EXCUSES…..NO RETREATS…..NO REGRETS

DETWEILLER PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

JUNIOR KADEN ELMER SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Pictured is Junior Kaden Elmer who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

Junior Kaden Elmer was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by the committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday (Thursday this week).

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from the the previous Thursday (When Henley was selected) to now (Tuesday, September 10th).  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Galesburg Silver Streak Cross Country Invitational. The meet was held on Saturday, September 7th and held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Kaden placed 23rd overall in the meet (Earning a highly coveted Top 30 Individual Finisher Medal).  He was timed in 17:23 and was the Maple Leafs’ 3rd man on the day helping to lead the team to a strong 3rd place team finish.  His time of 17:23 moved him into the 16th fastest GHS Runner EVER on the current course.  He is also now the 10th fastest junior.  Great Job, Kaden.

Kaden put in a strong summer of base training and has been reaping the benefits of that fitness all season long.  Kaden is a special young man who also possesses strong leadership qualities.  Here is a quick summary of Kaden’s season to date.  He started the season at the Geneseo “Rust Buster” team time trail.  He placed 3rd overall in the race in a time of 10:42 (5th fastest individual and 4th fastest junior in GHS History).  Kaden was the Maple Leafs 3rd man on the day.

Kaden has “Been on Fire” all season long.  He carried the momentum of his summer training right into the season.  Kaden placed 3rd overall in the team’s annual “Rust Buster” time trial which was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park on Tuesday, August  20th.  Kaden was timed in a quick 10:42.  Unfortunately, the then came down with a case of COVID-19.  The Moline Season Opener Invite was cancelled on Monday, August 26th due to dangerously high temperatures.  Kaden would NOT have been able to race on that day anyway due to being sick.  He then did “Toe the Line” on Tuesday, September 3rd at the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational.  He was still not feeling too hot but raced anyway.  He ended up being the Leafs’ 6th man on the day and placed 13th overall (earning a Top 20 Individual Finisher Medal).  Kaden’s time of 17:37 was the 9th fastest time EVER for a GHS Runner.  It also moved him into the 7th fastest Junior EVER for a GHS Runner.  Great Job, Kaden.  Not too bad for not feeling too hot. 

The Maple Leafs have some BIG TEAM GOALS and Kaden has placed himself in a position to help make those “Dreams” come to fruition.  The best way to lead is via example and that is exactly what Kaden does on a daily basis.  He possesses tremendous amounts of both Passion and Purpose.  It is a true honor to serve as one of his coaches.  All the best with the rest of the 2024 XC season and beyond.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the commitment that excellence demands.  Don’t forget to enjoy the “Ride”.  Ultimately, that ‘s the best part.

Here is what Kaden had to say about his athletic history.  “11 Grade:  I don’t remember my times for the Rust Buster but I know it was in the high 10’s. I finished 3rd for Geneseo that day. At the Kewanee Dunes, I ran a 17:37 finishing 13th total and 6th for Geneseo. At Galesburg, I ran 17:23 finishing 23rd and 3rd for Geneseo. I was sick around the time of the Kewanee meet. (I’m always sick which is so annoying”.;  10 Grade:  I won’t list all of my times for everything so I’ll give some PR’s. Running at State I ran 17:00 flat. That was recently coming off of having the IT band syndrome thing with my hip. I also ran 16:40 at Metamora but I don’t think that really counts. In Track, I ran 4:57 in the mile beating my freshman time by 0.65 seconds. Not much of an improvement but still there. I ran a 58.52 in the 400 this year which was a PR but still not very fast. Ran a 10:55 in the 3200 at Monmouth which was also a PR.”;  9th Grade:  “I did both XC and Track and Field.  In Cross Country I enjoyed a strong season that saw me earn a Varsity letter and get to “Toe the Line” at the IHSA State Meet.  I climbed all the way up to 8th and and was substituted in for Sam when he got hurt and couldn’t run the Sate Meet.  17:47 was my PR at Sterling.  In Track I mostly ran the 800 meter run.  Most of the season I ran 2:17 but I was able to drop a 2:11 at the Conference Meet.  I also ran the 1600 Meter Run and 3200 Meter run a couple of times with 4:57 and 10:57 personal bests.  08 Grade:  “I participated in both Cross Country and Track and Field.  In Cross Country, I placed 10th at the Sectional Meet and qualified for the State Meet along with Jack Mickley.  I ran a 12:10 at the State Meet and was very proud of my effort.  For Track season, I started out in both the hurdles and long jump.  I eventually transitioned to the mile where I dropped my time down to 5:09 by the end of the season at the Sectional Meet.  The State Qualifying Standard was 5:02 which I barely missed.  It “fired me up” to try and improve for next year.”;  7th Grade:  “I participated in both Cross Country and Track and Field.  I placed 8th in the Sectional Meet in Cross Country to qualify for the State Finals.  However, they did not have the State Meet that year due to COVID-19.  Dang.  In Track, I competed in the hurdles, the 1600 Meter Run, the 400 Meter Relay, and the Long Jump.  I competed in the all of those events except the Long Jump at the Sectional Meet.  I did not qualify for the State Meet.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Baseball for three years but wasn’t very good at it.  My position was Second Base.  I also played Soccer for two years.  This was more for fun but when I found out that I was good at running I ended up joining the Cross Country team.”

“Kaden is the proud son of Kari and Josh Elmer.  He is the proud the “Baby Bro” of Anthony (25), Hope (23), and Gabrielle (19).  Kaden is also the proud “Big Bro” of Reese (13 in 8th grade) and Hallie (11 in 6th grade).

Here are Kaden’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Kaden Elmberg.”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND / OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track & Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Homemade Italian Beef”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Magnificant 7”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Classical Rock / Modern Rock / Heavy Rock / Cats & Dragons (always loyal);  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Tim Tebow…(former NCAA Championship Quarterback for the University of Florida)….he was homeschooled and raised in a Christian Family.  He believes uniqueness is a gift from God.”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fall above everyone else’s success” – James Cameron;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  ” I had always known I was solid at running. Whether it was doing well in the pacer test or winning my age group in road races 💪. I really enjoyed the running aspect of soccer as well. I’ll never forget Eric State recruiting me to join Cross way back in 7th grade. I’ve been doing it ever since.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “I’ll die on the hill that Cross Country is the hardest sport. I can’t honestly say I’ve participated in that many other sports but I have sources and also what other sports require you to run 10+ miles on Sunday? Cross Country takes so much dedication and work and if you’re not willing to put that in you shouldn’t join. I know most of you guys reading this are probably in Cross right now but that’s not the point. Cross is so much fun because you get to mess around in practice but eventually Ehlert or Brown will crack that whip and tell you to get running. Tip: Don’t expect to get better if all you do is mess around. One of my favorite things about the sport is the bond you can form with teammates and how that’ll go with you even out of the sport. It’s super special. The feeling of a good race or PR is also just super exhilerating. One of the best things about Cross is going out to eat with everyone too. Playing Frogger in the road, watching Jack eat 40 McDonald’s nuggets, or getting sick off of a large chocolate cake shake. It’s all worth it. Anyone that’s remotely good at running or looking to stay in shape or just socialize should join Cross Country. Some quotes: “No balls no glory” -Frank Shorter “Faster you run faster you’re done” -Idk “Burst” Anonymous.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Alex Aleman, Senior Camden Baumgardner, Junior Calvin Bell, Freshman Fritz Bolme, Freshman Henley Bourne, Junior Aidan Bries, Freshman Rylan Carlson, Senior Connor Douglas, Junior Graysen Carlson, Freshman, Greyson Clearhout, Senior Dylan Gehl, Sophomore Jack Kreiss, Freshman Kael McCord, Sophomore Connor Runty, Junior Jaxson Sottos, & Freshman Patrick Versluis.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS CLAIM GALESBURG SILVER STREAK INV. BRONZE

Pictured are most of the Juniors and Seniors who led the Leafs to a 3rd place team finish in the Varsity Race
Also pictured are the individuals who earned medals in the F/S Race

SOTTOS AND GEHL LEAD LEAFS

ON Saturday, September 7th, the Leafs traveled to Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park to participate in the 47th Annual Galesburg Silver Streak Cross Country Invitational.  The field consisted of teams from:  Abingdon-Avon, Annawan-Wethersfield, Dunlap, East Peoria, Ft. Madison, Galesburg, Geneseo, Knoxville, Macomb, Metamora, Morton, Normal West, Peoria Notre Dame, Ridegwood, Rockridge, ROWVA, United (Monmouth), & UTHS.  The weather was unseasonably cool.  The daytime high was only 66˚.  When the team arrived at 7:30 a.m. the temperature was still in the high 40’s.  By race time the temperature had climbed into the mid 50’s.  There was a noticable NNE wind in the low teens.  The Varsity Races are run first in this meet with the F/S races to follow.  We have chosen to run all of the Freshmen and Sophomores in the F/S race.  I will discuss that race later.  On the line were trophies to the Top 3 Teams in the 18-team field.  Also, individual medals were awarded to the Top 30 Finishers.  The current course at Lake Storey has been run since 2015.  Thus, this is the 10th year for the current course.

The Varsity Boys race started at 9:40 a.m.  The guys were pretty fired up after watching the Lady Leafs race first.  Sophomore Brooklyn Smith won the Varsity Race beating several All-Staters.  The Maple Leafs’ Dynamic Duo of Junior Jaxson Sottos and Senior Dylan Gehl, once again, led the way as they both finished in the top 10.  Jaxson placed 4th running the 2nd fastest time EVER for a Maple Leaf on the current course.  His time is only 2nd to Senior Dylan Gehl who “Threw Down: a time of 15:37 last season.  Dylan is still on the “Rebound” following a serious knee injury suffered during the Track season.  Jaxson is also now number two on the Junior List.  Dylan wasn’t too far behind and ended up placing 6th overall.  His time of 16:19 is the 5th fastest performance EVER for a GHS runner and moved him into the number two spot on the GHS Senior List.  Great Job, Men. 

Up next was the rest of Geneseo’s “Scoring 5”.  Juniors Kaden Elmer and Graysen Carlson each earned highly coveted “Top 30” Individual Finisher Medals.  Kaden sprinted home in 17:23 and placed 23rd overall.  His time was the 10th fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the current course.  Graysen was only six seconds behind him as he took OVER A MINUTE off his previous best time for the course.  His time of 17:29 is now the 11th fastest time for a GHS Junior EVER on the current course.  Closing the scoring for the Maple Leafs was Senior Max Johnson.  Max had a tough day but still fought hard, giving it everything that he could.  Way to Lead by Example, Max.  He placed 49th overall and was timed in 18:17.  His time moved him into the #16 spot for a GHS Senior on the course.

Rounding out the rest of the Leafs were Senior Rylan Lambert (56th place timed in 18:40….new #20 on the Senior List for the current course), Senior Christian Haney (85th place timed in 19:46), Senior Jacob Taylor (94th place timed in 20:00), Senior Tyler Holtzen (107th place timed in 20:38), Junior Calvin Bell (110th place timed in 20:54), Senior Connor Douglas (116th place timed in 21:15), Senior Shane Bagby (121st Place timed in 21:30), Senior Mason Anderson (136th place timed in 22:57), and Camden Baumgardner (139th place timed in 23:09.)  Rylan , Tyler, Calvin, Connor, Shane, and Camden all ran personal bests on the course.  GREAT JOB, MEN. 

When the “Dust had Settled” and the team scores were tabulated, the Leafs found themselves winning the 3rd place team trophy.  Class 2A number two (state-ranked) Morton won with a mere 35 points.  Metamora was a bit of a surprise in 2nd (76 points).  The Leafs scored 100 to grab 3rd as they held-off Peoria Notre Dame (104) and Normal West (105).  Great Job, Men. All of our F/S ran “Down” and everything wasn’t perfect and you still grabbed some nice hardware.  Also having 4 men place in the Top 30 was impressive.  Keep up the good work.  Bring on Detweiller!!!  That’s where we will be headed next Saturday.  Get Ready to FLY!!!.

BOURNE AND KREISS LEAD GENESEO F/S TO 5TH

The F/S boys race started at 11:00 a.m. sharp.  A LOT of teams decided to run their “Young Stars” in this race.  Thus, the field was much more competitive than it has been in quite some time.  Individual medals were awarded to the Top 20 Individual Finishers while team trophies were awarded to the Top 3 Teams.  There was a plethora of talent in this race and I predict that multiple individuals in the field will earn “All-State” Honors before they graduate from high school.

Leading the way for the Leafs was Freshman Henely Bourne.  Henley was the current GHS “Bell Ringer” and backed that up with another Great Race.  Henley ran an evenly paced race and just kept moving up.  He ended up placing 8th overall and was timed in 18:10.  His time is the 4th fastest EVER for a GHS Freshmen on the current course.  Not too far behind him was Sophomore Jack Kreiss who placed 14th.  Jack went out “Hot”, running with the lead pack and paid the price.  He did a great job of hanging on for a Top 20 Medal.  Jack was timed in 18:10 which moved him into the #14 Sophomore spot for a GHS runner EVER on the course.  Up next were: Sophomore Micah Johnson (30th place timed in 19:13), Freshman Kael McCord (35th place timed in 19:23), and Freshman Greyson Clerhout (48th place timed in 19:58).  Micah is now the 23rd fastest GHS Sophomore EVER on the current course.  Kael and Greyson moved into 15th and 18tth places on the GHS Freshen list for the current course.  GREAT JOB, MEN. 

Not far behind came the hard charging “2nd Wave” of:  Freshman Fritz Bolme (53rd place timed in 20:09), Sophomore Alex Aleman (63rd place timed in 20:25), Sophomore Connor Runty (78th place timed in 21:38), Freshman Patrick Versluis (97th place timed in 23:25), and Freshman Rylan Carlson (100th place timed in 23:32.)  Great job of racing men.  I was on my bike (bad left hip…can’t run anymore) and was all over the place.  Each member of the F/S team is Very Coachable and listened to the advice that they were given during the race.  We saw it as they reacted appropriately.  Thank you, Men.  You are the future of our team and the future looks BRIGHT..

LAKE STOREY PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

FRESHMAN HENLEY BOURNE SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Pictured is Freshman Henley Bourne who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

Freshman Henley Bourne was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by the committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday (Thursday this week).

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from the the previous Thursday (When Graysen was selected) to now (Thursday, 5th).  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational on Tuesday, September 3rd.  The meet was held at Kewanee Dunes Golf Course (also known as The Midlands).  Henley simply ran “WILD” and placed 19th OVERALL in the field to earn a Highly Coveted Top 20 Finisher Medal.  GREAT STUFF, Henley.

Henley’s time of 18:01 made him into the second fastest Geneseo High School Freshman for the course.  He was also the Leafs’ 7th man on the day.  Pretty impressive for a Freshmen.  Add into the equation that Henley just returned from a family vacation fishing trip to Northern Wisconsin.  He was gone for almost a week and was unable to run during that time.  How did he still run so well???  All I can say is WOW!  Everyone has God-Given talent but Henley might also picked up the “It Factor” too.  Very few have it.  Henley was also racing with some plaster his right wrist.  He broke it while attending a pole vaulting practice this summer (more on pole vaulting later).  Evidently, Henley tried to make an NBA move on the mat and let’s just say that it didn’t go as planned.  The cast should be coming off soon. 

Henley is an emerging talent and it is going to be a LOT of fun watching him improve during the course of the season.  He attended quite a few summer training sessions with Coach Ehlert and Coach Brown.  He told me that he had a moderate level of training this past summer.  The fact that he is already battling for a Top 7 Varsity spot is impressive.  Keep up the good work, Henley.  You have a bright future in the sport.  The current Geneseo roster is LOADED.  The team has BIG goals for the entire season and especially for “Championship Meet Season”.  Henley is in a wonderful position to help make those dreams come to fruition.  The best advice that we can give you is to “Dream Big” and then back those dreams up with the hard work that excellence demands.  It isn’t easy to be a team leader as a Freshman.  However, leadership via example is a viable path to accomplish that task.  All the best this season and beyond.  Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.  Ultimately, that’s the best part.  Take care and God Bless.

Here is what Henley had to say about his athletic history to date.  09 Grade:  “The journey has just begun”.  08th Grade:  “I was the 3rd man on the the GMS team that qualified for the State Meet.”  ” I also participated in Track & Field where I specialized as a Pole Vaulter.  I ended up earning All-State Honors via my 7th place finish at State.  My season best jump was 10′ 00″.  07th Grade:  “I joined the Cross Country team and had a decent season.  I ended up being the alternate at the State Meet”.  7th Grade:  “I decided to try Track and Field.  I ended up being a sprinter and also tried the pole vault for the first time.  I like it a LOT”.  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Soccer for a while.  I like playing goalie.  I also played Baseball where I was a catcher”. 

Henley is the proud son of Jennifer and Jeff Bourne.  He has a younger sister (Abigail) who is 10.

Here are Henley’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Nothing Yet”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND / OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country, Track & Field, and Marching Band where I play the trombone “;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Hash Browns”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “”Remember the Titans”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Country……it usually tells a story”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “My cousin Brooklyn used to run Track for Illinois State University.  I think she ran the sprints including the 400 Meter and 800 Meter Relays.  I was also heavily influenced by Julia Poel who I got to spend a lot of time with her as a younger kid.  She was my inspiration to do a lot of things such as Track, Marching Band, and Cross Country”.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “If you aren’t failing you’re not trying”.  Matthew Johnson (My Marching Band Leader) or ” Play stupid games with stupid prizes”  Coach James  (GHS Strength Coach).  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM:  “I like to run and it’s fun to run FAST”.;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “You get what you give.  If you run fast at practice you will run fast in meets.  When you run it’s going to hurt and it’s your choice to either listen to the Little Man inside of you telling you that you need to stop or can’t continue going through the pain or finish knowing that you DIDN’T GIVE IN TO IT.”

COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH TODD EHLERT:  Henley has been a great addition to the team this year. This spring, Henley did an awesome job for the middle school track program. He was a busy guy. Henley ran the 1600 in 5:14 and also pole vaulted on the team. Henley was “all state” in the pole vault in the spring placing 7th at the IESA State track and field finals. He has done an awesome job this year and has a lot of potential. He started the year off in a rough way breaking his arm at a pole vault practice. He will be doing better at the end of the year and has a bright future for the Maple Leafs.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Alex Aleman, Sophomore Jacob Berry, Senior Camden Baumgardner, Junior Graysen Carlson, Junior Kaden Elmer, Senior Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Holtzen, Senior Max Johnson, Sophomore Micah Johnson, Junior Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS CLAIM TITAN GOLD

Pictured are the 2024 Annawan-Wethersfield Team Champions

LEAFS WIN ANNAWAN-WETHERSFIELD
TITAN CROSS COUNTRY INVITE

On Tuesday, September 3rd, the Leafs traveled to Kewanee’s Midland Golf Course (also called the Dunes) to compete in the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Aledo (Mercer County), Annawan-Wethersfield, Cambridge, Galesbug, Galva, Geneseo, Monmouth-Roseville, Oneida (Rowva), Orion, Princeville, Rock Island (Alleman), Sherrard, Taylor Ridge (Rockridge), and Toulon (Stark County).  The teams were treated to a delightful late summer day with a daytime high of 78˚ and little to no wind.  The dew point was extremely low for this time of year (51˚) .

The boys race started at 5:00 p.m. sharp.  Trophies to the top 3 teams and medals to the top 20 individual finishers were on the line.  The Leafs have been attending this meet since Head Boys Coach Todd Ehlert took over the program in 2018.  The boys appear to love the meet.  It is fun to see different teams and race on a golf course (my personal favorite racing surface).  The Leafs have won every year that the meet has been held since joining the fun.  We appreciate Annawan-Wethersfield Coach Creston Fenn allowing Geneseo to participate in the meet.  Most of the 12-team field competes at the 1A level.  Galesburg and Geneseo were the only 2A schools in the field.  There were no 3A schools.

Back to the action.  Geneseo’s “Big Two” (Junior Jaxson Sottos & Senior Dylan Gehl) took off at the gun and a lead pack of four runners pulled away from the rest of the field.  Jaxson ended up winning the race in 15:57 (2nd fastest GHS time EVER on the course) while Dylan sprinted home in 3rd place.  Dylan’s time of 16:09 was the 3rd fastest time for a Maple Leaf on the All-Time Performance List.  Dylan established a new Senior Class Record in the process.  Jaxson’s time is second to Dylan’s time of 15:24 set while winning the race last year.  Dylan is recovering nicely from a nasty knee injury that shut him down during the Track season.  What a great start to the race with the Leafs going 1-3.  GREAT JOB, MEN!!!

Up next were:  Junior Graysen Carlson (7th place in 17:16), Senior Max Johnson (11th place in 17:31), Sophomore Jack Kreiss (12th place in 17:34), and Junior Kaden Elmer (13th place in 17:37).  In case you weren’t counting, that puts all five of the Leafs’ “Scorers” in the Top 13.  They ended up winning the team title with a mere 30 points.  Great Stuff, Men.  Graysen is now the 5th fastest Maple Leaf Junior to ever run the course.  Max moved into the number 4 Senior Position.  Jack became the 4th fastest Sophomore GHS Runner on the course in school history.  Kaden became the 7th fastest Junior for a GHS Runner on the course.  Each man also ranks in the Top 10 Individual List (Any Grade.)  GREAT STUFF, MEN!!!

The next man up for the Maple Leafs was Freshman Henley Bourne who sprinted home in 19th place to earn a highly coveted Top 20 Finisher Medal.  He was timed in 18:01 (13th fastest Maple Leaf All-Time and #2 on the Freshmen List).  Closing fast was Sophomore Micah Johnson (30th place overall).  Micah moved into the number 18 All-Time Maple Position and #9 Sophomore.  Senior Rylan Lambert was up next and “Stopped the Clock” at 19:08 (10th fastest Senior in GHS History on the course).  Rounding out the Leafs’ Top 10 was Freshman Kael McCord (48th place in 19:54).  Kael moved into the #8 spot for a GHS Freshman on the course.  GREAT JOB, MEN!!!

Up next was “Rookie” Senior Tyler Holtzen  (54th place in 20:05).  Tyler’s time made him the 15th fastest GHS Senior to ever run the course.  Sophomore Alex Aleman sprinted across the finish line next (55 place in 20:08).  Alex is now the 10th fastest Sophomore to ever race the course for GHS.  Senior Jacob Taylor joined in on the fun as he crossed the line in 58th place and was timed in 20:22 (#16 Senior EVER on the course).  He was closely followed by Junior Calvin Bell (66th place in 20:24…..#14 Junior EVER on the course for a GHS Runner).  Freshman Fritz Bolme rounded out the Maple Leafs’ Top 15 as he sprinted home in 70th place and was timed in 21:14 (#10 Freshmen EVER for a GHS Runner.).  GREAT JOB, MEN!!!

Rounding out the Leafs’ efforts were:  Senior Shane Bagby (71st in 21:16…..17th Senior in GHS History on the course), Sophomore Connor Runty (75th place in 21:48…..#18 Sophomore in GHS History on the course), Freshman Greyson Claerhout (80th place in 22:03…..#15 Freshmen in GHS History on the course), Sophomore Jacob Berry (86th place in 22:57…..22nd GHS Sophomore in GHS History on the course), Senior Camden Baumgardner (93rd place in 24:31…..25 Senior in GHS History on the course), Freshman Patrick Versluis (94th place in 24:39…..21st Freshmen in GHS History on the course), and Freshman Rylan Carlson (95th place in 24:43…..22nd Freshmen in GHS History on the course).  Senior Mason Anderson also “Toed da Line” but had to withdraw after “Blowing Chow” numerous times.  Good Call, Mason.  GREAT STUFF LEAFS!!!

Solid efforts, Men.  It was nice to finally be able to race someone other then teammates.  We are proud of every team member’s race efforts.  Some of you are “Seasoned Veterans” while others are “Newbies”.  The omnipotent goal is to keep improving all season long.  Try and learn something EVERY time you race.  This team has a plethora of potential and it is going to be a LOT of Fun watching each of you “Chasing Your Potential” all season long.  Keep making good choices.  That includes hydration, nutrition, sleep, academic commitments, homecoming dates, ETC.  Also, keep up the Great Job of BEING A TEAM.  TOGETHER WE CAN.

KEWANEE DUNES TOP 25’s

RESULTS

JUNIOR GRAYSEN CARLSON SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Pictured is Junior Graysen Carlson who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

Junior Graysen Carlson was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by the committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday (Thursday this week.)

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from the the day after the Geneseo “Rust Buster” time trial which was held on August 20th through almost the entire next week.  The team was scheduled to participate in the Moline Season Opener Invitational Cross Country Invitational on Monday, August 26th but the meet was cancelled due to extremely high temperatures (115 heat index).  We decided to still selected a “Bell Ringer” for that time period even though the team didn’t compete.  Thus, summer training commitment, the Rust Buster time trail, and the workouts during the week were all considered.  After “The dust had settled” Graysen was selected.  At the Rust Buster 3k time trial, Graysen placed 6th overall in an impressive time of 11:04.  His time was over a TWO minute improvement from the 2023 race.  It also placed him in the Maple Leafs “Top 7”.  Way to go, Graysen!

This is Graysen’s second year as a Maple Leaf Harrier (XC Runner).  We were thrilled when he joined the team and he has simply continued to improve every single week.  Last year, he not only earned a Varsity Letter but also “Cracked” the Varsity Top 7 and raced in the IHSA Regional (he was the alternate to a teammate was unable to race).  How is that possible?  The answer is pretty simple.  It just takes a commitment to excellence and then backing up that commitment up with the hard work that excellence demands.  Graysen also possesses a powerful dose of both Passion and Purpose.  His improvement curve shows no signs of slowing down so the sky is the limit for him.  The Maple Leaf XC Team has BIG Team Goals for the 2024 season and beyond.  Graysen has placed himself into a position where he can significantly make an impact on those team goals.  Keep “Dreaming Big”, Graysen.  You are a very special young man and it has been a lot of fun watching you develop your God-Given Talent.  Everyone has it but few truly ever tap into it.

I also need to mention one of Graysen’s biggest inspirations.  His grandfather is John Thompson.  I have known John ever since I moved to Geneseo back in the 80’s.  He is an elite distance runner and an ever better triathlete.  He is ranked nationally in his age group and is always ready to “Mix it Up” with the “Big Dogs”.  Graysen has been watching “Grandpa John” ever since he was born and has obviously been taking good metal notes.  Graysen, NO ONE is prouder of you than your grandpa.  Well done, Graysen.  All the best in 2024 and beyond.  Don’t forget to enjoy “The Journey”.

Here is what Graysen had to say about his athletic history to date. 11 Grade:  “I ran the Bix 7 in late July again.  I ran it in 49:48 so I really made a big jump from last year’s race.  I improved by over 10 minutes.  That was really fun and those hills were really tough.”  10 Grade:  “I ran Cross Country for the first time.  I won two XC races.  (Graysen placed first OVERALL in both the Freeport Pretzel J.V. Race and in the Sterling JV Invitational.”  I also played point guard on the Basketball team.  I hit a couple of game winning shots”.  09 Grade:  “I played Basketball for the Maple Leafs and had a decent season.  I dropped 20 points in one game.  I also hit a couple of game winning shots at the buzzer.  Then I went out for the Track and Field team.  I ran the sprints and also Long Jumped.  I placed pretty good but not far enough to qualify for the State Meet.  08th Grade:  “I was a sprinter on the Middle School Team.  We qualified for the State Finals in the 400 Meter Relay.  I went to State as an alternate but didn’t get to run even though I was faster than one of the guys that was running but that is OK.  I still got an “All-State ” medal because the team placed 7th overall.”  07th Grade:  I joined the Track and Field team and ended up as a sprinter.  I ran the 200 Meter Dash in like 40 seconds because I was NOT a runner yet.”  Prior to 7th Grade:  Nothing Listed.

Graysen is the proud son of Adrianne and Brandon Carlson.  His siblings are: Aiden 20; Aliyah 13; & Braylee 8.  We are also hosting Foreign Exchange Students Manuel 15 & Luiza 16.

Here are Graysen’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Gray Dog”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country, Basketball, & Track & Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “My favorite food is banana bread that my Grandma makes”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “”Titanic….I LOVE History”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Christian Rap or Rap“;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “My Grandpa because he kept me going and kept pushing me to my limits.  Without him, I wouldn’t have made it his far so THANK YOU.  I LOVE YOU GRANDPA JOHN.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “When you run you have to take Vitamin N.  The ability to say NO, to the “Little Man” when running.”  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM:  I decided to join the Cross Country team to become the best runner I could possibly be and I could see myself going pretty far in life with running.  But, I also joined so that I can beat my Grandpa John in a race because he would always win.  I also wanted to try something new.;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Some advice I would give to not to give up.  Also, don’t be afraid to try something new.  You just might like it.  But if you do try it out, I predict that you will fall in love with it like I did.  It is also a LOT of fun because everyone in your family will come out and watch you race.”

COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH TODD EHLERT:  Graysen Carlson – Graysen is just starting his second year with the program. He did an awesome job last year. He was our super 8th man in his first year of Cross Country. He stepped in to run during the Regional last year for Kaden (who was sick) and did a great job. He also has upped his mileage during the summer and it has really paid off. He has taken time off his time trial by over two minutes and he is on pace to be in the top 7 this year. Keep Dreaming Big!

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Alex Aleman, Freshman Henley Bourne, Junior Kaden Elmer, Senior Dylan Gehl, Senior Christian Haney, Sophomore Micah Johnson, Senior Rylan Lambert, Sophomore Connor Runty, Junior Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

MOLINE XC SEASON OPENER WB-6 XC INVITE

MEET CANCELED DUE TO EXTREME HEAT

TEAMS
Alleman, Bettendorf, Davenport Central, Galesburg, Geneseo,
Moline, Quincy, Riverdale, Rock Island, Sterling, United Township

JUNIOR JAXSON SOTTOS SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Pictured is Junior Jaxson Sottos who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

JUNIOR JAXSON SOTTOS SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Jaxson Sottos was selected as this season’s first “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by the committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday (Wednesday this week.)

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from the beginning of the XC season through Tuesday, August 20th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Geneseo “Rust Buster” Team 3,000 Meter Time Trial.  This meet has existed since 1986 and used to be called the Geneseo Alumni Open.  Due to IHSA rule changes, the meet is now limited to only current Geneseo XC Athletes.  The current course has been used since Head Coach Todd Ehlert took over the program in the fall of 2018.  Changes to the park over the years was the main reason.  The old course crossed pavement that had been added over the years.  The new course is an outstanding test of cross country skill and a offers spectators a wonderful opportunity to watch a LOT of the race.  Jaxson ran an impressive race that saw him win the race by 32 seconds.  In the process, he ended up running the 2nd fastest time EVER on the current course.  Only Senior Dylan Gehl’s 9:56 which he ran last year is ahead of Jaxson.  Dylan is coming back from a nasty knee injury that saw him miss almost the entire Track season.  He is healthy now and chasing fitness.  The fact that Jaxson only missed Dylan’s Course Record by NINE seconds is extremely exciting.  Dylan enjoyed a monster Junior season that saw him place 7th in the State Finals running the 2nd fastest time in GHS History (14:48.)  Needless to say, Maple Leaf fans are VERY excited about what the upcoming season might produce.  The Leafs might have the best 1-2 “Punch” in the State of Illinois.  No pressure Men….only exciting possibilities.

What makes Jaxson’s improvement all the more impressive is the fact that he wasn’t able to run Track last winter and spring.  Jaxson is home-schooled and he lives quite a distance from the school.  Transportation has been a huge issue for his family and due to that issue, he sat out last year’s Track season and trained on his own.  That is not an easy assignment for someone so young but Jaxson isn’t the average teenager.  He is a highly dedicated individual and he ended up gradually ramping up his training with the end result being one of the biggest improvement jumps I have EVER seen for someone who was already competing at a very high level.  We are VERY proud of you Jaxson (J.J.)  and are literally “Drooling” with anticipation in regard to what you can accomplish this season and beyond.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the hard work and dedication that excellence DEMANDS.  Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.  That’s the best part of the whole experience when you get right down to it.

It has been a lot of fun watching Jaxson growing up over the last several years.  I first met him when he was in middle school and he and Kaden Elmer asked if they could run with the distance guys during the winter before their Track season started.  In addition, my wife (Tessie) and I have needed a bit of help from time to time around our house.  Tessie is battling some health issues but is hard to “Hold Down” when I am out working.  I discovered that by bringing in Jaxson (and others at times) which allows us to do “the heavy lifting”.  When it’s just the two of us……..I think you get it.  Anyway, we sure appreciate Jaxson’s amazing work ethic.  He is also a strong Christian who doesn’t just “Talk the Talk”….He “Walks the Walk”.  God Bless You, Jaxson Sottos.  All the best.  Hopefully, you will be wearing an “All-State” Medal or more around your neck before you graduate from high school.  We also hope that the team can join in on the fun and “Crack the Top 15″……Top 10……Top 5……DREAM BIG!

Here is what Jaxson had to say about his athletic history to date. 11 Grade:  “Put in a ton of work this summer and so far this season and team is looking super good. Big things to come.”  10 Grade:  “Ran cross country, I had a pretty good season, my PR was 15:55 but I didn’t come close to that time on any other races. I did not run Track this year because I live far out of town and the IHSA requires home-schooled students to participate for one elective through the high school so my parents made me choose either XC or Track and I chose XC. However, I still trained an insane amount this spring by myself and that has worked miracles.”  09 Grade: “I had a really good season as a freshman. My 3 mile PR was 16:55 and in Track I ran mainly the mile and got my mile time all the way down to 4:42. That was a really proud moment. I missed state qualifying by 6 seconds.”  08 Grade: I started running every day the summer before 8th grade and my 2 mile pr for XC was 12:51. Our team narrowly missed qualifying for State. I ran every day that winter and did the mile in Track and was able to run a 5:23 mile”.  07 Grade: “I ran XC and Track and played Basketball. I really liked Basketball back then but after trying XC I knew XC was the sport for me. I wasn’t fast at all. I think my fastest mile was a 6:57 but I really enjoyed it.”  Prior to 7th grade:  “Switched off between rec leagues of Baseball, Soccer, and Basketball. Played a lot of golf too.”

Jaxson is the proud son of Zachary and Monica Sottos.  Siblings names with ages or grade levels: Alex 25; Max 20; Grace 18; Phoenix 13; and Hendrix 11.

Here are Jaxson’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “JJ and Jax”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track & Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Five Guys Burgers & Fries”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “”Howls Moving Castle”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I like everything…..Rap, Country, Global…ETC”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Muhammad Ali”….here is a quick Google fact search on him FYI…Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed “The Greatest”, he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century and is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970.  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Don’t be stupid” – Todd Ehlert;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I watched my brother Max run and wanted to try it out and it just kind of clicked”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Try your best.  Don’t hang your head if you aren’t doing as good as you would like, keep your head up”.

COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH TODD EHLERT:  Jaxson has has done a great job his first two years in the program. Running in the state meet as a freshman and sophomore has been a huge motivation for him. Winning some meets in the Fresh/Soph Division last year has really helped his confidence. He has had a great summer with running and the time he has put in is going to pay dividends later this year. He already has set his sights on trying to break Dylan’s records from last year. Keep working hard and Dream Big!

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Alex Aleman, Junior Calvin Bell, Freshman Henley Bourne, Junior Graysen Carlson, Junior Kaden Elmer, Senior Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Holtzen, and Sophomore Micah Johnson.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

2024 SEASON OFF AND RUNNING

Pictured are several members of the 2024 Maple Leaf XC team in the early stages of the “Rust Buster” team time trial.

LEAFS OPEN SEASON AT ANNUAL RUST BUSTER

On Tuesday, August 20th the Leafs hosted their annual “Rust Buster” team time trial.  The meet started in 1986 and was called the “Alumni Open”.  When Head Boys Coach Todd Ehlert took over the porgram in 2018 he changed the course to the current set-up and the name was also changed.  The racing distance changed from 2 miles to 3,000 meters.  Evidently, the I.H.S.A. (Illinois High School Association) no longer  allows “Alumni Races”.

The athletes were treated to ideal race conditions.  The race time temperature was 71 degrees with a slight NE wind of 6 mph.  The dew point was only 60.  Those are rare conditions for anyone living in the “Land of Lincoln” in August.  Usually, this race battles challenging weather conditions.  The guys did tell us that the course was a bit soft in some sports so didn’t run quite as fast as we thought it might.  Geneseo has received a LOT of much needed rain over the summer.

The race started at 6:00 pm sharp.  Head Girls Coach Aaron Skopek and Coach Ehlert decided to race both teams together and not use a staggered start (let the girls have a 30-60 second head start).  The boys team ended up grabbing 16 of the top 17 places with the Lady Leafs Brooklyn Smith placing 9th overall (she tied the course record).  The entry fee for the race was a T-Shirt (used for the award ceremony) and 5-10 canned goods to be given to the Geneseo Food Pantry.  In addition, Running Wild (running specialty store) was in attendance and sold quite a few spikes and training shoes in addition to running apparel.

Leading the way for the team were Junior Jaxson Sottos, Senior Leader Dylan Gehl, Junior Kaden Elmer, Senior Max Johnson, and Sophomore Jack Kreiss.  Each man “Cracked” the elusive 11:00 minute barrier.  Jaxson won the race in 10:05 (2nd fastest time in race history)  Dylan placed 2nd and his time of 10:37 is the 2nd fastest Senior time in race history.  Dylan set the course record of 9:56 last year and is still on the “Rebound” after a nasty knee injury.  He was “Sidelined” for almost the entire Track season.  It is GREAT to see him running pain free again.  Up next was Junior Kaden Elmer who sprinted across the finish line 10:42 (5th fastest individual / 4th fastest junior ever).  Only one second back was Senior Leader Max Johnson. whose time of 10:43 was the 3rd fastest senior time in meet history.  Sophomore Jack Kreiss placed 5th overall and was also timed in 10:43 (6th fastest individual / 2nd fastest sophomore in race history.)  Wow….in case you didn’t notice that was only a :38 second spread for the Maple Leaf Top 5.  Impressive Stuff Men!

Junior Graysen Carlson placed 6th overall and was timed in 11:0.4.  That is over TWO MINUTES faster than last year for Graysen.  Amazing.  His time is the 11th fastest individual and 8th fastest junior in race history.  Next up was Junior Aidan Bries who ran the race while battling a hip injury that flaired up during the race.  He played it smart and took it easy on the downhills.  He also didn’t “Throw it Down” in the homestretch and still ran 11:25  His time was 55 seconds faster than last year and moved him into the 11th fastest junior and 14 fastest Maple Leaf EVER on the course.  Sophomore Micah Johnson sprinted home as the Leafs’ 8th man.  Micah was timed in 11:31.  He is now number 17 on the All-Time List and number 11 on the Sophomore List for the course.  The Leafs took the Top 8 spots before Lady Leaf Speedster Brooklyn Smith sprinted across the finish line tying the course record of 11:36.  Good luck to her and the Lady Leafs this season.  Things are looking great.

Freshman Henley Borne was the  next man to cross the finish line.  Henley broke his arm this summer and was racing with a plaster cast on.  His time of 11:42 is the 6th fastest performance by a Freshmen in school history for the course.  He was one of the biggest surprises of the meet for the coaching staff.  He also moved into 21st place on the All-Time Individual List.  Senior Leader Rylan Lambert was up next and sprinted home in 10th place overall.  His time of 12:06 moved him into 12th place on the Senior Top 25 list for the course.  Not far behind were Freshmen Kael McCord (12th overall in 12:19), Fritz Bolme (13th overall in 13:08), and Greyson Clearhout (14th overall in 13:08.)  Each man “Cracked” the Freshmen Top 25 List.  Kael (11th), Fritz (14th), and Greyson (15th.)  Great Job Men.

Leading the next wave of Maple Leafs was Sophomore Alex Aleman who had a Monster Race himself.  Alex was timed in 13:14 and is now the 24th fastest Sophomore to ever run the course.  He has improved a TON.  Right beihin Alex were Seniors Jacob Taylor (16th Overall in 13:16) and “Rookie” Tyler Holtzen (17th Overall in 13:25).  Their times moved them into 19th and 22nd on the All-Time Senior Top 25 Lists for the course.  Up next was Junior Calvin Bell who placed 19th Overall in 13:32.  Calvin’s time was almost a minute faster than he ran last year.  Seniors Shane Bagby (20th Overall in 13:33) and Connor Douglas (21st Overall in 13:33).  They moved into 23rd and 24th places on the All-Time Senior Top 25 Lists for the course. 

Not far behind were:  Senior Mason Anderson (25th Overall in 14:18), Sophomore Conner Runty (26th Overall in 14:22), Freshman Rylan Carlson (27th Overall in 14:28), Sophomore Jacob Berry (30th Overall in 14:39), Junior Matthew Darnall (33rd Overall in15:07), Senior Camden Baumgardner (36th Overall in 15:38), and Freshman Patrick Versluis (37th Overall in 15:41.)  Jacob and Camden took off HUGE “Chunks” of time from their previous best time for the course.  Great Job, Men.

Next up will be the Moline Cross Country Season Opener Invitational on Monday, August 26th.  The meet will be held at Hampton’s Empire Park which is located next to the Mississippi River.

RUST BUSTER TOP 25’s

RESULTS

SENIORS READY TO LEAD GENESEO XC TEAM

Pictured are the 2024 Maple Leaf Senior Leaders.
Row 1:  Dylan Gehl, Connor Douglas, Jacob Taylor, Mason Anderson
Row 2: Shane Bagby, Camden Baumgardner, Rylan Lambert, Tyler Holtzen, Christian Haney, & Max Johnson.

2023 BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

(Minus a few guys who couldn’t attend the Geneseo H.S. Photo Day)

DYLAN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Junior Dylan Gehl who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

JUNIOR DYLAN GEHL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Dylan Gehl was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, November 1st through Tuesday, Novermber7th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the State  Meet. The meet was held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  Dylan saved his best race of a tremendously successful season (more on that later) by “Mixing it up with the Big Dogs”.  The end result was Dylan “Roaring” to a 7th Place Finish.  He earned “All-State” Honors in the process (Top 25 Finishers.)  He was timed in 14:48 which tied him for 2nd on the Geneseo High School “Top 25 Lists” for the Detweiller Park Course.  Dylan also established a new GHS Junior Class Record as he broke Dan Chenoweth’s 2006 State Meet time of 15:02.  Dylan tied Rich Werkheiser’s time of 14:48 (State Meet in 1981.)  Dylan became the first Geneseo High School Junior to EVER earn All-State Honors.  No Maple Leaf has ever earned more than one All-State Harrier Medal with Rich Werkheiser (14th Place in 1981), Tim Arnett (12th Place in 1874), Bryan Glass (17th Place in 1990), Andy Snook (11th Place in 1992), and Dan Chenoweth (4th Place in 2006.)  All of those performances were accomplished in their Senior Year.  Dylan got out nicely and rolled through the mile in a quick 4:45 and passing two miles in 9:49 (5:04 second mile.)  Dylan then cranked out a sub five (4:59) to cross the line in 7th Place in a time of 14:48.  His race was Extremely Inspirational and he helped lead the Leafs to a Top 20 Team Finish (18th Place.)

Dylan has been “On Fire” all season long.  He has run as Geneseo’s Number One Man in every race that he was in.  He missed only one race when he was “Held Out” by both Head Coach Todd Ehlert and his Momma when the team headed to Sterling to race in the Rock River Run Invitational.  In every other race except the State Meet Dylan established a New GHS Overall and Junior Class Record.  Only Dan Chenoweth’s time of 14:24 from the 2006 State Meet  eluded him this season.  Dan senior year was elite and saw him place 4th in the State Meet (Large Class…2A…only two classes back then.)  He then qualified for the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego via the Kensha, Wisconsin qualifyer where he kicked down future Olympican and US Record Holder (3,000 Meter Steelple Chase) Evan Jager.  During that spring Dan set the GHS School Records of 8:57 for the 3200 Meter Run and 4:13 for the 1600 Meter Run.  Why am I sharing all of this?  Because Dylan has been breaking Dan’s class records during his career to date and there is nothing wrong with “Dreaming Big”.  

Dylan is an extremely talented young man who backs his God-Given talent with a plethora of both Passion and Purpose.  He always is “Dreaming Big” and backing those dreams up with the commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  Dylan “Rolls into Practice” each and every day with a smile on his face and a eagerness to “Chase his Potential”.  He truly loves to run and the enjoyment that he derives from distance running is a pure joy to watch.  We would like to congratulate him on an amazing season and wish him all the best as he moves towards his junior season in track and field.  After that, it will be time to experience the “Magical Powers” of becoming a Senior.  Dylan and his teammates will be attempting to “Crack” the Top 10 as a team in the 2024 State Cross Country Finals (or higher).  He will also be battling for an individual win.  We also hope that he doesn’t forget to “Enjoy the Journey”.  When it has all come to pass, that ultimately, is omnipotent.  The friendships that he is establishing with his teammates and opponents have the opportunity to become lifelong.  God Bless.

Due to my wife’s recent surgery, I am typing this story on Sunday, November 12th.  I just spoke to Dylan making sure I had my facts right for his “Bell Ringer” Questions (below).  He shared with me that he had traveled to Terre Haute, Indiana to watch the NXN Midwest Regional High School Races.  He traveled with his good friend Dale Johnson (Sterling High School) who recently placed 3rd in the same 2A race that saw Dylan place 7th.  The two of them have become close friends.  Last Friday, they traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to watch the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Meet.  Great Stuff, Men.  Making such lengthy trips may appear to be an inconvenience.  However, I have always found that the opportunity to watch some off the top runners in the country made any inconvenience well worth it.  The added benefits are:  a plethora of inspiration, the opportunity to make new friends, and studying the racing tactics implemented by the “Big Dogs”.

Here is what Dylan had to say about his Athletic History:   11th Grade:  “I ran at our thrice-per-week team practices over the Summer, running some thresholds, hills, and long runs along the way.  I usually spent the rest of the days of the week biking (I had bought a used road bike for this purpose).  Using the conversion factor of three miles biking = one mile running, I was luckily able to stay above thirty miles of activity all weeks of the Summer.  The season was very straightforward, starting the weeks with running some lengthy long runs at the beginning of the season (sixteen miles is unnecessarily long, don’t do that). Throughout the season, I ran four-mile thresholds at around five minutes and thirty seconds, and on speed days I just tried to put forth enough effort that the last rep would feel hard to keep pace. In terms of races I never had a very good race strategy. Pre-season I had a lot of fun at Detwieller at Dark and got to run next to Julian Baker (he had placed third at XC state meet in 2022).  The late-summer meet (Detweiller at Dark) was the ideal confidence booster.  Early in the actual XC season, I ran pretty fast and won a couple of times.  At the First to the Finish Invitational early in September, I achieved my season goal of sub 15:12 by nabbing a 15:04 (15:12 had been my goal because it would put me second on the all-time Junior list).  I had achieved my season goal, and so I was a little lost with what to do next.  I was satisfied, and that was bad.  While I was satisfied, racing became daunting because I wasn’t going to accomplish any more goals on the slow courses but I still wanted to do my part and put down good efforts.  As the season progressed, I decided I needed to go sub-15:01 at state.  That would put me first on the Junior list so I focused on that race for the next couple weeks.  Once I got to State I felt a little lost, but… in the end, it was amazing how much support and love I felt from the community… so many kind people.  During the race, I just pushed.  That is all.  I snuck up right behind Evan Nosek from Maple Park (Kaneland) as I had planned.  He ended up placing 6th right in front of me.  We have a bit of a rivalry. I had hoped to catch him.”;  10th Grade:  “The Metamora Fresh/Soph race was one of the best races because I beat two Oswego East Fresh/Soph guys after going back and forth with them the whole time.  The team made it al the way to the State Finals in XC.  In Track, I qualified for the indoor Top Times Inv.  From there, Top Times gave me the confidence to try my hand at getting a medal at State which I luckily did.  At State, I was focused, and I accomplished my goals which included dropping my personal best in the 3200 Meter Run to a GHS Sophomore School Record of 9:33.  It was really fun to spend time with Max and the “Doctor Haney” at State, especially trying beet “Juice” for the first time.  After State, I decided that no matter what happened, I was happy with what had been accomplished… although I did still want to beat Evan Nosek (who was the only other underclassman who had beat me at State).  P.S. Running over the Winter was a helpful investment.”;  9th Grade:  “I ran the whole season by simply trying to hang onto the upperclassmen.  They made Cross Country FUN.  I’ll have to admit that I went into the season with very few miles under my belt.  For all the athletes out there the transition from middle school to high school sports is a lot of fun.  I was lucky to make the Varsity in XC and we made it all the way to the State Finals.  Eventually, during the Track and Field season I got to the point where I was the top 3200 meter run man on the team.  It felt like a big responsibility but I know it helped me to grow as both an athlete and person.  I was hoping to scare the GHS Freshman 3200 Meter Run Class Record.  Everything changed on a meet day that I was supposed to compete in.  I started feeling poor at school. I almost went to the meet but eventually went home.  Thank God I did.  My parents quickly recognized the warning signs of a appendicitis.  My parents took me to the hospital and we found out that they were right.  I needed emergency surgery where an appendectomy was performed.  Then, after not being able to run a step for a few weeks, I talked Coach Deets into letting me race at the Sectional Meet.  It didn’t go too well but I was glad to end the season racing.  I gave it everything I had.  “;  08 Grade:  “I had a tiny Track and Cross Country season in the face of COVID-19.  I got second at XC Sectionals to Aaron Conderman from Dixon (which is where our rivalry started) but there was no IESA State Meet. I ran two races in middle school Track.  I ran the season opener and Sectionals (I had a injury for the rest of the season).  I ran both of those miles at around 5:30.  I also did the 800 after the 1600 on these days.  I didn’t appreciate the 800 very much and used to complain that I had to do it.”;  7th Grade:  “I chased after Cooper Schaad all season until State, where I managed to beat  him in the end when he said “go ahead”. “;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “Prior to seventh grade I enjoyed Soccer.  I didn’t enjoy Football or Baseball”.

Dylan is the proud son of Maria and Barney Gehl.  Dylan is the proud the “Baby Bro” of Kylee (20) and Tyler (19.)  He is also the proud “Big Bro” to Jacey (14.) 

Here are Dylan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Big Horse NEIGHHHHHHHHH (I think Coach Deets gave me this nickname during my Freshman year of Track when I came back from having appendicitis).”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “XC, Track, Madrigal, Jazz Choir, Pep Band, Robotics Club, Environmental Club, Student Council, Scholastic Bowl, Mathletes“;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Chocolate Ice Cream”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Lord of the Rings”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “The Beatles”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Dan Chenoweth (Geneseo Alum and current 1600 & 3200 Meter Run GHS School Record Holder.)”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Cogito ergo sum ”  (It is a quote from Rene Descartes.  It means I think therefore I am)….It’s talking about the one indisputable truth);  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I joined the Cross Country team because I like to run.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “For anyone new to the sport I would recommend them to make a weekly schedule planning out how many miles they will run each day of the week.  Modify it if necessary, but always be mindful of when you are training too much or too little.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Aidan Bries, Sophomore  Kaden Elmer, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Senior Sam Mosbarger, & Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

“HANGIN’ WITH DA BOYS”

Pictured are “da Leafs”  Max Johnson, Jaxson Sottos, Dylan Gehl, Sam Mosbarger,

Jack Kreiss, Kaden Elmer, & Aidan Bries who ran in the State Meet.

LEAFS PLACE 18TH IN STATE FINALS

On Saturday, November 4th, the Leafs traveled to Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park to compete in the 2023 IHSA State Finals.  The 2A Boys field included the top 7 qualifying teams from each of the four IHSA Sectional Meets held across the state of Illinois last Saturday.  The 2A boys race started at “High Noon” and the weather couldn’t have been any better.  The race time temperature was 55˚ with light 4 mph winds that were not noticeable.  The course was hard and fast.  I have been attending this meet since I was in high school (late 70’s) and I have NEVER seen more people in attendance.  The usual 10,00 fan turn-out was certainly “Smashed”.  ITXCTF’s Michael Newman estimated that there was in excess of 20,00 people in attendance.  WOW!!!  When you mix perfect conditions, a hard and fast course, and are racing in the State Finals you have the perfect recipe for some really fast times.  The boys didn’t disappoint.  On the day (using all three classes for data) 58 runners broke the “Magical” 15:00 barrier.  In addition, 363 bettered 16:00.  Simply amazing stuff. 

The Leafs have been on a roll and were hoping for more of the same.  The number one team goal was to try and finish in the Top 15.  If they accomplished that they would be recognized on a banner in the main gym at the high school.  Head Coach Todd Ehlert extended that challenge by 5.  He wanted to see a Top 10 Team Finish.  The boys were fired up and in peak shape.  There was a large contingent of Geneseo fans in attendance along with the Geneseo High School Boys Cross Country “Hype Squad”.  I was on my bike and I covered a LOT of ground.  I saw members of the “Hype Squad” everywhere I went.  It was awesome to see that type of support for “da Boys”.

On to the race.  The Starter’s Pistol “Cracked” at 12:00 a.m. sharp.  Watching all 28 teams along with all of the individual qualifiers attack the course is a spectacle in sports that is hard to top.  The beautiful fall colors of the trees along with the picturesque setting of Detweiller Park is breathtaking.  Add in the different uniform colors that each school wore and it was pure pagentry.  All in all, there were 236 runners racing in the 2A State Finals.  The top 10 individuals at each of the four sectionals that were not on qualifying teams also joined the fun.

Junior Dylan Gehl has been the Leafs’ Number One Man all season long.  He saved his best race for this day.  Dylan was out in 4:45 at the mile and established himself in “All-State” territory (Top 25 Finishers).  From there he just kept moving UP.  He passed two miles in 9:49 (5:04 2nd mile) and then sprinted across the finish line in 7th Place.  His time was a GHS Junior Record (Tied for 2nd on the All-Time Individual List).  His time was 14:48 (4:59 last mile) that included the dreaded “Detweiller Hill”.  Only veterans of racing at Detweiller Park can understand how that gradual incline comes at a tough time.  Dylan is the first GHS All-Stater since Dan Chenoweth who placed 4th in 2006 2A Race (only two classes back then).  Dylan took 14 seconds off of his Detweiller Park personal best time of 15:04.  The best part is he is only a Junior.  Keep Dreaming Big, Dylan!!!

STATE MEET HARDWARE

Pictured is Dylan’s 7th Place “All-State” Medal 

Senior Sam Mosbarger was the next man up for “da Leafs”.  Sam had set a “Lofty” goal of “Cracking” the Top 25 and Earning All-State Honor.  It was a long shot and he almost pulled it off.  Sam ran an inspiring race that saw him finish in 32nd place.  He destroyed his personal best on the course by 31 Seconds.  WOW!!!  Sam is now 6th Fastest Senior GHS Indivudal EVER on the course.  He also climbed into the 9th Fastest Individual (Any Grade Level).  Are you kidding me???  Sam plays Tennis in the Spring.  He is only a “Part-Time” Runner.  That will change next year when Sam becomes a “Full-Time” Distance Runner in College.  Sam “Roared” through the mile in 4:56.  He then “Hit” the 2 mile mark in 10:06 (5:10 2nd mile.)  He closed in 5:09 and “Broke da Tape” in 15:14.  Congratulations on a spectacular Senior season, Sam.  Your Leadership was Omnipotent.

“Super-Soph” Jaxson Sottos was the next Leaf to cross the finish line in 131st place.  “Jax” was timed in 16:10 and wasn’t smiling.  He had given it everything he had but wanted to run faster.  Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.  Jaxson ran 15:55 at the First to the Finish Invite back in September and is the 7th Fastest GHS Sophomore Individual ever on the course.  Jaxson has enojoyed a “Break-Out” Sophomore campaign.  Jaxson rolled through the first mile in a quick 5:03 and then hit the two mile split in 10:40 (5:37 2nd mile).  He picked it back up and “Threw Down” a 5:30 closing mile to finish the race.  The GHS team is young (6 of the 7 top runners are underclassmen).  Congratulations on a wonderful season, Jaxson.  Keep the “Fire Burning” in your chase of athletic excellence.  Lots of Passion and Purpose back up with the price that excellence DEMANDS!

The next Maple Leaf to cross the finish line was Freshman Jack Kreiss.  He ran an awesome race and was clocked in 16:48.  His time moved him into the number 8 spot on the GHS Detweiller Park Freshman Top 25 Individual List.  Way to Go, Jack.  He placed 186th and improved his Detweiller “PR) by 23 Seconds.  Great Stuff.  Jack passed the first mile in 5:19 and then reached the two mile mark in 11:06 (5:47 2nd mile).  Jack attacked the last mile and accelerated to a 5:32 3rd mile.  Pretty impressive racing for someone so young.  Jack is a very talented athlete who excels in everything he tries.  We are sure glad he is on the XC team.  His future looks so bright that he is “going to need shades”.  🙂  Seriously, I start to get dizzy upon contemplation about how much he can improve by next season.  Congratulations on a “Monster Season”, Jack.  Dream BIG!

Closing the Maple Leafs scoring was Junior Max Johnson.  The “Big Yohanson” sprinted across the finish line in 16:48.  Max placed 194th overall.  He wasn’t smiling because he wanted to run a LOT faster.  No worries, Max.  You gave it everything you had.  Max had run 16:36 at the First to the Finish Inv. back in September at Detweiller and wanted to destroy that time.  Welcome to racing.  Sometimes, no matter how bad you want it, it doesn’t happen.  However, YOU know first hand that sometimes it DOES (Sectional 800 & 4 x 4).  Keep the faith, Max.  Your team has a plethora of talent coming back next fall.  AND…YOU will be the team’s Leader.  Max hit the mile in 5:19 and crossed the two mile mark in 11:14 (5:55 2nd mile).  He fought hard and finished with a 5:39 final mile.   Rest up a bit and then get ready to ATTACK “da Track”.  God Bless.

Next up was Geneseo’s “Walking Wounded”.  “Super-Soph” Kaden Elmer has been racing with a nasty case of Iliotibial band syndrome.  He was also “Bouncing” back after having been fighting some illness for the last couple of weeks.  Kaden sprinted across the finish line in 17:00 which took off 6 seconds from his Detweiller Park “PR”.  He placed 200th overall.  Kaden hit the mile in 5:20 and then passed the two mile mark in 11:17 (5:57 2nd mile).  He fought hard and dropped a 5:47 mile to finish his race.  Congratulations on a tremendous season, Kaden.  Your improvement from last year has been profound.  So has your work ethic.  It is hard to be a team leader as a sophomore.  The only real option is to put your “Nose to the Grindstone” and Lead by Example.  That is exactly what you did day in and day out.  Keep Dreaming Big and “Paying the Price”.  God Bless.

“Super-Soph” Aidan Bries was also running hurt.  Aidan has been battling a nasty case of Osgood-Schlatter’s (painful growing pains) since last Track season.  He wasn’t able to run much over the summer but made a HUGE comeback during th 2nd half of the 2023 Harrier season to lock down a Varsity Top 7 Spot.  He has been a “Difference Maker” on several occasions for the Leafs this season.  Aidan ran a lifetime best at Detweiller Park.  He was timed in 17:06 which was 14 seconds faster than he ran at the First t the Finish Inv. earlier in the season.  He was NOT happy about his race.  He wanted to run a LOT faster.  He finished on “Empty” and we are VERY Proud of his effort.  Aidan hit the mile in 5:20 and passed the two mile mark in 11:16 (5:56 2nd mile).  He then finished with a 5:50 for his 3rd mile.  Congratulations on an amazing 2nd half to your season.  God Bless.

In closing, I have a couple of additional thoughts to share.  First off….A Special “Shout Out” for Head Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert.  He took over the program in 2018 after a phenomonal run of success with the Geneseo Middle School Boys & Girls XC Teams.  The program has improved each year since then.  After a couple of “Near Misses” the GHS Harriers have now gone BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK.  Translation….Qualified for the IHSA State Finals in 2021, 2022, & 2023.  That is a rare feat and with 9 of the top ten runners being underclassmen the future looks incredibly bright.  The team’s state meet places during those three years have been 26th, 23rd, and 18th.  Cracking the Top 15 or higher appears to be in the future.  Great Job, Coach.  Next up was Coach’s decision to add Jeff Brown on to his coaching staff.  Jeff came on board to be his assistant coach this year and it was a brilliant move.  Coach Brown has proven to be a “Critical Piece to the Puzzle” and has proven to be a wonderful addition to the program.  Coach Ehert and Coach Brown have become the “Dynamic Duo”.  We hope he will be with the team for a LONG Time.  The 2023 season had MANY Highlights.  Thanks for having the summer and fall “Come to Life” with excitement.  Among those highlights was bringing the Sectional Meet to Geneseo.  That move gets an A+ Grade.  Lastly, to this year’s Seniors (Tyson Duda, Ausitn Hull, Sam Mosbarger, & Ryley Rowold), GREAT JOB of Leading the team both in practice and at meets.  Each of you made contributions to the team on a daily basis.  All the best as you move on to the next challenges and pursuits.  One thing is certain, each of you possess the omnipotent trait to become extremely successful in life.  Please, Always Stay in Touch.  God Bless each of you.

TEAM MOTTO AND WORDS TO LIVE BY

Pictured are Mr. Korey Lambert & Mr. Barney Gehl holding the “DREAM BIG” Sign.

DETWEILLER PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

KADEN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Kaden Elmer who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

SOPHOMORE KADEN ELMER SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Kaden Emer was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, October 25th through Tuesday, October 31st.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Geneseo IHSA Sectional Cross Country Meet. The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hil Park.  The day was “Epic” due to the fact that Geneseo had NEVER hosted a Sectional Meet previously.  Regional meets have been hosted by Geneseo but never a Sectional meet.  Kaden has been battling a nasty case of Iliotibial Band Syndrome.  He is receiving treatment for it but he is far from 100 percent.  He has also been nailed with a bad head cold.  After discussing how he was feeling with his parents and Head Maple Leaf XC Boys Coach Todd Ehlert, the decision was made to put him back into the lineup (he sat out of last Saturday’s IHSA Galesburg Regional Meet).  Kaden put forth a tremendous effort and ended up running 18:22 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park Course.  He ended up placing 100th and was the Leafs’ 7th man on the day.  His “Splits” for the race were 5:45 – 5:56 – 5:47.  Pretty impressive stuff for a guy who never felt good in the race.  We are very proud of the effort that he put forth and it was impressive to see other teammates “Step Up”.  The end result was the Leafs placed 3rd as a team and qualified for next Saturday’s IHSA State Finals.  The meet is held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.

Kaden is one of the most dedicated runners on the team.  That is a rare feat for someone so young.  Remember, he is ONLY a Sophomore.  He was a “Regular” at the summer training runs and has enjoyed a tremendous Sophomore Harrier Season to date.  He has run in the Maple Leafs’ Top 7″ each and every meet this season.   Except, of course, for last Saturday when he wasn’t able to race and at the Western Big 6 Conference Meet when he raced with the ITB injury.  BTW . . . the coaching staff had no clue he was injured until we saw him limping in the race…too late to hold him out then.  He is a tough kid who has demonstrated high levels of both passion and purpose on a daily basis.  Kaden has run as the team’s 5th man in 6 meets this season and has also run as the Leafs’ 4th man on two occasions.  Kaden is a valuable man to the Leafs and we will all be crossing our fingers that he will be feeling a LOT better for the IHSA State Final. 

It has been a lot of fun watching Kaden’s journey as a distance runner over the last three years.  I first met him when he was in middle school and he and fellow sophomore Jaxson Sottos asked if they could run with the high school boys occasionally.  I was immediately impressed with both of them.  Then, once they entered high school they really took off.  I also appreciated the help that Kaden and his father provided during the “Pobanz Tree Cutting Project”.  I definitely “bit off” more than “I could chew” on that one.  I desperately needed help and they both stepped in (along with others).  Kaden is much more that a talented distance runner.  He is also a tremendous young man.  He is loaded with the “It Factor”.  Whatever that is, he has a LOT of IT.  It has also been a pleasure to observe that Kaden hasn’t changed at all even though he has become an “Elite” runner.  That isn’t always the case.  He has multiple role models on the current GHS team that also fall into that “humble” category.  This team is just amazing in so many ways.  I wish Kaden and “da Boys” all the best in the IHSA State Finals.  Hopefully, they will be “Dancing at Detweiller” following the race.  God Bless!

Here is what Kaden had to say about his Athletic History:   10th Grade:  “Just XC so far.  16:40 is both my season and lifetime best.  17:06 at Detweiller at the 1st to the Finish Inv.  Toward the latter part of the season, I realized that my hip was bugging me.  I was diagnosed with Iliotibial Band Syndrome for which I am receiving treatment..  It has been extremely bothersome.  At Sectionals at Richmond Hill Park, I ran 18:22.  I was also sick at the time and still had the ITB issue.  It was not a pretty day for me but I gave it my all.”;  9th Grade:  “I did both XC and Track and Field.  In Cross Country I enjoyed a strong season that saw me earn a Varsity letter and get to “Toe the Line” at the IHSA State Meet.  I climbed all the way up to 8th and and was substituted in for Sam when he got hurt and couldn’t run the Sate Meet.  In Track I mostly ran the 800 meter run.  Most of the season I ran 2:17 but I was able to drop a 2:11 at the Conference Meet.  I also ran the 1600 Meter Run and 3200 Meter run a couple of times with 4:57 and 10:57 personal bests.”;  08 Grade:  “I participated in both Cross Country and Track and Field.  In Cross Country I placed 10th at the Sectional Meet and qualified for the State Meet along with Jack Mickley.  I ran a 12:10 at the State Meet and was very proud of my effort.  For Track season, I started out in both the hurdles and long jump.  I eventually transitioned to the mile where I dropped my time down to 5:09 by the end of the season at the Sectional Meet.  The State Qualifying Standard was 5:02 which I barely missed.  It “fired me up” to try and improve for next year.”;  7th Grade:  “I participated in both Cross Country and Track and Field.  I placed 8th in the Sectional Meet in Cross Country to qualify for the State Finals.  However, they did have the State Meet that year due to COVID-19.  Dang.  In Track, I competed in the hurdles, the 1600 Meter Run, the 400 Meter Relay, and the Long Jump.  I competed in the all of those events except the Long Jump at the Sectional Meet.  I did not qualify for the State Meet.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Baseball for three years but wasn’t very good at it.  My position was Second Base.  I also played Soccer for two years.  This was more for fun but when I found out that I was good at running I ended up joining the Cross Country team.”

“Kaden is the proud son of Kari and Josh Elmer.  Kaden is the proud the “Baby Bro” of Anthony (24), Hope (22), and Gabrielle (18.)  Kaden is also the proud “Big Bro” of Reese (12 in 7th grade) and Hallie (10 in 5th grade.)

Here are Kaden’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “I never really had one but Elmberg or Elmber were typo’s by Coach Freddy and maybe qualify.”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track & Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Homemade Italian Beef”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “3:10 to Yuma (An old western my dad shared with me)”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Heavy Rock, Guns N Roses or Cats and Dragons.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Tim Tebow…(former NCAA Championship Quarterback for the University of Florida)….he was homeschooled and raised in a Christian Family.  He believes uniqueness is a gift from God.”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fall above everyone else’s success” – James Cameron;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I had always been a bit better at the Pacer Test in PE or in the School Mile Fitness Test so I was on the fence about joining Cross Country.  I liked the running back and forth of Soccer and occasionally competed in some road races but I think it was Eric States who invited me to join Cross Country in middle school.  Before I knew it, there I was standing outside the GHS Middle School with a bunch of other guys running two miles.  I’ve been doing it ever since.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Cross Country in my opinion, is the hardest sport.  Not that I’ve participated in many but I’ll just say that it is.  It takes a lot of dedication and hard work.  You can mess around in practice which can sometimes be fun but you shouldn’t expect to get better if you do so.  The bond you can form with other teammates is super special and one of my favorite things about Cross Country.  Some of the workouts are really hard but the feeling of getting a new personal record (PR) is completely worth it.  I would highly recommend Cross Country to anyone who has any running abilities or is on the fence about it.  I don’t know where I heard this but quote THE FASTER YOU RUN THE FASTER YOU’RE DONE.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Aidan Bries, Junior Dylan Gehl, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Senior Sam Mosbarger, & Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

“READY TO ROLL”

Pictured are the Geneseo Maple Leafs on the far end of the starting line seconds before “da gun”

LEAFS PLACE 3RD IN IHSA SECTIONAL MEET

On Saturday, October 28th, the Leafs participated in one of the four IHSA Sectiona 2A Cross Country Meets in the State of Illinois.  For the first time in history, Geneseo HOSTED the meet.  The Leafs have hosted IHSA Regional Meets over the years but have NEVER hosted a IHSA Sectional Meet.  The field included teams from:  Chicago (Chicago Agricultural & Science), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chillichothe (Illinois Valley Central), Dunlap, Geneseo, Lemont, Macomb, Mantino, Metamora, Morris, Morton, New Lenox (Providence Catholic), Oak Forest, Pontiac, Rock Falls, Sterling, Tinley Park, & Washington (These are the boys teams that qualified).  In addition, there were 15 boys (5 from each Regional Meet) that also qualified for the meet.  Thus, there were 141 competing athletes in both the girls and boys races.  The top 7 teams and top 10 individuals not on qualifying teams would qualify for next Saturday’s IHSA State Meet in Peoria.  The weatherman threw a LOT of rain during the days the preceded the meet.  The end results was a course that was wet and muddy.  The race time temperature was 43˚ (windchill of 37˚) and a NNE wind of 9 mph.

Heading into the meet the Leafs found themselves sitting 4th in the team rankings by Michael Newman’s ILXCTF.  Morton was projected to win the meet with Washington second and Sterling Third.  He had the Maple Leafs ranked as the 4th team.  Remember, the Top 7 teams advance (from each of the 2A and 3A Sectional Meets).  The Leafs have qualified for the IHSA State Finals the last two years (2021 & 2022) and were trying to accomplish the feat for the third year in a row.  Hosting the meet certainly didn’t hurt.  Racing on your home course is always a plus.  Head coaches Todd Ehlert (GHS Boys) and Aaron Skopek (GHS Girls) along with a LOT of help had the course ready to host in style.  The course has never been raked better and looked simply amazing.  The IHSA is sure to receive nothing but compliments in regards to how well the meet was run.  Shazam’s Finishline Crew also deserves an A+.  Geneseo Athletic Director Joe Nichols gave a thumbs up when Coach Ehlert asked to have timing mats at both the mile and two mile marks so coaches didn’t have to worry about getting the “splits” during the races.  GREAT decision!  Onto the race.

The Geneseo 2A Sectional Boy’s Race took off at “High Noon”.  The team’s starting box, which was randomly drawn, ended up being Box 21 (on the far left).  The course was packed with hundreds of spectators and the place was “Buzzing” with excitement.

Junior Standout Dylan Gehl led the way for the Maple Leafs as continued his impressive season.  Dylan “got out” nicely and was running around 10th at the half mile.  By the time he reached the mile, he had moved all the way to 2nd place.  He passed the mile in 5:13.  He rolled past the two mile mark in 10:29 (5:16 2nd mile) and sprinted home in 15:34 (5:04 3rd mile).  Dylan smashed his own School Record for the Course (15:56) by 22 seconds.  He also beat several athletes who have already earned “All-State” Honors in previous years.  He is heading into the State Finals with a LOT of momentum.  Geneseo hasn’t had an athlete earn “Hardware” at the State meet since Dan Chenoweth in 2006.  All the Best, Dylan.  DREAM BIG!

Senior Leader Sam Mosbarger was the next Maple Leaf to “Break da Tape” as he sprinted home in 8th place to join Dylan on the All-Sectional Team (Top 10 Finishers).  Sam was timed in a New GHS Senior Record of 16:06.  Sam always races intelligently.  He ran with teammate Jaxson Sottos and they were around 30th at the half mile.  By the mile (5:26), he had moved up to 17th.  He just kept rolling.  He reached the two mile mark in 10:51 (5:25 2nd mile) and had moved up to 13th place.  From there he just kept passing people and ended up in 8th place with a time of 16:06 (5:12 3rd mile).  Sam is now 2nd to only Dylan on the GHS All-Time Individual List.  Great Job, Sam.  Get ready to FLY on Detweiller’s “Pancake-Flat” course.

“Super-Soph” Jaxson Sottos sprinted home next for the Maple Leafs.  Jaxson ended up placing 28th overall in a time of 16:40 which broke his own Sophomore GHS Record for the course.  It also moved him into the #3 spot on the GHS All-Time Individual List.  Jaxson ran with Senior Sam Mosbarger for most of the first mile.  Jaxson rolled past the mile in 24th place (5:28).  He then fought through a “Bad Patch” as he hit the two mile mark in 11:10 (5:41 2nd mile) and was in 29th place.  He kicked hard and held off a large pack of runners as he crossed the finish line in 16:40 (5:30 3rd Mile).  Jaxson will be joining his teammates in the IHSA State Meet Finals next Saturday.  Keep those “Big Dreams” of yours alive.  IT’S GO TIME!

Next up was the biggest surprise of the meet for the Maple Leafs.  Sophomore Aidan Bries picked a GREAT time to run the “Race of His Life”.  Aidan crossed the finish line as the Leafs’ FOURTH MAN.  He was timed in 17:13 moved him into the #4 Sophomore for a GHS Runner on the Richmond Hill Course.  Aidan always runs a smart race and he cruised through the first mile in 69th place (5:46 1st Mile).  He then he just started passing runners.  He “Hit” the two mile split in 11:38 (5:52 2nd Mile) and had moved up to 60th place.  Shortly after the two mile mark, he passed teammate Max Johnson and they “Attacked” the last mile together.  Aidan moved all the way up 52nd place as the Threw-Down a 5:34 last mile.  GREAT RACING, AIDAN!

Junior Max Johnson closed the GHS scoring as he sprinted across the finish line in 54th Place.  He was timed in 17:15 which moved him into 3rd Place on the GHS Junior Rankings for the Richmond Hill Course.  Max ran a really smart race himself.  Max passed the mile mark in 5:44 and was “Sitting” in 66th Place.  He rolled past the two mile mark in 11:37 (5:53 2nd Mile) and had moved up to 59th place.  THEN, he reacted to Aidan moving alongside him and they really got rolling.  Max sprinted home in 17:15 (5:45 3rd Mile) and it appeared certain that the Maple Leafs were headed back to the State Meet.  “Da Big Yohanson” races with a LOT of “Passion and Purpose”.  Look for more of the same next Saturday in the STATE FINALS.

Freshman Jack Kreiss was the next Maple Leaf to sprint across the finish line.  In the process, he placed 65th overall and was timed in a new GHS Freshman School Record for the Richmond Hill Park Course in a time of 17:29 as he SMASHED the old record.  Jack ran most of the race with GHS Junior Max Johnson.  Jack “Got Out” nicely and was “Sitting” in 67th place at the mile (5:45).  He then moved up to 64th at the two mile which he passed in 11:41 (5:56 2nd Mile).  He tried to go with Aidan and Max in the final mile and ended up running a tremendous race that saw him finish in 65th place.  His final mile was 5:47.   The Maple Leafs have a VERY Strong Team.  Kudos to Jack for “Cracking” the GHS Top 7 early in the season and NEVER letting go.

Last but not least for the Maple Leafs was Sophomore Standout Kaden Elmer.  Kaden hasn’t been feeling too great for a bit and struggled during the race.  He fought every step and gave the team all that he could.  He ended up placing 100th overall and was timed in 18:22.  Kaden already raced to a #9 All-Time GHS Sophomore Ranking on the Richmond Hill Park Course.  He has raced as one of the Leafs’ Top 5 Runners for most of the season.  We will be “Crossing our Fingers” that he will be close to 100 percent by next Saturday.  Kaden’s miles splits were 5:45 (1st Mile), 5:56 (2nd Mile), and 5:47 (3rd Mile).  Next Saturday will be Kaden’s 2nd Trip to the IHSA State XC Finals.  (Yeah…..He’s 2 for 2.)  All the best, Kaden.

When the “Dust had Settled”, the Leafs found themselves placing 3rd as a team.  Morton won the Sectional Meet scoring 70 points.  Washington placed 2nd with 100 points.  Geneseo was close behind scoring 129 to grab 3rd place.  Sterling (4th…..153 Points), Dunlap (5th…..174 Points), Morris (6th…..183 Points), and Oak Forest (7th…..193 Points) all of whom “Punched Their Tickets” to qualify for next Saturday’s IHSA State Meet. 

A special “Shout Out” to the Geneseo “Hype Sqad” along with a ton of alums who also attended the meet.  They were “Everywhere” on the course to cheer on “da Boys”.  We know from personal experiences that every time a team member was “Cheered On” it helped motivate them a little.  A LOT of “littles” ended up being a Huge Factor in the outcome of the meet.  It was truly an Epic Day.  Well done, “Hype Squad” and Alums.  The team will be hoping for more of the same next Saturday when the Leafs will be racing at “Historic” Detweiller Park in the IHSA STATE FINALS..

Head Maple Leaf Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert’s move from Head Middle School Coach to the High School has proved to be a HUGE SUCCESS.  Coach Ehlert took over the program in 2018 and the team has improved each and every year.  Qualifying today made it BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK trips to the IHSA State Finals.  Only COVID-19’s no IHSA State Meet being held in 2020 stopped the team from qulifying that year.  They did run in the non-official “Shazam Championship” season ending meet that year.  Great Job, Coach.  All the best to you and the team next Saturday at the State Meet.  Fredericks-1 and Fredericks-2 will be with you in spirit.  It will be great to have “Coach Browner” back with “da Boys” also.  Please tell my EIU Teammates Hello.  Take Care and God Bless.

RICHMOND HILL TOP 25 LISTS

RESULTS

MAX “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Junior Max Johnson who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

JUNIOR MAX JOHNSON SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Max Johnson was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, October 18th through Tuesday, October 24th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Galesburg IHSA Regional Cross Country Meet. The meet was held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Max was the 4th man for the Maple Leafs and helped the team qualify for next week’s IHSA Sectional Meet.  Max was timed in 17:39 and placed 19th overall in the race.  The Leafs placed second as a team to Sterling.  It was a VERY windy day and the times were significantly slowed by the wind.  Earlier this season, Max “ROARED” to a time of 16:45 during the Galesburg Siver Streak XC Invite.  That meet was held on Saturday, September 2nd.  That time made Max the 6th Fastest Junior EVER on the current Lake Storey Course.  He also is “Sitting” at #8 on the All-Time Individual List and #10 on the All-Time Performance List.  Great Stuff, Max.

Max is enjoying a tremendous junior harrier season that has seen him rising to that of an elite athlete.  He has helped lead the Maple Leafs all season long.  He has placed in Geneseo’s “Top 7” in every single race that the team has competed in this season.  In fact, he has run in the Leafs’ “Top 5” in all but one race this season.  The “Big Yohanson” has been a Huge factor in the team’s success all season long.  Along the way, he has been adding his name to almost every Top 25 Course List that we have as well as helping the team achieve high levels of success.  Included in the highlights of this season for him are a Team Western Big Six Conference Championship as well as 2nd Team All-Conference Honors.  Max brings a healthy dose of both Passion and Purpose to practice on a daily basis.  He also bring an “Infectious” smile that literally “Lights up a Room”.  He is also a compassionate teammate who posseses a “Team First” philosophy.  It is hard for me to believe that he is already junior.  Time flies.  After a “Monster”, “Breakout” Track season that saw him drop a 2:01 800 meter run and qualify for the IHSA State Meet, he put in another great summer of base work.  He carried that right into the Cross Country season.  Keep you eyes on this one.  He has the “IT FACTOR”.  He has A LOT of IT.  All the best with the remainder of the harrier season and beyond.  Hopefully, another trip to Detweiller is “In the Cards”.  After that….the school record in the 800 is on alert.  Stay hungry and keep paying the price that excellence demands.  It is a true honor to serve as one of your coaches.     

Here is what Max had to say about his Athletic History:  11th Grade:  “I still don’t have a lot to say about this year yet. My most proud moments so far from this Cross Country season have been running 16:36 at Detweiler and 16:45 at Galesburg.  I’m excited to have the opportunity to run at Sectionals (and hopefully State) with this team this year.  My goal for the upcoming Track season is to go under two minutes in the 800.  It has honestly been my number one goal so far in high school and I think that I’m finally capable of achieving it.  I am hoping to really take advantage of this winter and come out as a better runner.”;  10th Grade:  “I started realizing the importance of year-round training.  I started the season going out hard at the Rust Buster (2 miles) for fourth place OVERALL in the race, time of 11:22.  “My highlights for the season were:  First to the Finish, Detweiler Park: (17:45) “Hoover Park, 17:05 (Season PR) Varsity top 10 at Freeport, 17:55. Running was slower due to homecoming week.  Metamora, 16:59. I was very excited to slip under 17 minutes for the first time.  We won WB6 conference and my time was 17:24.  Sectionals at Metamora 16:36.  10th Grade was my first State meet for Cross Country and I finished as Geneseo’s 3rd runner, timed in at 17:35. The course was muddy and slow. In fact, I’ve never seen a course as muddy as it was that year.  Track was a massive breakthrough for me.  Instead of running throughout the winter I decided to spend it working out every day in the weight room. I must have put on about 20 pounds and it transformed me from an average runner to a state qualifier. My most proud accomplishments from this Track season were running 2:01 in the 800 and splitting a :52 in the 4×400. I went to State for both events. I still believe that qualifying for State in Track is the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It felt like I was running at the Olympics.”;  9th Grade:  “In my freshman year, I ran Cross Country and earned my Varsity Letter, and ended up with a season-best time of 19:38, which I ran in the final meet of my season at the JV State meet. I was battling an injury and almost didn’t race. I sure am glad that I did. In the Spring, I joined the Track and Field team where I ran both the 400-meter dash (59.12 season best) and 800-meter run (2:17.26 season best) both in open races and in relays. I also earned my Varsity Letter.”;   08 Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and made the Top 7 and raced at Sectionals. It was my greatest accomplishment at the time. In the spring, I ran Track and Field for the first time and raced anywhere from 100 Meters up to the 400 Meters. I believed that I was forever going to be a sprinter. Freddy proved me wrong on that one.”;  07 Grade:  “In Cross Country, I ran in the Top 7 and raced at Sectionals. Ill never forget getting my first pair of spikes that my parents promised I’d get if I made top 7. We did not have a Track season this year because of COVID.  I remember it being very disappointed.”;  Prior to 7th Grade: “I played Baseball from Kindergarten through Third Grade. I played every position.  My favorite was Shortstop.  I love Baseball and am a huge Chicago Cubs Fan.  I also played Soccer both in Kindergarten and First Grade. It wasn’t my favorite.  I vaguely remember playing Soccer with Sam (Mosbarger) at one point, not knowing we would end up on the same Cross Country team many years later.  Coach Freddy asked me about positions…I don’t have a clue.  I remember having a lot of energy and was all over the field.”

“Max is the proud son of Stephanie and Bob Johnson.  Max is the proud the “Big Bro” Micah who is currently a Freshman at Geneseo High School.

Here are Max’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “The Big Yohanson”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track & Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Spaghetti”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  Forrest Gump”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rock mainly, although I like just about anything.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Nick Symmonds”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “What does Domming time mean” -Dom Cantarini;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I wasn’t interested in playing other sports at the school and I happened to know people joining the Cross Country team.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Do not sit around in the off-season. It’s not worth it to let all your potential go to waste.  Speaking from personal experience, you will regret it later and by then it will be too late.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Aidan Bries, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Junior Dylan Gehl, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Senior Sam Mosbarger, & Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

GALESBURG REGIONAL TOP 5 FINISHERS

Pictured are L-R  1.)  Dale Johnson (Sterling), 2.)  Dylan Gehl (Geneseo), 3.)  Sam Mosbarger (Geneseo),
4.)  Dom Cantarini (Galesburg), 5.)  Brecken Fahrenkrug (IVC).

LEAFS 2ND AT GALESBURG REGIONAL TO ADVANCE

On Saturday, October 21st, the Leafs traveled to Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park to participate in the the “First Round” of the IHSA State Series.  To qualify for the IHSA State Meet a team needs to finish in the Top 7 Teams at one of the four Sectional Meets.  Before that can occur a team needs to qualify for the Sectional Meet by finishing in the Top 6 at one of the three Regional Meets that “Feed Into” each Regional Meet.  The teams that were assigned to the Galesburg Regional were Bartonville (Limestone), Canton, Chillicothe (IVC), Dunlap, Galesburg, Geneseo, Macomb, Peoria HS, Peoria (RIchwoods), Rock Falls, and Sterling.  The weatherman provided racing conditions that were a bit on the challenging side.  The race time temperature was 61˚ with Northwest winds blowing at 17 mph.  Yeah, it was windy. 

The boys race followed the girls race.  The boys took off at 10:45 a.m.  Surprisingly, three of eleven teams assigned to this Regional didn’t field full teams (at least 5 runners).  In the field where Dunlap (always tough) and the Sterling Golden Warriors who the Leafs beat last week in the Western Big 6 Conference Meet by a mere 5 points.  The number one goal for the team was to advance to next week’s IHSA Geneseo Sectional Meet.  The Maple Leafs have NEVER hosted a Sectional Meet.  More on that later. 

The race ended up playing out more like a dual meet with Sterling.  The Golden Warriors ended up winning the meet scoring 43 points to the Leafs’ 55.  Dunlap was a distant 3rd with 80 points.  Next up will be a “re-match” in the Geneseo IHSA Sectional Meet which will be held on Saturday, October 28th at Richmond Hill Park. 

Leading the way for the Maple Leafs was Junior standout Dylan Gehl.  Dylan ended up placing second overall and ran the second fastest time for a Geneseo Runner EVER on the revised Lake Storey Park Course.  Dylan was “Clocked” in 15:59.  Earlier this season he set the GHS School Record for the course at the Galesburg Silver Streak XC Invite held on Saturday, September 2nd where he ran 15:37.  He looked great the whole way and appears ready to help lead the Leafs when they try to qualify for a trip back to “Detwiller” and the IHSA State Finals.  Dylan has some set some “lofty” Individual and Team Goals for both himself and the team.  All the Best, Dylan.  “Carpe Diem”.

Senior Leader Sam Mosbarger continued his strong season.  Sam joined Dylan by earning an “All Regional” Top 5 Finisher Medal.  Sam was chasing Galesburg’s standout Dom Cantarini the entire race and kicked him down in the final steps of the race.  Sam broke his own Senior Class Record for the Lake Storey Course with his 16:11,  His time took 18 seconds off his previous best on the course.  He is the second fastest GHS runner EVER on the course.  Sam helps to give the Leafs a potent 1-2 scoring attack.   He will be aiming at more of the same next weekend when he races on his home course.  Sam has provided the team with STRONG Senior Leadership All Season Long.  “Prime Time” has arrived.  GO GET ‘EM!

Next up for the Maple Leafs was Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.  Jaxson ran a gutsy race and placed 9th overall.  He “Stopped da Clock” at 16:57  He already owns the GHS Sophomore School Record for the Lake Storey Course.  He won the Silver Streak XC Invite back on September 2nd when he “ROARED” to a time of 16:38.  It was VERY Windy during today’s race but he still was able to run 16:57 in the race.  Jaxson has really been “On a Roll” as he continued his strong Sophomore Harrier Campaign.  Next Saturday is going to be a LOT of fun when the Maple Leafs play host to one of the four Class 2A IHSA Sectional Meets.  “Sharpen” your spikes and get ready to FLY.  Keep “Dreaming Big, Jaxson.  All the Best.  Ready, Set, GO!!!

“Da Big Yohanson” (Max Johnson) sprinted home next for the Maple Leafs.  Max placed 19th and was timed in 17:39.  He has run in the Leafs “Top 5” all season long (#4 Man a LOT.)  Earlier this season, Max ran the 6th Fastest Junior time (16:45) at the Silver Streak XC Invite back in the beginning of September (also the #8 GHS Individual EVER on the Course).  Great Stuff, Max.  Maple Leaf fans are already salivating waiting to watch you and “da boys” race on your home course in the IHSA Geneseo Sectional Meet.  Hopefully, all of those challenging workouts that you and your teammates have run will pay HUGE dividends as they “Come to Fruition.”  The fact that 6 of the Leafs Top 7 are all “Underclassmen” makes all the sweeter.  IT’S GO TIME!

Sophomore Aidan Bries sprinted across the finish line as the Maple Leafs 5th Man!  He placed 24th overall and was timed in a lifetime best of 17:53 for the challenging Lake Storey Course.  Aidan “Chopped” 27 seconds off of his previous best time set earlier in the season at the Silver Streak XC Invite.  His time moved him up to the 11th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the course.  Great Stuff, Aidan.  Aidan has battled a “Nasty” case of Osgood-Schlatter’s and has continued to drop his times as the season progresses.  His improvement gives the Leaf critical depth which is omnipotent.  All the best next Saturday when you “Toe da Line” in the IHSA Geneseo Sectional Meet.  “Detweiller Fever”……CATCH IT! 

Freshman Jack Kreiss was the next Maple Leaf to cross the finish line.  Jack placed 25th overall and improved his personal best on the course via his 17:56.  He is “Sitting” as the 3rd Fastest GHS Freshman for the Lake Storey Course in school history.  Jack has “Thrown Down” an impressive Freshman Harrier Season.  His effort last week at the WIB-6 Conference Meet helped the Leafs defeat a strong Sterling team effort.  All the best next Saturday when the Leafs “Play Host” to one of the four Class 2A Sectional Meets.  Geneseo has never hosted a Sectional Meet before.  The number one team goal will be to “Grab” on of the Top 7 finishes and qualify for the IHSA STATE FINALS.  Keep listening to Coach Ehlert and get ready to FLY!

The final Maple Leaf across the finish line was Sophomore Graysen Caralson.  Graysen has never been a distance runner before this season and what he has accomplished is “Jaw-Dropping”.  Grayson improved his “Silver Streak” Invitational time on September 2nd to 18:03.  He is now the 12th Fastest GHS Sophomore EVER on the Lake Storey Course.  He placed 26th overall in the race and beat every other team’s #6 man.  Graysen has an unavoidable conflict next Saturday.  Not worries, Graysen.  We have known about this conflict all season long.  Your emergence as an Elite Runner has been a true inspiration to watch.  We are VERY glad that you decided to become a member of this team.  Keep helping the team in some way every day.

Lastly, a special “Shout Out” to those team members who didn’t race but still showed up to ride the bus to the meet.  Then, they transitioned into the Geneseo High School Cross Country Team “Hype Squad”.  They were EVERYWHERE on the course during both the Girls Race and the Boys Race.  Every time they interacted with GHS runners, they provided them a little extra dose of inspiration.  The team will need more of the same from you next Saturday when Geneseo hosts one of the four 2A IHSA Sectional Meets.  Try and grab some additional teammates.  There is a LOT of strength in numbers!!!.

LAKE STOREY TOP 25’s

RESULTS

TYSON “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Senior Tyson Duda who was
 selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

SENIOR TYSON DUDA SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Senior Tyson Duda was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, October 11th through Tuesday, October 17th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Western Big 6 Conference Cross Country Meet and the Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  We already selected a Bell Ringer for the Conference Meet (actually two….a tie between Freshman Jack Kreiss and Sophomore Aidan Bries).  We decided to also select a team member following the Sterling 09/JV Invitational held on Tuesday, October 17th.  Senior Tyson Duda was the recipient of that selection process.  The meet was held at Sterling’s Hoover Park.  In an ideal situation, we would love to see each athlete on the team run the best race of their life in their final race opportunity.  That is EXACTLY what Tyson did.  The Senior “Threw Down” a tremendous race effort that saw him run 20:38 and place 11th overall in the race.  His time tied his lifetime best for Cross Country but that is a bit deceptive.  He also ran 20:38 at Metamora’s Running Red Cross Country Invitational.  That meet was held at Metamora’s Black Partridge Park.  The course is well short of 3 miles so that means that his race in Sterling was by far the best race of his life.  Another fact that makes his performance even more special is the fact that Tyson is one of the team’s four Senior Leaders.  The best way to lead is via example.  That is precisely what he did. 

Tyson has really embraced the role of “Senior Leader”  this season.  Tyson, along with his fellow Seniors (Austin Hull, Sam Mosbarger,  & Ryley Rowold) have really taken the role to heart.  Collectively, they have provided the team with tremendous leadership all season long.  He will now transition into one of the Maple Leafs’ “HYPE SQUAD”.  Their goal will be to provide as much support for the Varsity Top 7 as possible during the IHSA “Post-Season”.  The road to Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park and the State Finals start this coming Saturday (October 21st) at the Galesburg IHSA Regional Meet.  The Top 6 finishing teams will qualify for the IHSA Sectional Meet the following week.  If the team qualifies, they will then be in action on their home course.  That’s right, the Leafs will be hosting the IHSA Sectional Meet (for the first time in school history).  If the team places in the Top 7 at the Sectional Meet, they will then qualify for the IHSA STATE FINALS.  That meet will be held on Saturday, November 4th.  The “Hype Squad” will has the potential to have a “Profound” influence on the Top 7’s performances.  The coaching staff feels confident that Tyson and “da Boys” will get the job done.  Also, a special Thank You to Tyson and his parents for hosting several “Team-Bonding” events.

Here is what Tyson had to say about his Athletic History:  12th Grade:  “This year so far all I’ve done is Cross Country, where I think I’ve done a decent job improving. I’ve learned a lot from it and it’s been a super fun time. I’ll be doing Tennis, Bowling,
and Ping-Pong Club as well when those come up in the future. My team also came 2nd in the cross country volleyball tournament, though a rematch is currently being planned due to our team & #39;s disappointing finish.”;  11th Grade:  “This grade was the start of me actually liking sports (though I’m still waiting to get good at them). Cross Country was the start of it, where I think I did alright for having a hurt leg the whole season. Cross Country this year improved me as a person a lot more than it did my running skills, and I’ve become much more confident and outgoing because of it. I was also on the Bowling team, where I bowled a turkey one time which was pretty cool. I don’t care that much about bowling but it’s something fun to do. Wii sports bowling is better though. I played doubles in Tennis and was really bad but it was a great time since there were a lot of people equally as bad. This was the start of Sam and my ’legendary ping-pong career. We were decent during Ping-Pong Club, but we’re coming back much stronger this year.”;  10th Grade:  “This year I only did Bowling. I think I was alright, but I don’t really remember much from it. I went to Tennis for one practice and quit because I was scared, but I think I’m completely the opposite now though. Now I’m pretty much willing to try any activities and I’m not at all worried about what other people think.”;  9th Grade:  “I didn’t do any sports in 9th grade either. I think it was partly because of Covid but also just because I was weirdly self conscious around this time, like in 10th grade. Again, I’ve completely switched my mindset on this.”;   08 Grade:  “I did Cross Country in 8th grade, and though I don’t remember many of my times or anything, I know I had a great time and made lots of memories. It was really fun. I remember thinking that 4 miles seemed insane at the time.”;  07 Grade:  “I did Cross Country this year too, I don’t remember why I signed up because I hated running but I’m glad I did. It was a really fun season. I also did Track, where though I really liked Long Jump, I was a bit of a goober and was really annoying. I’ve taken my 7th grade Track season and used it as motivation to be a better person.”;  Prior to 7th Grade: “I did pretty much every sport in some form of little league. I always hated sports as a kid. It’s really unfortunate because I’ve started to really like them, but since I never tried or cared in the past I have basically no skills from them. I scored one basket in Basketball ever, so that was pretty cool. I also scored in our own goal in Soccer once. I guess even if I’m bad now I’m as bad as I used to be, right?”

“Tyson is the proud son of Kathy and Mike Duda.  Tyson is the proud the “Baby Bro” “Big Bro” to Kobe  (20) who is currently a Sophomore in college.

Here are Tyson’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “TJ”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “I’m in Ping-Pong Club, Cross Country, Tennis, Bowling, Dance Marathon, and the Esports team.”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Probably cookie dough, but if candy isn’t allowed then french fries.”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Christmas music, Bruno Mars, and any MarioKart soundtrack.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “The Dude Perfect Team”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ““Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah. Imma do my own thing.” -Miles Morales;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I don’t remember how I decided to join the team in 7th grade, probably just because my friends were doing it. But as my junior year was starting, I had started to run a mile every few days to try to get in better shape. Coach Ehlert had asked me if I was gonna do Cross Country that year, and I said maybe, but I really didn’t think I was gonna do it. Eventually, the season started, and I was still doing my occasional mile run. I had kinda wished I joined, but it was too late by that point. Eventually, after one of the meets I got a text from Sam and Buddy telling me that I should join. I was really surprised because I thought it would be way too late to join, but they said it would be fine. I showed up to practice the next day and everyone was super chill with me joining, and I think that was one of the best choices I’ve ever made.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Cross Country is pretty funny, because sometimes you’ll hate that you’re running, sometimes you’ll love that you’re running, but in the end you’ll always have a great time doing it. Don’t be afraid of what other people think of you, just have fun, say yes to fun opportunities, goof around with the team. It’s hard not to have a great time. And if you’re like me, it might even change your life.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Junior Connor Douglas, Senior Austin Hull, Freshman Micah Johnson, Junior Rylan Lambert, Senior Ryley Rowold, Freshman Connor Runty, Sophomore Rafa Uguina. 

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

“BANG”

The Freshman runners reacting to the Starter’s Pistol

MICAH, CONNOR, ALEX, AND JACOB ROLL

On Tuesday, October 17th, the Leafs traveled to Sterling’s Hoover Park to participate in the annual Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  The meet included teams from:  Dixon, Geneseo, LaSalle-Peru, Princeton, Rock Falls, Rochelle, & Sterling.  We love the meet’s format that allows for one final race for each team’s runners who are NOT in the Top 7 (who will race in the IHSA Regional Meets on Saturday, October 21st). 

The first race was the COED Freshman Race.  The race started at 4:30 p.m. and the Leafs lined up 4 men.

Freshman Micah Johnson (“Da Little YoHannson”) led the charge for the Leafs.  He hung onto the lead pack for as long as he could and ended up placing 4th in a time of 19:44.  Sterling awarded medals to the Top 5 finishers so Micah was proudly wearing one after the race.  Great Season, Micah.  It is going to be a lot of fun to see how much you will improve by next fall.  For now…..It’s time to become a member of  “da Hype Squad”…..Be EVERYWHERE on the course!!!

The next man up for the Leafs was Freshman Connor Runty who battled for the final medal the whole race.  He ended up placing 6th in the race.  Fear not, Coach Ehlert is going to award medals to any Leaf who placed in the Top 10 (since Sterling cut back on the medals).  Connor was timed in 20:54 which was a season best on the course for him.  Connor has really been on a roll and has a plethora of potential.  Keep Dreaming Big.  Now…..get ready to join “da Hype Squad”!  Go CRAZY!!!

Next up for “da Leafs” was Geneseo’s “Pioneer”.  Freshman Alex Aleman battled a knee injury earlier in the season but has been “On a Tear” since then.  Alex “Smashed” his season best time on the Hoover Park Course.  He was timed in 21:28.  Alex has a BIG Heart and it “Shines” in everything he does.  Alex raced to an 8th place finish.  We hope he will run Track and then hammer a strong summer of base work before XC in 2024.  Next up is to help lead the GHS “Hype Squad”.  LOTS of Noise.

Freshman Jacob Berry had a “BERRY” nice race himself.  Jacob raced to a season best time on the Hoover Park Course.  He was timed in 22:22 to place 11th overall in the race.  Jacob admitted to me after the race that he wished that he had put in more training over the summer.  I asked him if he was glad he had joined the team and he smiled and said, “YES”.  He will get that training in next summer (hopefully, Track season too.)  “Hype Squad”, get ready.  Jacob is going to make a HUGE Difference for the group.  He will cover a LOT of ground and help inspire “da Leafs”. 

JV RACE IS “OFF”

Pictured are the JV Runners reacting to the Starter’s Pistol

CARLSON LEADS LEAFS VIA WIN

The JV race started at 5:15 p.m. and consisted of all of the Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors who were in attendance and ready to race.  Medals were awarded to the Top 5 Finishers.  That was “cut” from the traditional “Top 10”.  Head Maple Leaf Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert is going to award any a medal to any team members who placed in the 6th through 10 spots.

Sophomore Graysen Carlson took the lead early and never looked back.  Graysen ended up winning the race by 24 seconds.  He recorded a time of 17:34 to destroy his previous best on the Hoover park course.  Graysen has had an impressive “Rookie” season.  The dude has NEVER run distance previously.  Keep your eyes on this one.  He is going to make some BIG noise in the future.  It’s “Hype Squad” duty in addition to serving as the Leafs first alternate for the IHSA Post Season.  Be Ready, just in case.

Junior Rylan Lambert sprinted home in 4th place, taking over a minute and a half off of his Hoover Park season best.  He was timed in 18:10 and earned a Highly Coveted Top 5 finisher medal.  Get ready to help lead the GHS “Hype Squad” to IHSA Post-Season Impact.  Every time the Top 7 receives support they will run FASTER.  Next, nail Track….after that it will be time to become a “Senior Leader”.  The coaching staff has ZERO doubts that your influence will be profound. 

Senior Austin Hull rolled in next.  He placed 6th overall after “Lead Packing” early in the race.  He was probably went out a bit too hard but he was proudly displaying a ton of both “Passion & Purpose” and you never know until you try.  Austin has done a great job as a Senior Leader and has also really “Stepped Up” both is training and racing.  The reason is a simple one.  SENIOR PRIDE.  Great Job, Austin.  Now….stay ready, just in case, in addition to helping lead the GHS “Hype Squad”.

Junior Matthew Darnall sprinted home next in 7th place.  He was timed in a Hoover Park Course personal best of 19:33.  “Matty” has really been on a roll.  He already has the coaching staff discussing just how far he might be able improve by next fall.  The key will be to attack the off season.  Dream Big and then back those dreams up with the commitment that excellence demands.  “Da Hood” is VERY Proud of You.  Kick off your spikes and put on your GHS “Hype Squad” gear.  Be a “Difference Maker”.

Junior Mason Anderson was the next Maple Leaf to cross the finish line.  Mason placed 8th overall in the race and was timed in a Hoover Park personal best of 19:34.  Mason has also “Raised His Game” the last month of the season.  Hammer Track season and then put in solid summer of base.  After that….get ready to become a Profound Senior Leader.  The team’s potential is HUGE but needs Strong Leadership.  We have complete confidence in “da Mechanic”.  For the time being….help lead the GHS “Hype Squad’.  Try and be EVERYWHERE on the course.

Talk about improvement…..Sophomore Calvin Bell sprinted home in 10th place.  He was timed in 19:58 which DESTROYED his Hoover Park personal best.  Calvin has rebounded from a bothersome lower back issue.  He has been racing at a high level for several weeks now.  He also has the coaching staff excited about what his future holds.  The potential to make a run at a Top 7 position is there if he is willing to put in the work.  Dream Big, Calvin and then “Pay the Price”.  “Hype Squad” duty calls.  Help inspire the Maple Leaf Top 7 during the IHSA Post-Season.

Senior Tyson Duda was the next Maple Leaf to cross the finish line.  He sprinted home in 11th place and was timed in 20:38.  He tied his season best for any course and destroyed his Hoover Park personal best time.  Tyson has really stepped up and done a great job as a Senior Leader for the team.  Now it’s time to transition into the role of GHS “Hype Squd”.  Help to lead the rest of the group to cover as much of the course as possible.  Help to “Inspire” the Top 7 Maple Leafs as they enter the IHSA Post-Season.  Regional…..Sectional…..State.

The Maple Leafs” “Pizza Boy” was the next team member to cross the finish line.  Connor Douglas sprinted home in 21:01 which took off over a minute and a half off of his Hoover Park course personal best.  Connor had a Lot of conflicts earlier in the season but has really been on a roll in the last month.  Get ready to step in the role of Senior Leader for the 2024 Season.  Hopefully, run Track and then put in a sold summer of base work.  Right now it is time to transition into the role of becoming an impactful “Hype Squad” member.  Help the Leafs effort to attain IHSA Post-Season glory.

Senior Ryley Rowold sprinted home next in 15th place.  The “Sugar Maple Boy” was timed in 21:24.  That was over a minute faster than his previous Hoover Park Course personal best.  Way to roll, Ryley.  Ryley has also done a solid job as a Senior Leader.  We hope that you will return for one final Track season.  Before then, get ready to help lead the GHS “Hype Squad”.  You and “da Boys” can have a profound influence on how the team performs.  Try and spread out all over the course and cheer the team on.  Regional…..Sectional…..State!

Foreign exchange student Rafa Uguina completed his competitive season by placing 16th.  The Sophomore was timed in 22:23.  That time was over TWO MINUTES faster than his previous personal best on the Hoover Park Course.  Way to “Rock It”, Rafa.  We have really enjoyed having you on the team.  We hope that the rest of your “Geneseo Adventure” will be AWESOME.  Please join the “Hype Squad” in supporting the Varsity Top 7 in the coming weeks.  Your role will be to help inspire them to race at a high level.  “Bring It”.

Junior Camden Baumgardner was up next for the Maple Leafs.  He sprinted home in 18th place.  “Cam’s” time of 22:23 was a personal best for the Hoover Park Course and was a Lifetime Best for any course.  Great Job, Camden.  Up next will require you to transition into the roll of Geneseo High School “Hype Squad”.  The goal of the “Hype Squad” is to help inspire the Varsity Top 7 to race at a High Level of Excellence.  Try and cover as much ground on the courses as you can.  Every time you “Connect” with your teammates makes a difference.  Go BIG!!!

RESULTS

AIDAN & JACK “RING THE BELL”

Pictured are Sophomore Aidan Bries & Freshman Jack Kreiss who were
selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winners”

AIDAN BRIES & JACK KREISS SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNERS”

Sophomore Aidan Bries and Freshman Jack Kreiss were selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winners”.  They tied in the voting.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, October 11th through Tuesday, October 17th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Western Big 6 Conference Cross Country Meet.  The meet was held at Rock Island’s Saukie Golf Course.  Both men ran tremendous races.  Jack placed 17th overall and was timed in 17:06.  Aidan placed 20th and was timed in 17:08.  They finished as Geneseo’s 5th and 6th men on the day.  They were in the “Hornet’s Nest”.  Action was fierce and they both kicked down enough runners to help turn Sterling’s slight lead into a 5 point Maple Leafs’ win.  Each man earned 2nd Team All-Conference Honors by finishing in the Top 20.  The first 10 finishers earned First Team All-Conference Honors.  Making it all the better were the weather conditions which were a true test of Cross Country skills.  Heavy rains the night before and the morning of the meet left the course drenched.  It was a mud fest.  Both men with raced with “Passion & Purpose”.  The fact that the selection committee ended up having the two of them locked in a tie for this week’s award was fitting.  They both deserved it.  Great Job, Men.  All the best in the coming weeks.  Next up will be the IHSA Regional Meet hosted by Galesburg and held at Lake Storey Park.   Then, the IHSA Sectional Meet will be held in Geneseo at Richmond Hill Park.  This is the first time in school history that an IHSA Cross Country Sectional Meet will be hosted in Geneseo.  Then, we hope that the team will have qualified for the IHSA State Finals held at Peoria’s “Historic” Detweiller Park.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the commitment that excellence demands.  One more thing before I move to each man’s Bell Ringer responses . . .  Aidan has an opportunity to be a part of FOUR WB-6 Titles.  How does he accomplish that?  Win the next two years and help the Leafs go BACK-TO-BACK TO BACK.  As far a Jack goes…..he is only a Freshman and has three more chances.  How about going four for four?!  That would result in a BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK!

Before I jump into their Bell Ringer questionnaire, let me type a short paragraph on each man.  Aidan Bries enjoyed a tremendous freshman Cross Country season that saw him not only earn a Varsity Letter but he grabbed a Top 7 Position and didn’t let go.  He ran in the IHSA State Finals as a FRESHMAN.  That is RARE.  He was one of THREE Maple Leaf Freshmen to race that day.  Everything was looking GREAT for Aidan until a nasty case of Osgood-Schlatter ruined his Track season.  It is the result a rapid growth spurt and causes extreme pain in the knees.  The long bones grow quickly while the tendons and ligaments try to catch up.  The condition made it difficult for Aidan to get much training in over the summer.  Thus, Aidan’s return to the Varsity Top 7 for the 2023 Cross Country season looked like an unlikely outcome.  Aidan’s response was, “NOT SO FAST!”.  Somehow, with his doctor’s blessing, he started his comeback.  He slowly started to close the gap.  Aidan has an INTENSE competitive streak in him (That’s a GOOD thing).  It’s a good thing that he does because the team never needed him more than in the Western Big Six Conference Cross Country Meet.  All the best in the coming weeks, Aidan.  You are a VERY Special young man.  We are VERY proud of you.  I start to get dizzy when contemplating what the GHS XC Team can accomplish during the remainder of your high school career.  Can you say STATE TROPHY in addition to ALL-STATE MEDALS.  Ready, Set, Go! 

Jack Kreiss has had to overcome the same challenge that any incoming Freshman that ran in middle school does.  The season is quite a bit longer and the practices are a LOT harder.  The middle school team practices last only an hour and they don’t have practice on Fridays.  The transition is extreme but Head Maple Leaf Boys XC Coach does a great job of gradually moving the guys up in mileage and intensity.  How each man adapts varies.  Jack is still pretty new to the sport and he is rapidly raising his improvement curve.  The youngster is “ON FIRE”.  Watching him race at Conference was quite inspiring.  In addition, there is still a LOT of potential to improve even more.  We observed Jack looking into the crowd and checking a lot of “things” out while he was racing.  Once he figures out how to concentrate on racing look out…..  Jack is a talented multi-sport athlete.  He also excels in Basketball and Track and Field (All-Stater last Spring in the High Jump).  That is unique combination of sports and speaks to Jack’s competitive desires.  Keep up the great work, Jack.  Before your high school career is over you and your teammates are going to “Shock” the State.  Individual State “Hardware” is waiting for you if you go “All In”.  There is also a State Trophy or two with the same opportunity.  “Dream Big” and then back up those dreams with the commitment that excellence demands.  All the best.  You are a great guy and your teammates really appreciate you.  We are VERY glad you decided to run XC.

Here is what Aidan had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “I am currently on the Cross Country team (The greatest sport you can compete in).  My personal best to date is 16:41…stay tuned…that is going DOWN”;  9th Grade:  “17:24 PR in Cross Country. I earned a Varsity letter and was 7th on the team and qualified for State.  In Track I ran a 4:54 mile and earned a varsity letter as well.  I didn’t finish the last month of track due to what I would later figure out as Osgood-Schlatters..”;   08 Grade:  ” I ran my first year of Cross Country and had a PR of around 13:30.  This put me 8th on the team and gave me the opportunity to win multiple open races since I was not in the top 7 race.  For the first time in Track I ran distance with the 800m being my strongest event with a PR of 2:25.”;  07 Grade:  “In 7th grade instead of Cross Country, I played Soccer.  I played on a travel team and after our team did not win a single game the whole season it motivated me to join Cross Country the next season because I loved the running aspect of Soccer.  For Track, I was mainly interested in sprinting because I thought I was fast. I would later find out by the end of the year that a 30 second PR in the 200 is quite slow and barely got me on the 4 by 200m for Sectionals.  I also spent a lot of time during Track running the hurdles which I spent many practices working on form instead of running which I wanted to do.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “Prior to 7th grade, Soccer was my main sport all year around since I was 3 years old.  I loved every minute of it and made some great memories and friends. I was quite good at soccer mostly playing as a winger being able to utilize by endurance and speed.  I also believe this is where I found my love for running and my very competitive spirit when it comes to sports.  I did play Baseball for a few years but I didn’t  find as much success or love for the sport that I found in Soccer.”

Aidan is the proud son of Jesica and Jeremy Bries.  Aidan is the proud the Proud “Big Bro” to Leila 7th grade, Chris 2nd grade, Kai 4 years old, and Kyra who is 3 years old

Here are Aidan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Don’t have one”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track and Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “I love burgers, I don’t have a specific favorite place or type of burger but I do not like McDonald’s burgers.”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “I love Star Wars. My dad is a die hard Star Wars fan and he has definitely turned me into one too.”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I listen to mostly country music. Some of my favorite artists are Zach Bryan, Jordan Davis, Luke Combs, and Morgan Wallen.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “My athletic heroes are the people that are better than me on this team. Distance running is the only sport I’m passionate about and I look up to people like Dylan and Jaxson because I want to be at the same level as them sometime in the near future..”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t. – Jerry Rice. I chose this quote because although Cross Country is a difficult sport and it really hurts sometimes, if you put in the work your hard work will show and reward you.”;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I’ve always been an active person who enjoys physical activity. I first did Cross Country because I wanted to condition myself for Track, but as soon as a couple weeks into the season I have loved it as a main sport I care about and not to help myself in another sport.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Running is something that isn’t just physically challenging but mentally as well. And running will always be difficult, it will always hurt, and if you can embrace the pain that you feel and get comfortable being uncomfortable the motivation to stay consistently running every day and pushing yourself harder will come.”

Here is what Jack had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “So far I have made the varsity team for Cross Country and plan on doing Basketball this winter.”;   08 Grade:  ” made State in Track for the 4 by 4 but our team got 9th and I went to State for High Jump where I got 4th.  For Cross Country,  we went to State as a team”;   07 Grade:  “Went to State for Pole Vault and placed.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Soccer from 4th grade t 6th grade.  I played right attacker.  I also played Baseball 4th and 5th grades.  I was played Centerfield.  Nothing else as far as organized sports.  I was always pretty active with my friends.”

Jack is the proud son of Anna and Zach Kreiss.  Jack is the proud the Proud “Big Bro” to Collin Kreiss.  He is 13 in 7th grade.

Here are Jack’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Don’t have one”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country, Basketball, & Track and Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Lobster Mac and Cheese.”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Spider–Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rap.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Michael Jordan…in case anyone out there doesn’t know who he is here is what a Google search found:  Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American former professional Basketball player and businessman. His profile on the official National Basketball Association website states that “by acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest Basketball player of all time.  Six Time NBA Champions.”   FAVORITE QUOTE:  “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.- Michael Jordan.”;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “In seventh grade I had no fall sport in 7th grade where I was not very good. I decided to do it 8th grade where I had a more successful season and from that decided to do it in high school.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Life is a lot harder if you don’t listen to Coach Ehlert..”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Junior Mason Anderson, Junior Shane Bagby, Junior Camden Baumgardner, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Junior Connor Douglas, Junior Dylan Gehl, Senior Austin Hull, Junior Max Johnson, Junior Rylan Lambert, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Senior Ryley Rowold, Freshman Connor Runty, Junior Jacob Taylor, and Sophomore Rafa Uguina. 

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS CLAIM WB-6 CONFERENCE GOLD

Pictured are the team members of the first place Geneseo Maple Leaf XC Team

LEAFS WIN TITLE FOR COACH VANDENBERG

On Thursday, October 12th, the Leafs traveled to Rock Island’s Saukie Golf Course to participate in the Western BIg Six Cross Country Conference Meet.  The meet was hosted by Rock Island Alleman High School.  The field included teams from:  Galesburg, Geneseo, Moline, Quincy, Rock Island, Rock Island (Alleman), Sterling, & United Township.  The WB-6 has always run only two races (Girls followed by the Boys.)  No lower level competition.  Before we joined the conference 5 years ago, I always thought this was a mistake.  In the previous conferences that Geneseo has been a member of, there were THREE levels of competition.  F/S (Top 7), Varsity (Top 7), and Open (everyone else).  After having been in the WB-6 for multiple years, I have come to LOVE this format.  It is one of the few times that the whole team races together.  It also provided the perfect “Head-to-Head” competition before the “IHSA Post Season” begins. 

First Team “All-Conference” Honors were awarded to the Top 10 Finishers.  They also received medals.  11th through 20th earned Second Team “All-Conference” Honors.  The Championship Team was also awarded team “Hardware”.  The weatherman provided a true Cross Country purist kind of day.  It was windy (14 mph east winds with gusts over 20 mph) and a course that received over 2 inches of rain during the previous day and morning.  It was MUDDY with a LOT of puddles all over the soggy course.  I LOVED IT.  Thus, even though the races were run on a golf course (usually smoking fast), the course ran slow.

The boys race started at 4:45 p.m. Sharp.  According to Athletic.Net’s meet simulator, based on season best times, Sterling came into the meet as a 7 point favorite over the Leafs.  Quincy was sitting in 3rd a bit back of Geneseo but still considered dangerous.  They don’t run on any fast courses during the season (other than trip to Detweiller early in the season). The fact that they had won the last two WB-6 Titles loomed big. The following is a summary of each man’s race:

• Junior Dylan Gehl continued his phenomenal season by placing second to Sterling’s Dale Johnson (who placed 2nd in last year’s IHSA State Finals).  Dale is a Senior.  Dylan was timed in 15:36.  He ran a very intelligent race, moving up as the race progressed.  He was “seeded 2nd” and that is where he placed.  His 2nd place finish is the highest GHS finish in GHS’s 5 year membership in the Western Big Six Conference.  He appears ready to make a big push as the team moves into the IHSA Post Season.  All the best “Big Horse”.
• Next up for the Leafs was Senior Sam Mosbarger who was predicted to place 6th in the race.  Sam was timed in 15:52.  Sam has been “On a roll” all season long and “Rocked” another tremendous race. Sam sprinted home in 3rd place, passing a couple runners in the last mile.  Those ended up being HUGE points….more on that later.  Sam joined Dylan earning First Team WB-6 All-Conference Honors.  Way to go, Sam.  Your Leadership is omnipotent.  All the best in the coming weeks.  “Detweiller Fever…..Catch It”. 
• Sophomore Jaxson Sottos (“da X-Man” sprinted home in 8th place.  His time was 16:34.  Late in the race it had become obvious that the team battle was between the Leafs and Sterling.  Jaxson held off a hard close trio of Sterling Golden Warriors.  Jaxson earned “All-Conference” Honors.  The Maple Leafs’ reining “Bell Ringer” helped the Leafs put 3 runners into the finish chute before Sterling’s 2nd man.  That was HUGE….once again…more on that later.  Great racing, Jaxson.  Keep it rolling as the Leafs move into the IHSA Post Season.  Your improvement from last season is “Jaw-Dropping”.  All the best.  Keep “Dreaming Big”.
• GHS Junior Max Johnson (“da Big Johaanson) sprinted across the finish line in 16th place to earn 2nd Team “All-Conference” Honors.  His time was 17:06.  Max was in the middle of the battle that ended up deciding the meet.  He used his 2-flat 800 meter speed to kick down several runners in the final 100 meters of the race.  The Leafs needed each and every point he shaved off the team’s score.  Max has run as the Leafs’ 4th man for most of the season.  Keep up the great racing, Max.  The IHSA Post-Season has begun.  Regional, Sectional, State….that is the team’s goal.  All the best.  Also, don’t forget to enjoy “da Ride”.  Together We Can!!!
• Sprinting home as the Maple Leafs’ 5th Runner was Freshman Jack Kreiss who placed 17th in 17:06.  That was a lifetime best for him.  Jack also earned 2nd team “All-Conference” honors.  Jack kicked down several runners along with Max Johnson which helped the team erase Sterling’s lead at two miles.  Jack is just a youngster and he is still “learning” how to train and race.  He has a HUGE heart and is a fierce competitor.  Keep paying your dues.  The price of athetic excellence doesn’t come easily.  Passion and Purpose mixed in with a LOT of preparation are the key.  All the best in the coming weeks.  Regional, Sectional, State.  Keep it Rolling. 
• Joining his teammates on the WB-6 2nd Team “All-Conference” Team was Sophomore Aidan Bries who placed 20th overall and was timed in 17:08.  Aidan was also in the middle of the heated action and helped the Leafs overcome a highly motivated Sterling team.  Aidan’s time was a season best.  He has done a tremendous job of dealing with a nasty case of Osgood-Schlatter (growth spurt related and PAINFUL).  Aidan has continued to improve all season long after a summer that saw him unable to train due to extreme knee pain.  Way to Go, Aidan.  We are VERY proud of you.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the dedication and commitment that exellence demands. 
• Rookie Geneseo Sophomore Graysen Carlson was the next Maple Leaf to sprint across the finish line.  Graysen placed 26th overall and was Geneseo’s 7th man on the day.  Graysen was an unenexpected addition to the Maple Leafs’ roster.  His impact has been profound and he has the Coaching Staff “drooling” about his potential improvement during the rest of this season and then beyond.  Grayson was timed in 17:33 on the sloppy course and realy “Closed” the final 800 meters.  Great Job, Graysen.  Your commitment to your team is impressive.  Keep up the GREAT job.  All the best in your upcoming races.
• Sophomore Kaden Elmer has been one of the Leafs Top 5 Runners for most of the season.  He ended up placeing 33rd overall and was timed in 17:51.  Something just didn’t look right with Kaden during his race.  He mom eventually shared that his hips were bothering him.  After a trip to Dr. Dan Lommell we knew that he has iliotibial band syndrome.  It is a common overuse injury amoungst endurance athletes.  Hopefully, with some treatment that will include stretching, icing, anti-inflamatory agents, etc…..he will be back in the line-up soon.  We have our fingers crossed.  Kaden is a “Critical” man for the team.  Your commitment to your team is impressive.  You are a leader via example.  All the best!!!
• A season best of 18:18 was turned in by Junior Rylan Lambert.  “Little Lambo” placed 46th overall in the race and was the Maple Leafs’ 9th man.  Great stuff, Rylan.  Rylan has really gone “Al In” and has been “Running Wild” for several weeks now.  He has “Cemented” a Top 14 Maple Leaf Position for the IHSA Post-Season.  He will also be helping to lead the charge of Geneseo’s Important “Hype Squad”.  All the best in the Sterling JV Inv. (JV State).  Race for a Top 10 Medal and maybe even the overall win.  Rylan possesses a LOT of both Passion and Purpose.  Those are critical “Tools” to own.  Get Ready to FLY!
• Senior Austin Hull sprinted home in 50th place and barely missed his season best in “da muck”.  Austin was timed in 18:28 and has done a great job of embracing the role of “Senior Leader”.  He has “Locked” a IHSA Top 14 spot.  Before that you will be racing for Gold at the Sterling JV Inv. on Tuesday, October 17th.  Then, you will be helping to lead the GHS “Hype Squad” during the Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  You and “da Boys” can truly be “Difference Makers”.  Then hammer Track season.  You are a very special young man and we are VERY proud of you.  Keep leading each and every day..
• Sophomore “Rookie” Matthew Darnall was the next Maple Leaf to sprint across the finish line.  He placed 58th overall and was timed in 19:01 which was a “Lifetime Best”.  “Matty” has overcome an ankle injury and he possesses a plethora of potential.  He was the Leafs’ 11th man on the day.  Get ready to hammer out the last race of your season at the Sterling JV Invitational on Tuesday, October 17th.  Medals will be awarded to the Top 10 and that is the goal.  We are sure glad that you decided to join the Cross Country team.  You are the fastest man in “da Hood”….(he lives in my neighborhood).  HYPE SQUAD!!!
• Jacob Taylor nailed another personal best for himself.  The Junior was timed in 19:03 and placed 60th overall in the race.  “Yaykob” was the 12th Maple Leaf and also “Cemented” a Top 14 IHSA Post-Season position on the team (IHSA roster is limited to 14 runners…names 14 and run ).)  Jacob raced well and battled every step of race.  It is going to be a lot of fun watching him transition into the role of Senior Leader next fall.  Before then….NAIL the Sterling JV Inv. (Top 10 Medal???) and then get ready to help your team via the “Hype Squad.”  Then, get in some mileage to you ready for Track season.  LEADERSHIP!!!
• Junior Christian Haney sprinted “Home” in 13th place and was timed in 19:17.  Christian fought through a tough second mile to close FAST.  He was passing people like crazy in that last mile.  All the best in the Sterling JV Invite on Tuesday, October 17th.  Try and nail a Top 10 Finisher Medal.  Then, transition into one of the leaders of the GHS “Hype Squad”.  We are hoping to see you and your teammates EVERYWHERE on the courses at Regional, Sectional, and State.  Then hammer t\Track season and then get ready to be a Senior Leader next fall.  You are a very special young man.  Keep the faith. 
• Junior Mason Anderson continued his great season.  He has been “On Fire” the second half of the season and rolled to another Lifetime Best in the WB-6 Conference Meet.  “da Mechanic” was timed in 19:43 and placed 78th overall.  You too will be lining up for the Sterling JV Invite on Tueday, October 17th with the goal of earning a Top 10 Finisher Medal.  All the best, Mason.  Then get ready to be a “Difference Maker” via the role of “Hype Squad” at the Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  Then hammer Track and get ready to become a Senior Leader next Fall.  We have complete faith in you and your commitment to your team.
• Micah Johnson has come a long way in the last year.  He has had a stong Freshman Harrier Season.  Micah placed 85th in the Varsity Race and was timed in 20:08.  Get ready to go after “da Win” at Sterling in the Freshman Race.  Medals go to the Top 5.  Then, you will join your teammates in the role of the GHS “Hype Squad”.  The goal will be to help your Varsity Top 7 teammates EXCEL in the Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  After that hammer Track season and then get ready to be a Sophomore on next year’s harrier team that will be trying to go Back-to-Back at the WB-6 plus MUCH more.  Keep Dreaming Big “Little Yohanson”. 
• Freshman Connor Runty “Nailed” another season best time during the WB-6 Conference Meet.  Connor’s new Lifetime Best time was 20:23 as he placed 90 Overall in the Varsity Race.  Next up will be your final race of the season.  You will run in the Freshman Race on Tuesday, October 17th.  Medals will be awarded to the Top 5 Finishers.  That is the goal….another individual medal.  Then, get ready to help cheer your Varsity Top 7 Teammates on via the GHS “Hype Squad”.  The team will race in the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  Try and be EVERYWHERE on the courses to help your teammates through the “Tough Spots”.  Then, hammer Track season and then get ready to be a Sophomore next Fall.  Dream BIG!
• Junior Shane Bagby also ran another Lifetime Best during the WB-6 Conference Cross Country Meet.  Shane has had a strong “Rookie” Harrier season.  He has gotten stronger all season long and possesses a great attitude to go with it.  He also does a great job of working hard on the days he is asked to run hard.  All the best in Sterling’s JV Invite on Tuesday, October 17th.  Then get ready to become a key member of the GHS “Hype Squad” whose mission is to help motivate the Varsity Top 7 Runners during the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  We are very proud of you and hope that you will be back with the team next fall in the role of a Senior Leader.  We hope that you run Track too.
  
• Freshman Alex Aleman (“da Pioneer” also raced to a Lifetime Best time.  He was “Clocked” is 20:40 and placed 100th in the Varsity Race.  Alex has done a great job of overcoming a nagging early season injury.  He has really been on a roll the 2nd half of the season.  His final race of the 2023 Harrier Season will be on Tuesday, October 17th in the Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  Alex will race in the Freshman Division (Medals to the Top 5).  Then he will become a key member of the GHS “Hype Squad” that will help inspire the Varsity Top 7 during the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  We hope that you will then run Track before you get ready for your sophomore harrier season.  All the best.
• Geneseo’s “Pizza Boy” finished next for the Leafs.  Junior Connor Douglas sprinted across the finish line in 109th place and was timed in a lifetime best of 21:36.  He has had a lot of conflicts this season so it was awesome to watch him “Fly” to a persnal best time in “da muck” at Saukie Golf Course.  Connor will run his final race of the season on Tuesday, October 17th in Sterling.  He will run the JV Race and chase his lifetime best one final time this season.  Then, he will help to lead the GHS “Hype Squad”  during the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  After, that, we hope that track is in your plans before you become a 2024 Cross Country Senior Leader.  Dream Big and Lead Via Example.
• Senior Leader Ryley Rowold placed 110th in his final WB-6 Conference Meet.  He was timed in a Lifetime Best of 21:55.  “da Sugar Maple Boy” has been on a roll lately.  He will carry that momentum into his final high school harrier race on Tuesday, October 17th when he competes in the Sterling JV Invitational.  After that…..get ready to keep leading the team via the GHS “Hype Squad”.  Try and be EVERYWHERE during the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  Every guy that is at those meets has the potential to be a “Difference Maker”.  Thank you for all you have given this team.  We hope to see you in Track.  We wish all nothing but the best.  You are a VERY special dude.
• Freshman Jacob Berry sprinted home next for the Maple Leafs.  Jacob placed 113th overall in the Varsity Race and was timed in 22:26 which was just off his lifetime best.  Jacob will “Toe da Line” one more time for the Maple Leafs ths season.  That racing opportunity is on Tuesday, October 17th and is at the Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  The meet is designed for ahtletes who are NOT in their teams Top 7.  We love the meet and think its a great way to end the season for most for most of the team.  After that Jacob will become a “Hype Squad” man.  Hopefully, Track will be in his plans followed by a return to the Maple Leaf Cross Country team in the fall of 2024.  Keep up the hard work and watch yourself improve.  Believe.
• Senior Leader Tyson Duda finished next for the Maple Leafs.  Tyson sprinted across the finish line in 22:52 and placed 115th in the Varsity Race.  Tyson has done a GREAT job of helping to lead the team all season long.  His final high school Cross Country race will occur on Tuesday, October 17th in the Sterling JV Invitational.  After that it will be time to become one of the leaders of the GHS “Hype Squad”.  The goal is to help “Inspire” the Varsity Top 7 in the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  Tyson is a great kid and we are going to miss him.  We hope that he will always be a runner.  It is a great way to stay in shape and also relieve stress.  God Bless.
• Geneseo Sophomore Rafa Uguina sprinted in 22:54 which established a new Lifetime Best for him.  Way to go, “Rafa”!  That wasn’t an easy thing to accomplish in “da Muck”.  Up next will be his final Harrier race as a Geneseo High School Runner.  That race will occur on Tuesday, October 17th at the Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  After that, he will transition into the role of GHS “Hype Squad” member.  The goal will be to help encourage the Varsity Top 7 to “FLY” at the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  We are sure glad that Rafa decided to join the GHS Cross Country Team.  He is a VERY special dude.  All the best down the road, Rafa.  Think about running Track in the spring.
• Junior Camden Baumgardner sprinted across the finish line in a lifetime best time of 23:53.  Sub 8 minute mile pace in “da MUD”.  Great Race.  Camden placed 123rd overall in the Varsity Race.  He will conclude his Junior Harrier season on Tuesday, October, 17th in Sterling’s J.V. Invite.  After that, we hope that he will help out the GHS “Hype Squad” as they travel with the team to the IHSA Regional, Sectional, and State Meets.  Their goal?  To help the team run FASTER.  We hope that they will be EVERYWHERE on the course and become “Difference Makers”.  After that it will be time to become a Senior Leader during the 2024 Cross Country Season.  All the best, Cam.  Leadership!!!

Well, I made it.  I got rolling and typed a paragraph about each man who raced.  We are very proud of every single man.  This is a special team that just became a CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.  This is Head Coach Todd Ehlert’s sixth year as the Head GHS Boys XC Coach.  It is also Geneseo’s 5th year as a member of the Western Big Six Conference.  Geneseo has now won 2 titles and will have a “Golden” opportunity to increase that number in the coming years.  The Leafs paced 3rd in 2019.  Then they claimed the title in 2020 (the meet was held at Saukie Golf Course.)  Then the Leafs were a close 2nd in 2021.  Last season the team placed a close 3rd.  Five years in the Western Big 6 Conference (8 Teams) and no finish worse than 3rd.  Great Job Coach Ehlert.  Also, “Rookie” Assistant Coach Jeff Brown has never NOT coached a Conference Championship Team.  He is One for One.

All the best in the coming weeks, Men.  Attack your races with intelligent race plans and execution.  We wish each of you the best.  It has been an honor to serve as one of your coaches.  Also, when you hear and see members of the Geneseo High School “Hype Squad” on the course let that inspire you.  Try to be “sucking on plastic” in regard to your “Milk Shake” with about 400 meters left in your race.  And then…..switch gears and start your kick.  God Bless Each of You.  “Carpe Diem”.

RESULTS

LEAFS DEDICATE WB-6 CONFERENCE MEET TO
COACH VANDENBERG

One of Coach Ehlert’s high school coaches recently passed away.  Coach Vandenberg served as the head Football coach and assistant Track & Field coach at Kekuk High School.  He was the head Football coach for over 20 years before stepping down due to heart issues after Coach Ehlert’s 8th grade year.  He came back as an assistant coach for his senior year.  He also served as an assistant coach in Track & Field all four of Coach Ehlert’s high school career.  He had a profound impact on a young Todd Ehlert.  He once told young Todd, “You remind me of JIm Ryan.” (look it up in Goggle).  Coach was a freshman when Coach Vandenberg told him that.  Young Todd didn’t even know who Jim Ryan was either.  That changed.  Coach Ehert asked the team to run the conference meet in Coach Vandenberg Honor. 

Lewis Vandenberg Obituary

Lewis James “Jim” Vandenberg, passed away on Oct. 6, 2023, at the age of 84, in Keokuk, Iowa. He was born Nov 5, 1938, in Burlington, Iowa.

Jim is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jerre Vandenberg. He is also survived by his two children, Tammy Craine (David) of Keokuk and Dr. Toby Vandenberg of Keokuk. Tammy and David have two children, Chelsey Mickelson (husband Jordan) of Argyle, Iowa, with children Baylor and Mila, and Tim Craine (wife Torre) with daughter Ava of Quincy, Illinois. Dr. Toby Vandenberg has five children, James Vandenberg (wife Bree) with their children Poppy and Colt of Coralville, Iowa, Olivia Alba (husband Michael) with their children Liam and Lilly of Bend, Oregon, Elliott Vandenberg (wife Mollie) with their children Huck and Granger of Farmington, Iowa, Gabe Vandenberg (wife Ali) with their son Grayson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Isabel Vandenberg a college student at Mizzou, in Columbia, Missouri. Jim’s surviving sister, Dr. Cathy McPhail, resides in Michigan with her husband Ron.

Completing his primary education in Burlington, and his high school education in Batesville, Arkansas, Jim was an all-state quarterback and team captain of his high school football team, leading them to an undefeated season and number one ranking in the state of Arkansas.

Later, Jim received a full scholarship to Southern Arkansas University where he started on both offense as a running back, and defense as a linebacker. He furthered his education at Southern Arkansas University earning an undergraduate degree followed later by a master’s degree.

He began his coaching career in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and later taught/coached in Burlington and Keokuk. Even though retiring after 38 years, Jim continued to volunteer to support his community.

Jim was an active member of First Christian Church in Keokuk, where he served as an elder.

A memorial service will be held in honor of Jim at First Christian Church in Keokuk. Family and friends are invited to visit with the family beginning at 10:30 am, with the service to follow at noon on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The service will be streamed live on the First Christian Church of Keokuk’s website and Facebook page, and will be posted on YouTube shortly afterwards.

While flowers can be accepted at the church prior to the service, a memorial fund is being established in Jim’s name with details to be posted at the service and on Facebook.

Jim Vandenberg will always be remembered for his dedication to education and coaching, and his devotion to his family. Jim loved people and he will be deeply missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing him.

Published by Daily Gate from Oct. 10 to Oct. 11, 2023.

JAXSON “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Jaxson Sottos who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

JAXSON SOTTOS SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Jaxson Sottos was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, October 4th through Tuesday, October 10th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in 48th Annual Gene Jones Runniin’ Red Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Metamora’s Black Partridge Park.  Jaxson ran in the F/S race (along with all of Geneseo’s Freshmen and Sophomores).  The team goal was to try and win a team trophy (awarded to the top 3 teams).  Jaxson ran another GREAT race.  He was in the lead pack for the entire race and ended up placing second.  He was timed in 15:43 which established a new school record for a GHS Sophomore on the course.  It was also a the fastest time that Jaxson has ever run (the course was a bit short of 3 miles (2.94) but has a ton of turns and a few rolling hills on the trail section.  He helped the team place 3rd overall.  Normal U-High won it with 70 points.  Morton was a close 2nd scoring 77 points.  The Leafs were 3rd with 86 points while Peoria Notre Dame was a mere 2 points behind.  The field was “Loaded” and it was a tremendous achievement for the team to almost win the meet….finishing only 16 points behind Normal U-High.  Great Job. 

Jaxson has run in the Maple Leafs’ Top 3 All Season Long.  That is pretty impressive stuff for a Sophomore on a strong team.  In fact, Jaxson has been the Leafs’ second man on three occasions.  His emergence to that of an elite runner started during the Track and Field season where he “Dropped” a 4:42 1600 meter run.  That time moved him into the number 6 Freshman in Geneseo High School History.  He followed that up with a solid summer of base work to prepare for the 2023 “Harrier” Season.  His off-season commitment to excellence has paid HUGE dividends.  He has broken the “Magical” 16:00 barrier at Detweiler earlier this season and has won two individual titles this season.  He won the F/S Division Race at the Galesburg Silver Streak Invitational as well as claiming “Gold” in the Sophomore Race at the Geneseo XC Invitational.  The Leafs have some big team goals this season and Jaxson is a great position to help make those “Dreams” come to fruition.  The best part of the whole story is that he is ONLY A SOPHOMORE.  Jaxson possesses healthy doses of both “Passion and Purpose.”  All the best in the coming weeks this season and then beyond.  It is going to be a LOT of fun watching you chase your potential.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the commitment that excellence demands.  Helping lead your team to an elite finish in the State Finals and earning “All-State” Honors for yourself appear to be achievable.  Ready, Set, GO!!!  God Bless You, Jaxson.  Thanks for being such a great guy.  Your smile is infectous and it is truly an honor to serve as one of your coaches,   

Here is what Jaxson had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “I am currently on the Cross Country team (The greatest sport you can compete in).  This season has been full of so many different accomplishments.  I got a PR in my 1st race of the season on a course I did terrible on last year.  I also won my first race at the Galesburg Silver Streak XC Invite.  I had never won a race before in anything so that was a special experience.  Then I broke 16 minutes in the 3rd race (which I wasn’t expecting to do until later in the season). Making it even better was the fact that it ocurred at Detweiller Park in Peoria where the State Finals are run.  Then, I won another race at our home invite.  Just this past weekend I broke 16 minutes for the second time in my life at the Metamora Runnin’ Red Invitational.  The Black Partridge Park Course is one of my favorite places to race.  So I have broken 16:00 but still haven’t broke 15:30.  That is my next goal.  I still have quite a bit of the season to change that and have some big goals for the coming weeks.”;  9th Grade:  “Freshmen year was my first real experience of being on a Cross Country team and competing. It was also when I fell in love with the sport. Although I competed in 7th and 8th grade, I never got super competitive. My drive to win started this year.  I got medals at most of the meets and we won a lot of them. I was the 4th guy almost the entire season. I also broke 17 minutes 3 different races so I was super happy about that. I think from my 1st race to my last race of this season I cut off 1:27 minutes.  We qualified for State by getting 3rd place at Sectionals which apparently was the best we had done at Sectionals in a long time. But that day was one of the most happy moments of my life because I had never run at State and being able to compete in the State Finals was what kept me training everyday.  I felt like I was walking on clouds. Although we didn’t do amazingly well at State, it was a very special experience. Plus, we were given less than ideal conditions so I couldn’t really complain.  I also competed in Track. I wanted to qualify for State as a Freshmen but i quickly realized that was a lot to ask for. But I tried for it anyway in the mile. The mile was my main event although I did the 3200 meter twice and the 4×800 at most of the meets.  I was the 4th 800 runner on the team but our 4×800 team wasn’t good enough to qualify for State so I just ran the mile at Sectionals. I finished in 4:42 minutes which got me 9th.  It was also a 1 second PR. State qualifying was 4:35 so I wasn’t too far off. My goal for the coming seasons is to be All-State in the mile and maybe try for a sub 4:15.”;   08 Grade:  “I competed in Cross Country and Track.  I think my best 2 mile was 12:48 minutes.  I was pretty proud of it back then and it placed me as the 4th guy on the team.  We just barely missed qualifying for State that year.  It was pretty disappointing.  I was running the Sectional race and in the middle of the race I got tripped and fell.  That ruined all of my momentum and I couldn’t catch up.  In Track, I ran the mile and had a lot of fun.  I was the 2nd miler and my PR was 5:23.  Kaden Elmer was the number 1 miler so we were kind of a “Dynamic Duo”.  It’s been a lot of fun to compete with him for so long.  I beat him at one race and that was because I used him as a wind block the entire race and then passed him at the finish.  That was probably the highlight of the season (sorry Kaden).”;   07 Grade:  “In 7th grade I did Cross Country, Basketball, and Track. I didn’t think I would be doing it for the next 4 years at the time.  I just did them to be social.  I was the 12th guy on the team and my best 2 mile was 14:08.  I had 4 practices of the Basketball season before it got cancelled due to Covid-19.  It was still pretty fun though and back then I was kinda good at it. That was my main sport back then.  In Track I did just about every event.  I even did a 4×100 one time.  I quickly learned I wasn’t a sprinter.  I also did the Long Jump and High Jump.  I did the mile at all of my meets and my PR was 6:55.  I got last at every meet and from then on started taking running more seriously”;  Prior to 7th grade:  “I played Rec Soccer in grades 1,2 and 3.  Then I played Flag Football and Rec Baseball in 4th grade.  I wasn’t very good at any of those sports but they were fun.  In 6th grade I played a lot of Golf and Basketball.  I really enjoyed playing golf.  I still do. Except I never have had the patience for it.  I just played it for fun and something told me the 7th grade Golf team wasn’t the way to go.  I played Basketball every day though and I loved to play.  When i found running though, I knew running was the right thing.“

Jaxson is the proud son of Monica and Zachary.  Jaxson is the proud “Baby Bro” to Alex 24 (Currently training to one day be a firefighter), Max 20 (Attends the University of Northern Iowa), and Grace 17 (Current HS Senior.)  Jaxson is also the Proud “Big Bro” to Aliyah (12) and Braylee (7).

Here are Jaxson’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  ” JJ & X-Man”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN:  “Cross Country & Track and Field”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Chicken Sandwich”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Jason Bourne”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rap and really slow sad music. Zach Bryan and Kanye West are my favorite artists. Only one by Kanye West and Paul McCartney is my favorite song.”;  ATHLETIC HERO:  “Muhammad Ali”  (Here is what a google search had to say about Ali:  Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed “the Greatest”, he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century and is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970.);  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Keep on rising ’til the sky knows your name, remember who you are, no you’re not perfect but you’re not your mistakes -Kanye West”;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE XC TEAM:  “I remember watching my older brother, Max, run and he was really good back in middle school.  Whenever I watched him I always thought to myself, that looks like a lot of fun.  So I decided to give it a try and it was how I expected. More actually. It was a blast.“;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Set a lot of goals, but don’t make those goals your limitations.  Also, don’t expect much.  You never know what your body can or can’t do.  Eat lots and lots of food and also drink a ton of water.  Also, the workouts where you feel amazing and like you could run forever make you good but the workouts where you feel terrible and you don’t want to run, but you do the workout and it sucks every step, make you great.  So never back out on doing a workout.  Unless you are injured.  But most of all, just have fun with it.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Junior Mason Anderson, Junior Shane Bagby, Sophomore Calvin Bell, Freshman Jacob Berry, Sophomore Aidan Bries, Graysen Carlson, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Junior Connor Douglas, Senior Tyson Duda, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Junior Dylan Gehl, Junior Christian Haney, Senior Austin Hull, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Micah Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreis, Junior Rylan Lambert, Senior:  Sam Mosbarger, Senior Ryley Rowold, Freshman Connor Runty, Junior Jacob Taylor, and Rafa Uguina. 

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

F/S TEAM TROPHY & FRIENDS

Pictured are 11 of the 24 Leafs who raced. The 6 Leafs who earned an individual medal are wearing them proudly!
Row 1:  Jack Kreiss, Sam Mosbarger, Aidan Bries, Jaxson Sottos, Dylan Gehl.  Row 2:  Far right…Kaden Elmer

LEAFS RUN STRONG  AT THE
47th GENE JONES RUNNIN’ RED XC INVITE

On Saturday, October 7th, the Leafs traveled to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park to participate in the 47th annual Gene Jones Runnin’ Red Cross Country Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Bartonville Limestone, Bloomington, Canton, Champaign Central, Deer Creek/Mackinaw, Dunlap, East Peoria, Geneseo, Glenbard Sou;th, Lincoln, Macomb, Mohomet-Seymour, Manteno, Metamora, Moline, Morton, Normal Community, Normal University, Peoria Notre Dame, Peoria Richwoods, Olympia, Oswego East, Ottawa, Pekin, Rantoul, Rochester, Rock Island, Springfield, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Tolono Unity (Girls), and Washington.  Indivual medals were awarded to the Top 30 in the Varsity Race while the Top 20 runners received medals in the F/S Race.  Team trophies were awarded in all races to the Top 3 Teams.  Fall has finally arrived and the runners raced in temperatures in the low 50’s.  There was a NW wind that was listed at 11mph on weather.com. 

We love the meet because there is always a highly competitive field that includes a good mixture of 1A, 2A, and 3A schools.  There are also a plethora of schools that usually feed into the IHSA Sectional that Geneseo is assigned to.  This year, the Leafs will host that meet on Saturday, October 28th.  The qualify teams will have to place in the Top 6 at one of three Regionals that feed into the Sectional Meet.  At the Sectional Meet, the Top 7 teams will qualify for State.  More on that later.  The Metamora “Runnin’ Red” XC Invite has been around for a LONG time.  Former head coach Gene Jones was on site working as an IHSA Official.  He is an Illinois Track & Cross Country Association Hall of Famer.  In addition, he is a really great guy.  I have known him since I was in college (met him at a road race) and he has always been extremely helpful to anyone who asked him for it.  It is fitting that the meet has been named in his honor.  Lastly, this is the final meet of the season before the team enters “Championship Meet Season”.  This meet is a great “Tune Up” for that.  The course is a bit short of 3 miles (2.94) so each athlete has a great chance to run a “Personal Best Time”.  The goal is to gain momentum for “Championship Meet Season” and that goal was accomplished.

The F/S Boys Race took off at 10:00 a.m.  The Leafs were hoping to contend for a some team “Hardware” in a VERY strong field.  This race is a “Sneak Peak” at the future.  That future looks VERY exciting for the Geneseo Maple Leafs.  Coach Ehlert’s “Young Guns” ran WILD and almost won the thing.  They ended up placing a close 3rd (only 16 points out of first).  Leading the way were:  Sophomore Jaxson Sottos (2nd Place in 15:43…..NEW GHS Sophomore Record for the Course), Sophomore Kaden Elmer (14th Place in 16:40….. New #8 GHS Sophomore on the Course), Sophomore Aidan Bries (15th Place in 16:41…..New #9 Sophomore on the Course), and Freshman Jack Kreiss (16th Place in 16:42…..#2 Freshman in GHS School History for the Course).  In case you aren’t counting, that is FOUR Maple Leafs in the Top 16 to earn Individual Medals.  WAY TO ROLL, MEN!

First year “Harrier” Graysen Carlson, who is just a Sophomore, had a busy weekend with Heavy Lifting duties with the Marching Band that included a home game on Friday night and a competition right after the meet.  Graysen handled it all well and was the Leafs’ 5th Man (46th Place in 17:21…..New #19 Sophomore GHS Runner on the Course).  Not far behind were:  Sophomore Matthew Darnall (97th Pace in 18:43), Freshman Micah Johnson (106th Place in 18:53…..New #22 GHS Freshman on the Course), Sophomore Calvin Bell (110th Place in 19:07), Freshman Connor Runty (140th Place in 19:47….,New #25 GHS Freshman on the Course), Freshman Alex Aleman (160th Place in 20:19), Freshman Jacob Berry (181st Place in 20:57), and Sophomore Rafa Uguina (202nd Place in 21:47).  Great Races, Men.

The Varsity Boys Race was the last race on the day.  They took-off at 11:25 a.m.  Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach chose to run all of the GHS Freshman and Sophomores in the F/S race.  Great Move.  It left the Varsity Team in a position for a few guys to “Step Up”.  Leading the way were Junior Dylan Gehl (6th Place in 15:04) and Senior Sam Mosbarger (14th Place in 15:21).  They each earned a highly coveted “Top 30 Finisher Medal”.  They each broke the previous school record for a GHS athlete on the course (Nathan Soria 15:39 set in 2015).  Dylan now owns the Overall and Junior Class Records.  Sam is now the Proud Senior Class GHS Record Holder for the Black Partridge Course.  Great Stuff, Men. 

Next up for the Leafs were:  Junior Max Johnson (58th Place in 16:38…..#10 GHS Junior on the course), Senior Austin Hull (107th Place in 17:39…..Now the #17 GHS Senior on the course), and Junior Rylan Lambert (112th Place in 17:45…..#18 GHS Junior on the Course).  Great Job, Men.  They really ran well and helped lead the Leafs to a 10th Place Team Finish.  That is HUGE considering that all of the GHS “Young Guns” ran in the F/S Race.  The team’s depth was rewarded “Big Time”.  

Not far behind were:  Junior Jacob Taylor (160th Place in 18:32…..#25 GHS Junior on the Course), Christian Haney (195th Place in 19:07), Junior Shane Bagby (207th Place in 19:44), Senior Ryley Rowold (224th Place in 20:38), Senior Tyson Duda (225th Place in 20:38), and Junior Connor Douglas (227th Place in 20:42). 

So what is next?  The Western Big 6 Conference Meet is on Thursday, October 12th.  The meet will be held Rock Island’s Saukie Golf Course.  Get ready to race for the win.  We see this as a 3-Horse Race.  Quincy…..Sterling…..and “da Leafs”.  Good Luck, Men.  Championship Meet Season is HERE.  Every Man Matters.  EVERYONE do what you can do to help your team.  ‘TOGETHER WE CAN”!!!!!. 

METAMORA TOP 25’s

RESULTS

GRAYSEN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Graysen Carlson who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

GRAYSEN CARLSON SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Graysen Carlson was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, September 27th through Tuesday, October 3rd.  During that time, the Leafs participated in Freeport Pretzel Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held on the campus of Freeport’s Highland Community College.  The meet was held on Saturday, September 30th.  Graysen ran in the J/V Race.  When the Starter’s Pistol “Cracked” to start the race, Graysen took the lead and held it all the way to the finish line to claim FIRST Place.  He was timed in 18:16 which was the Maple Leafs’ 5th fastest time on the day (including the Varsity Race).  Graysen’s time also moved him into 14th Place on the Highland Community College Sophomore Top 25 list for GHS Runners.  He was also barely off of his lifetime best time of 18:11 set at Sterling’s Rock River Run Invitational.  Graysen admitted that he lost some time during the race trying to figure out where to go.  The course wasn’t very well marked and there was no lead vehicle.  Graysen’s experience was unique.  Most Cross Country athletes never experience the problem on trying to figure out were to go.  That’s because most Cross Country runners EVER lead a race let alone win one.  Add to that fact that this is Graysen’s first season as a distance runner.  Simply amazing.  

Graysen surprised us when he joined the team on Tuesday, August 15th.  That happened to fall on the Leafs’ annual “Rust Buster” Time Trial.  With minimal training (on his own) Graysen showed up ready to race (in training flats) and proceeded to place 12th on the team.  How is that possible?  Well, Graysen possesses a healthy dose of both “Passion & Purpose”.  Obviously, Graysen also possesses the ability to push himself.  He also has an extremely high pain threshold.  The combination of these traits added to his God-Given gifts results in a plethora of untapped potential.  Graysen has set some lofty goals for his high school career.  Many can “Talk the Talk” but Very FEW are Willing to “Walk the Walk”.  Translation, Graysen is willing to pay the price that excellence demands.  Be patient and keep paying those dues.  You will reap the benefits.  Also, all the best this season as you go “All IN” fighting for a Top 7 spot on the VARSITY team.  “Championship Meet Season” is upon us and the team has set some “Lofty” Goals.  Keep up the great job in practice and in the actual races.  The 2023 GHS team hopes to win both the WB-6 Conference Meet & the IHSA Regional Meet.  Then, the team hopes to qualify for the State Finals at the Geneseo IHSA Sectional Meet (1st time in school history that we are hosting).  A Top 10 Finish in the State Meet is also “On the Table”.  Keep “Dreaming Big”.  We are sure glad that you decided to join the team.

Here is what Graysen had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “I won my first race ever for running and it was in Cross Country and I ran a 3 mile course. It was very fun to lead and it was scary but it was awesome and I almost ran my personal best because my personal best is 18 min. and 11 sec. and I ran 18 min and 16 sec.”;  9th Grade:  “For Track and Field the highlight was my last jump for Long Jump at Sectionals and it was at home. But also to qualify for state you need to jump like 21.2 ft. (I think) and I jumped 18.4 ft. as a Freshman and my coach was very happy that I did that. That was a PR for me too.  For Basketball, the highlight fo me was an away game and they were a pretty good team and I scored 20 points and that is very hard to do but also we won the game (the score was 54 to 49). I shot 100% of my shots and I had 3 steals and 8 rebounds that game. It was the best game of Basketball I have ever played.”   08 Grade:  “I went to State for the 4×100. It was so awesome and I was grateful to be there but I was an alternate so I did not get to run. But I was a little sad I did not get to run even though I was faster then one of the guys that were running but that was okay. It was still fun to watch and we got 7th place.”;  07 Grade:  “I participated in Track & Field with limited success.  I was a sprinter (100 & 200 meter dashes) along with long jumping”.;  Prior to 7th grade:  “I stayed pretty active…..I have played Basketball since I was 5 years old.  I also played seven years of Soccer along with two years of Flag Football”.

Graysen is the proud son of Adrianne and Brandon Carlson.  Graysen is the proud “Big Bro” to Aliyah (12) and Braylee (7.)

Here are Graysen’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “GrayGray”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN: “In my whole entire life, I have played Basketball, Golf, Football, Soccer, Track and field and Cross country”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “My favorite food is spaghetti sandwiches.  My mom makes them like one time a month and they are SOOOOOOOOOOO good  I feel like I have never eaten something that good.”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “My favorite movie or TV show is Spongbob because I grew up watching it when time was hard for me, and it was just a thing to get away from everything.”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “My favorite music is Christian Rap because we all need a little bit of God in our lives.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “My grandpa, John Thompson. He has been there for me a lot in my life and also he has been pushing me to be the best of myself in running too and I have never beaten him in a race but after this year of Cross Country that time WILL COME!!!! Get ready, Grandpa!!!!”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.;   WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I decided to join the Cross Country team because I have been begging my parents for awhile now and after a long time they finally let me go out. Also, I could not even run not that long ago because I have a disease that is called Pectus Excavatum and that affects my heart and I could not even run one mile without me dying.  Literally.  It could stop my heart or I could have a seizure. But I have been asking God to heal me for a couple of years and then he did, because he is a God that does miracles and miracles he did. So after he did that I went out to run Cross Country and now I am already top 10 on the team and I am going to keep getting better and better and better. “;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “I would tell them to just go out because you only live once and you’re in high school for only four years.  You might as well try it because it isn’t going to hurt you it is just going to make you better.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Junior Mason Anderson, Sophomore Calvin Bell, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Senior Austin Hull, and Sophomore Jaxon Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

J.V. BOYS CLAIM FREEPORT PRETZEL GOLD

Pictured are the J/V Boys team that placed 1st in the race as a team.  Pictured L-R:  Christian Haney, Connor Douglas,
Tyson Duda, Ryley Rowold, Mason Anderson, Calvin Bell, Austin Hull, Rylan Lambert,
Jacob Taylor, Micah Johnson, Connor Runty.

LEAFS RACE IN FREEPORT OVER HOMECOMING WEEKEND

On Saturday, September 30th, the Leafs traveled to Freeport’s Highland Community College to participate in the annual Freeport Pretzel Cross Country Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Dakota, Durand, East Dubuque, Forreston, Freeport, Geneseo, Lanark Eastland, Machesney Park Harlem, Oregon, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rockford Boyland, Rockford East, Rockford Jefferson, Rockford Lutheran, Rockford Our Lady Sacred Heart, Savanna West Carroll, Sterling (JV), Stockton, Sycamore (Girls), and Winnabago.  This meet provides the team an opportunity to travel to a different part of the state (very close to the Wisconsin border) and compete against a lot of teams that we normally seldom see.  Unfortunately, the meet fell on “Homecoming Weekend” which is always a challenge.  There are so many school related activities tied to the Homecoming Celebration that it usually zaps most GHS athletic teams to some extent.  The weatherman also provided some more summer-like weather as the day time high was slightly above 90˚.  That is RARE for October in Northern Illinois.  Oh well, everyone raced in the same conditions so there was certainly no advantages for any teams.  Another unique aspect about this meet is linked to Freeport High School’s Mascot.  They are the “Pretzels”.  The Top 5 Runners in each race received a HUGE PRETZEL.  In addition, Individual Top 15 Medals were handed out along with a Championship Trophy to the winning team in each race.

On to the racing.  The J/V Boys Race started at 9:45 a.m.  The meet format changed a few years ago to that of a J/V Race and a Varsity Top 10 Race.  We love the change.  There are a LOT of 1A schools (small) with a mixture of 2A and 3A schools filling out the field.  Some of the larger school sent their Top 7’s to Peoria to race in an Invitational there that limits each team’s entries to only seven runners.  The end result was J/V Boys found themselves with a tremendous opportunity.  Head Maple Leaf Boys Cross Country Coach, Tood Ehlert, chose to only run seven runners in the Varsity Race and have the rest of the guys race in the JV Race.  A few of the larger schools that sent a team to Peoria chose to run ALL of their runners in the JV Race.  The following is a summary of each man’s race in the JV Division:

• First year “Harrier”, Graysen Carlson, took off when the Starter’s Pistol “Cracked” and held the lead the entire race.  Graysen is only a Sophomore and this was his first Individual WIN.   Way to go, Graysen.  He was “Clocked” in 18:16 which moved him into the #14 Sophomore for the Highland Community College Course for a GHS runner.  His time would have been faster but he was a bit confused on where to go a few times….the course wasn’t very well marked.  He still had the Leafs’ 5th best time on the day.  WOW!!!  Keep your eyes on the kid.  He is “On Fire”.
• Senior Leader Austin Hull sprinted home only TWO Seconds behind Graysen to claim 2nd place.  Austin has been on quite a roll over the last month.  He ended up running 18:18 for the course and moved into the #12 Senior Position for a GHS Runner on the course.  It was also a Lifetime Best time for Austin….AGAIN!  It is pretty hard to put a “Price Tag” on how much “Senior Pride” is worth.  It varies from person to person.  It is VERY apparent that being a Senior Leader for the Geneseo Maple Leafs matters a GREAT DEAL to Austin Hull.  Austin (aka “Pizza Boy”) had the Maple Leafs’ 6th fastest time on the day.  Keep it Rolling, Austin.  We are VERY proud of you.
• Junior Rylan Lambert sprinted across the finish line in 8th place to earn a Highly Coveted Top 15 Finisher Medal.  He was the Leafs’ 3rd runner in the J/V Race and was timed in 19:19.  The course isn’t a fast one but “Little Lambo” had a tremendous race and “Scared” his season best time.  Great Stuff, Rylan.  Keep up the Great Job!
• Sophomore Calvin “Scooter” Bell sprinted home next in 12th place to also earn a Top 15 Finisher Medal.  Calvin destroyed his Lifetime Best Time in the process and was the Leafs’ 4th Man in the J/V Race.  He also “Cracked” the Maple Leaf Top 25 Sophomore List for the Highland Community Course.  Calvin proudly now sit in 24th.  Great Stuff, Calvin.  We now need you to try and move from the scooter and bike to running every day if possible.  Your potential is limitless.  Keep Dreaming Big and backing those dreams up with the commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  We are VERY proud of you.
• Rounding out the Maple Leaf Top 5 was Sophomore Jacob Taylor.  “Yakob” sprinted home in 14th place to earn a Top 15 Individual Medal.  He barely missed his best time ever and raced with a plethora of “Passion & Purpose”.  Keep up the good job, “Yakob”.  It is hard for me to process that next year you will be a Senior.  Jacob has really been on a roll and it was awesome to see you “Bust Loose” again.  Get Ready for Championship Meet Season!!!  You are Gonna FLY!!!
• Junior Mason Anderson sprinted home next and “Grabbed” the last Top 15 Medal Finisher Medal via his 15th Place Finish.  Way to go, Mason.  The Leafs’ “Top Mechanic” used his “Tool Box” well and ran an intelligent race ad was clocked in 20:09.  Mason was the Leafs’ 6th Man in the J/V Race and the dude is “On Fire”.  Get ready to attack Championship Meet Season in addition to preparing to put your “Senior Leader Hat” on next season.  The best way to lead is ALWAYS via example.  Ready, Set, GO!!!
• Freshman Micah Johnson was the next Leaf to “Break da Tape” via his 17th place finish.  He barely missed an individual medal.  “Da Little Yohanson” is now the 16th Fastest GHS Freshman EVER on the course.  Talk about potential.  Micah is an extremely hard worker and understands what it takes to excel.  He pays that price on a daily basis.  Keep your eyes on him because he is the “Real Deal”.  Get Ready to ATTACK Championship Meet Season, Micah.  Peak running shape is coming soon.  CARPE Diem!
• Junior Christian Haney was hoping to win this race but it wasn’t meant to be.  He was timed in 21:17 and placed 19th overall in the race.  Christian has been training at an Extremely High Level but has run into some bad luck on race days the last couple of weeks.  Hang in there, Christian.  Keep the Faith.  Don’t let that “Little Man” that each of us has to deal with, push you around.  Start preparing mentally for the Metamora Running Red XC Invite next Saturday.  The team has BIG Goals and you are in a unique position to have a profound impact on those “Dreams”.  Keep giving it your best and don’t forget to “Enjoy the Ride”. 
• Freshman Connor Runty shared with me that he had a rough 2nd mile but still ran a Lifetime Best time of 21:38 and placed 21st overall in the race.  His time moved him into 23rd place on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List for the Highland Community College Course.  Connor possess a plethora of potential.  Keep your eyes on this young man.  He will be “turning some heads” before his GHS Harrier days are over.  Keep paying your dues on a daily basis.  Championship Meet Season is just around the corner.  Get Ready to FLY!!!
• Junior Shane Bagby almost ran a lifetime best despite getting lost on the course and running extra distance.  The course wasn’t very well marked and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Oh well, he still sprinted home in 21:48 and placed 22nd overall in the race.  This is Shane’s first season as a “Harrier”.  We hope it isn’t a “One and Done”.  We need your leadership next fall when you roll into the land of “Seniors”.  Keep up the great job.  Your work ethic hasn’t gone unnoticed.  Attack your remaining races.  All the best.  We are VERY proud of you.
• Geneseo’s “Pioneer” was up next.  Freshman Alex Aleman sprinted home in 22:07 (barely missing his lifetime best) and placed 24th in the race.  Alex has was slowed with some nagging injuries earlier in the season and it is AWESOME to see him running so strong and racing so well.  Keep up the great job, Alex.  It is going to be a lot of fun watching you improve over the duration of your high school career.  Keep dreaming big and then backing those dreams up with the commitment that Excellence Demands.  We are VERY proud of you.
• Freshman Jacob Berry DESTROYED his lifetime best by a FULL MINUTE.  That is amazing.  Way to go, Jacob.  He was “Clocked” in 22:10 and placed 25th overall in the race.  Jacob, along with several other teammates had a busy weekend including duties with the GHS Marching Band.  That included marching and playing all the way from “City Park” to the high school during the parade.  Then, they performed before, and during the game.  How he was able to run that fast after all of that has me shacking my head in amazement.  Keep up the great job.  You’re a Very Special young man.
• Senior Leader Ryley Rowold (“da Sugar Maple Kid”) was back at it on Saturday too.  He took 15 seconds off of his season best time and “Clocked” 22:19 to place 26th overall in the race.  Ryley has really “Stepped Up” into the role of Senior Leader.  The best way to lead is via example and Ryley has been supplying that on a daily basis.  Get ready to help lead the 2023 team into “Championship Meet Season”.  You are in a unique position to have a profound impact on the team’s goals.  After your racing is done you are going to be one of the leaders of the “Hype Squad”.  Thanks for being such a great guy. 
• Placing 31st in a time of 23:06 was Senior Leader Tyson Duda.  I had a chat with Tyson and his fellow seniors early in the season and challenged each of them to “Earn” their Senior Leader Award (given at the banquet after the season concludes).  Tyson and his fellow Seniors have done an exceptional job of supplying the team with great leadership.  As I mentioned with Ryley, get ready to attack the end of your racing season.  Blast your personal bests!  When you racing is over at the Sterling JV Invite, you will transition into one of the Leaders of the Geneseo “Hype Squad”.  In the past several years, that “Hype Squad” has had a significant impact on their teammates races during the “”IHSA Season”.  Keep up the great job!
• Junior Connor Douglas (aka “Pizza Boy”) sprinted home next in 33rd place.  He was timed in 23:51.  Connor has had a lot of conflicts this season.  Try and hit the training and racing hard in the next couple of weeks.  All you have left are the Metamora Running Red XC Invite, the WB-6 Conference Meet, and then the Sterling JV Invite.  After that you will become a key membr of the “Geneseo Hype Sqad”.  Also, keep taking mental notes on the leadership skills that you observe from this year’s seniors.  Next year, you will be one of those Senior Leaders.  Dream Big and get ready to make a profound impact on your teammates.
• “Da Spaniard” was up next.  Sophomore Rafa Uguina sprinted home in 26:52 and placed 41st overall in the race.  We are sure glad thay your “Foreign Exchange experience” landed you right here in Geneseo, Illinois.  No team member has a bigger smile than Rafa and I’m sure that the running is starting to become more enjoyable now that he has gained some fitness.  The “Dude” literally jumped into the sport with zero preparation.  That is hard to contemplae.  He has proved to be a valuable addition to the team.  Get ready to “Take Down” your personal best time.  Hopefully, several times.  The Metamora Invite is great opportunity to accomplish that goal.  That race is this Saturday.  Get Ready to FLY!!!

When the “dust had settled” and the team points were counted, the Leafs found themselves as the winners of the J/V Race.  They scored 29 points to turn back both Sterling (43) and Machesney Park (Harlem) 56 points.  Great Job, Men. 

The Varsity Boys race started at 11:15 a.m. and the “Feels Like” temperature was 83˚.  Yeah, it was pretty dang hot.  The Leafs gave it what they had and raced to a strong 2nd place team finish.  Machesney Park (Harlem) won the race with 56 points.  The Leafs were a mere 5 points back with 61 points.  Fourteen teams scored “Full Teams”.   The following is a summary of each man’s race in the Varsity Division:

• Leading the way for the Leafs was Junior Standout Dylan Gehl.  Dylan took the lead in the race’s first step and never looked back.  He raced to the win “Clocking” 15:40.  His time is the second fastest time in GHS History for the Highland Community XC Course.  Dylan has joined the status of Illinois’ Elite.  It is going to be a lot of fun watching him attack the “Championship Meet” portion of the season.  He and the GHS team have some lofty goals.  All the best, Dylan.  You are a VERY special young man who possesses a omnipotent dose of both “Passion and Purpose”.  Keep Dreaming Big and backing those dreams up with the Commitment that Excellence DEMANDS.  All the best.  Don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
• Senior Leader Sam Mosbarger sprinted home next.  Sam placed 5th overall (Yep….A Big Pretzel and a Top 15 Finisher Medal) and was timed in 16:30  Sam’s time moved him into the #2 Senior EVER on the Highland Community College Course for a GHS athlete.  Way to Go, Sam.  Sam is a HUGE part of the 2023 Geneseo High School Cross Country Team.  He is almost ALWAYS the Last Man to leave practice.  He discusses the team with Head Coach Todd Ehlert on a daily basis.  Trying to help each man reach their potential.  Also, trying to help each man to have a wonderful XC experience.  Sam is a unique and truly exceptional human being.  We are lucky to have him.  All the best in the coming weeks, Sam.  Thank you for all that you have and will do for this team.  God Bless You.
• “Super Soph” Jaxson Sottos sprinted home in 6th place to also earn a Top 15 Individual Finisher Medal.  Jaxson was timed in 16:38 which moved him into the #3 Sophomore EVER on the Highland Community College XC Course for GHS Runners.  Jaxson has been re-writing the Top 25 lists all season long (along with several teammates).  Jaxson is enjoying an exceptional season.  All the best as the team rapidly approaches “Championship Meet Season”.  Trust your fitness level and get ready to move into “Peak Racing Shape”.  You are GONNA FLY!  All the best this season and beyond.  You have been Blessed with a Special Talent and a tremendous work ethic to go with it.  It is going to be fun watching you continue to improve in the coming seasons. 
• Sophomore Kaden Elmer sprinted home next for the Maple Leafs.  Kaden is a HUGE part of the “Super Soph Squad” and was timed in 17:32.  He barely missed a Top 15 medal finishing in 16th Place.  Great Job, Kaden.  Kaden’s time was the 8th Fastest time for a GHS Sophomore on the Highland Community College XC Course.  You are having a GREAT season.  All the best in the coming weeks as the team enters “Championship Meet Season”.  Trust your fitness level and all of the hard work that you have invested.  You possess strong doses of both “Passion and Purpose”.  They both are on display every time we watch you run.  You are also a very effective “quiet” leader.  Don’t be afraid to get more vocal as you move down “da road”.  God Bless.
• Junior Max Johnson sprinted home in 36th Place and was times in 18:23.  His time moved him into the #17 Junior position on the GHS Top 25’s for the Highland Community College XC Course.  Max had a tough race.  He was hoping for a lot more.  Sometimes, that happens.  No reason to worry.  Trust your fitness level and commitment level to your teammates.  You have been “All-In” all season long.  It is amazing just how much you have improved since last year.  When “da Big Johanson” gets rolling….simply a thing of beauty.  A lot of God-Given Talent added to a tremendous work ethic equals GREATNESS.  Championship Meet Season is nearly here.  Keep helping to lead the team both via example and vocally.  Keep “Dreaming BIG”.
• “Super Sophomore” Aidan Bries was the next Maple Leaf to sprint across the finish line.  Aidan placed 39th overall and was timed in 18:30.  His time moved him into the #15 Sophomore EVER on the Highland Community College Top 25 List for a GHS Runner.  Aidan shared with me that he didn’t have the best race but he gave it EVERYTHING he had.  No worries.  All the best as the team moves towards “Championship Meet Season”.  You are a VERY Special Young Man.  It is going to be a LOT of fun watching you chase your potential during the remainder of your HS career and beyond.  My “Crystal Ball” sees GREATNESS.  Keep the faith and keep up the dedication.  Both in-season and in the off-season.  Hopefully, your Osgood-Schlatter journey will be ending soon.  All the best, Aidan. 

FREEPORT TOP 25’s

RESULTS

COACH BROWN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Coach Jeff Brown who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

COACH JEFF BROWN SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Assistant Cross Country Coach Jeff Brown was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two candidates.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, September 20th through Tuesday, September 27th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in Sterling’s Rock River Invitational.  However, “da Committee” looked “Outside the Box” and selected 1st year Geneseo Assistant Cross Country Coach Jeff Brown for the honor.  On Sunday, September 24th Coach Brown “Toed da Line” for the Quad Cities Mel Foster Company Half Marathon.  The race was run in conjunction with the QCA Marathon, Marathon Relay, 10K, 5K, and Mile.  Coach has been training for this race for months and was truly “a man on a mission”.  He won his age group (55-59) after kicking down the leader in the final 400 meters.  In addition, he placed 24th overall out of over 1000 runners.  Coach averaged a “Jaw-Dropping” 6:36 per mile.  He mentioned to me during the team’s Sunday night run that he was hurting pretty badly the last two miles but fought hard.  He didn’t want to let the team down.  Great Stuff, Coach.  You are one of us now. 

Mr. Brown joined the Coaching Staff this season and has done a wonderful job of getting to know each team member.  He brings a plethora of passion and purpose to the team on a daily basis.  His enthusiasm is contagious and his impact on the team has been profound.  We hope that he will be with “da Team” for MANY years to come.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to find the time to make this commitment.  It hasn’t gone unnoticed Sir.  Coach Brown has been a “Beast” on the local road racing circuit for years.  That is where I met him.  He is one tough racer. Just this past summer, he “Threw Down” a monster race at the Bix 7 which served as the USATF 7 Mile Championship this year.  Coach ran a time of 45:59 for the challenging course (LOTS of hills).  He placed 3rd in his age group to earn “All-American” Honors.  That was NOT the first time that has occurred.  Coach Brown recently retired from John Deere were he worked in the Accounting Department.  He worked there for over 30 years and told me that he thoroughly enjoyed it.  Now, he is happily retired and busier than ever.  God Bless you, Jeff Brown.  Coach is a seasoned writer so I am going to copy and post his write up.  It follows:

My Nickname is “Browner”.   My very close friends call me that.  I graduated from Geneseo High School (Alum of JD Darnall High School) back in May of 1985.  I attended college at The University of Iowa.  My parents are Carles and Dorothy Brown,  Most GHS students know them as “Grandma and Grandpa Brown” and see them at many GHS extra-curricular activities.  My mom works in the Geneseo High cafeteria.  I have one sibling and her name is Trisha Brown.  She is a teacher in the Bradford Middle School and coaches Track.  She was on the first girls Cross Country team at GHS . . . no she’s not that old . . . Cross Country wasn’t offered as a girls sport until the early 80’s.  My wife of 23 years is Mindy Brown.  We met playing Volleyball.  We have four children:  Josie (22), Esther (20), Russell (17) and Bella (15).  Josie studied Exercise Science and competed as a Cross Country and Track athlete for Southern Illinois University.  She is currently applying to PT school while completing her graduate studies at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.  Esther is studying Nursing and competing in Cross Country and Track at Elmhurst University in the Chicago Suburbs.  Russell is a senior at GHS and participates in so many things it’s hard to keep track of (Football, Bowling, Track & Field, Madrigal, FFA, etc.)  Bella is a freshman at GHS and participates in Volleyball, Basketball, and Field (that’s what throwers call Track).

While I was in high school, I was a staff writer for The GHS Leaflet (yes, we actually had a printed school newspaper) and was selected co-editor my Junior and Senior year. I also acted a little bit though that was short lived. I was also involved in 4-H
showing vegetables, rabbits, and swine at the county fair and participated in Horticulture judging and identification competitions ultimately qualifying for the National competition during my senior year of high school.  My athletic history is a short story.  I did not participate in any school sponsored athletics.  My only sanctioned sport was Youth Bowling, in which I bowled well enough to qualify for the State tournament twice; once during middle school (I bowled my first 200 game at that tournament) and once in high school. Just a side note, the current GHS bowlers roll much higher scores than I did back then. I also played a lot of backyard Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis and Golf with my cousins and friends.  I participated in Track in middle school (Junior High School back then).  I think it might have taken me 5 minutes to run an 800…only kidding but seriously, I wasn’t much of a runner back then.  I also played Basketball.  I was tall but very uncoordinated.

Here are Coach’s answers to his Bell Ringer Questions:  FAVORITE FOOD?  “Ice Cream; I have a 32 ounce milkshake every night at 9:30 . . . gotta get the protein somehow. :)”;  FAVORITE MOVIE?  “Airplane or any of the Naked Gun movies.”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or group)?  “I like all kinds of music and I have favorite songs from nearly every genre, except Hip Hop and Rap. I really like Country Music from the 60s, 70s and 80s and Tina Turner, Elton John, CCR and Def Leppard . . . that’s kind of diverse.“;  WHO IS YOUR ATHLETIC HERO?  “I can’t really name one, there are many and I think the things that makes me look up to someone in the elite athlete group are: a great work ethic and little to no trash talking. If you’re good enough the actions take care of themselves you don’t need to put others down or brag yourself up.”  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “You get out of it what you put into it” and “GOYDA”; I don’t think I can spell out the acronym in a family setting, but basically it means if you want something done quit complaining about it and DO IT! even if it’s really someone else’s responsibility.”;  HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM?  “I was blessed to have been asked to join the team as an assistant coach. Luckily, my daughters participated in the GHS Cross Country and Track programs so over the years I have gotten to know the coaches. When Coach Ehlert asked me to join him and Fredericks I & II, it was really an easy decision; the only thing I had to work out was still getting to watch my children in their activities. I love the culture, the work ethic and the willingness to work together to achieve a common goal. I started running 20 years ago. I was coaxed into running the Moonlight Chase (a four mile run) by some friends who said we were only doing the run to get into the “free” post-race party! I was 36 at the time and I was so embarrassed by my time for the race (and I was so worn out) that I skipped the post-race party and just went home. On the car ride home, I decided that no one should be so out of shape at 36, so I started reading Runner’s World magazine to learn how to train and started training and haven’t looked back. I absolutely love running. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the GHS program and being able to share my love of the sport and encouraging others to be the best they can be in the sport.; WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT?  “A couple of thoughts. The first relates back to the quote, you truly do get out of it what you put into it. The pain of training today is the gain for tomorrow. Second, I shared this with the team early on. The training plan is really an experiment. There has been a lot of research and great plans have been developed based on that research, but each person is different and what works for one won’t necessarily always
work for the other and what works today may not work tomorrow. You have to have a plan and you have to continually tweak the plan to get better. The last thing I would say is that it’s great to have a training partner. Until I started coaching, I never ran with anyone except during races. That’s 20 years of training by myself and even though I loved running I can’t even begin to describe how much better it is to run with other people. So in short, I guess the advice is make a plan, be flexible, work hard, don’t listen to the little man, and make sure you have someone to run with! Finally, I can’t say enough how much I appreciate the opportunity to train with this team. It’s a great group of guys who want to put in the effort to become better and have a fun time doing it. The webpage shows that I received this award for running a half marathon in my best time ever, but in my mind the entire team made this happen with the long runs together, pushing each other on the track or the hills, or simple easy runs. I said it at practice, but I’ll say it again here: Thanks to all of you for making this happen and making coaching such an enjoyable experience.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Junior Mason Anderson, Junior Shane Bagby, Junior Camden Baumgarder, Sophomore Calvin Bell, Freshman Jacob Berry, Sophomore Aidan Bries, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Junior Gauge Damewood, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Junior Connor Douglas, Senior Tyson Duda, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Junior Dyan Gehl, Junior Christian Haney, Senior Austin Hull, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Micah Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Junior Rylan Lambert, Junior Zach Meier, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Senior Ryley Rowold, Freshman Connor Runty, Sophomore Jaxson Sottos, Junior Jacob Taylor, Sophomore Rafa Uguina.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

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LEAFS F/S MINE ROCK RIVER GOLD

Pictured are the F/S Boys Champions surrounded by the rest of the team (including a few extras)

On Saturday, September 23rd, the Leafs traveled to Sterling’s Hoover Park to participate in the Annual Rock River Invitational.    The 27 team field included entries from:  Belvidere, Belvidere North, Dixon, Durand/Pecatonica, Eastland, Freeport, Geneseo, Geneva, Hampshire, Harlem, Hinsdale South, Kaneland, LaSalle-Peru, Moline, Newman, Ottawa, Polo, Princeton, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rock Island, Rockford Auburn, Sandwich, Sterling, Sycamore, United Township, and Unity Christian.  The weather conditions for the meet were excellent with a slight NNE wind of 8 mph and racing temperatures in the high 60’s to low 70’s.  Due to heavy rains the previous few days, the course was a bit soft and muddy in a few spots.  Also, this meet is hosted on one of the courses that has seen minimal changes over the years.  Thus, the Hoover Park Top 25’s go all the way back to 1982.  Thus, the lists are difficult to “Crack”.  Team awards were cut from trophies to the top 5 teams in each race to one plaque to the winning team in each division.  Individual medals were also “trimmed” from the Top 30 tin previous years o the Top 15 Finishers in each race.  Not an easy assignment.  On to the racing……

Up first were the Varsity Boys who raced at 9:30 a.m.  Unfortunately, the Leafs number one man, Junior Dylan Gehl, was home sick with a fever.  Bummer….better now than during Championship Meet Season. The following is a brief summary of each man’s race:

• Senior Leader Sam Mosbarger led the way via his 5th place finish.  Sam was 40th at the half mile and just kept moving up.  That is a FUN way to race.  Sam was timed in 16:05 which moves him to the number 13 Senior on the Hoover Park Course.  Great Job, Sam. 
• Junior Max Johnson was up next and sprinted home in 25th place and broke 17:00 via his 16:59.  Remember, the course was soft and muddy in spots and runs “Long”.   “The Big Yohanson” had a GREAT race.  He is on the bring of a MAJOR breakthrough.  “Detweiller Fever”…..CATCH IT!!!
• Running as the Leafs 3rd man was Senior Leader Austin Hull.  Austin was timed in 18:38 and placed 85th in the strong field.  Amazingly, he improved his lifetime best AGAIN.  Great Job, Austin.  Keep the Streak ALIVE!!!.
• The Leafs’ 4th man on the day in the Varsity Race was Junior Jacob Taylor.  “Yakob” sprinted home in 19:43 which was a season best for him.  Great Job, Jacob.  He placed 124th and looked GREAT the entire race. Keep it rolling!
• Junior Rylan Lambert was the next Leaf across the finish line and was the Leafs  5th man on the day to “Close the Scoring”.  Rylan sprinted home in 125th place.  Great Effort, Rylan.  He was timed in 19:43.  “Little Lambo” is having quite a season.  Keep up the good work.  It was a lot of fun and a great experience for three of the Leafs “Top 5” were in that position for the first time.  That is critical “Big Meet” experience that each man gained.
• Next up was Junior Christian Haney who had a tough “Day at the Office”.  He gave it his best effort and ended up placing 134th in a time of 19:56.  Tell that “Little Man” to Shut Up!  Get Ready to Fly  in Freeport.
• “The Mechanic” (Junior Mason Anderson)was the next Leaf to sprint across the finish line.  Mason’s time of 20:22 was a Season Best.  Great Job, Dude.  Mason placed 140th in the strong field.  You have never looked better.  Keep attacking your races.  I promise that you’ll like the results.  Also, you have the best “Tool Box” on the team.  Seriously, it is in his trunk and he is highly skilled.
• Junior Shane Bagby was up next for the Maple Leafs.  The “First Year Harrier” was timed in a lifetime best of 21:04 and placed 158th.  Shane is a great guy and a welcomed addition to the team.  Thanks for always having such a positive attitude.  Keep paying your dues…..you are going to be FLYIN’ when “Championship Meet Season” rolls around.
• Senior Leader Tyson Duda also ran a lifetime best time.  Simply amazing stuff on a slow course.  Tyson was timed in 21:48 and placed 170th.  Keep up the good job of helping to lead this team.  Also, keep destroying your personal best times.  We are VERY proud of you, Tyson.
• Geneseo’s “Pizza Boy” (Connor Douglas) was up next for the Maple Leafs.  Connor also recorded a season best time.  His time was 22:42 and placed him 185th overall.  Connor has had to miss quite a few practices due to conflicts so the fact that he was able to record a personal best is pretty amazing.  Finish the Season STRONG.  Way to Roll.
• The Leafs’ “Sugar Maple Boy” (Ryley Rowold) rolled in next.  Ryley is a Senior Leader on the team and was timed in 22:44.  He placed 186th in the strong field. Keep up the strong running in both races and practice.  Thanks for providing the team with a steady dose of “Passion and Purpose” on a daily basis.
• Gauge Damewood sprinted home in 24:53.  Guage is a “Rookie” in Cross Country and our team is lucky to have this Junior on the team.  He brings a positive attitude and great work ethic to practice each and every day.  Keep up the great job, Gauge and let’s see just how much time you can keep dropping before the season comes to an end.
• Junior Camden Baumgardner was the final Varsity Runner for the Maple Leafs.  Cam sprinted across the finish line in 25:07 which was a lifetime best.  Camden has been limited in practice time due to a plethora of conflicts.  Running a personal best anyway is very impressive.  Keep up the good job and attack the rest of your season.  All the best.

When the “Dust had Settled”, the Varsity team found themselves in 13rh place.  That is VERY impressive when you factor in Dylan was home sick and ALL of the “Young Guns” ran in the F/S Race.  Good Job, Men.

The F/S Race “took off” at 9:40 a.m.  Head Maple Leaf Harrier Coach Todd Ehelrt elected to keep all of the Freshmen and Sophomores on the Team “Down” for this Race.  He earns an A+ for that decision.  The team Dominated the Race.  They scored a miniscule 40 points to win by 47 points. The following is a summary of the Leafs who ran in the F/S race:

• Leading the way was Sophomore Jaxson Sottos who placed 3rd overall.  His time of 16:46 moved him into 14th Place on the GHS All-Time Sophomore List for GHS athletes on the Hoover Park Course.  Great Race, Jaxson! \
• Next up were the pack of Freshman Jack Kreiss (7th Place in 17:38), Sophomore Kaden Elmer (8th Place iin 17:40), and Sophomore Aidan Bries (9th Place in 17:45.)  Jack’s time moved him into 21st Place on the GHS Freshmen List for the Hoover Park Course.  Each man ran strong and it was Awesome to watch them work together.  Aidan has been battling a nasty case of Osgood-Schlatter’s (due to a rapid growth spurt) and it was GREAT to watch him run a race to his liking.  He was actually smiling after the race.  In face, all there were.  Great Race, Men!!!
• First year harrier Graysen Carlson was the Leafs’ 5th man and raced to a 13th place finish to earn a highly coveted Top 15 Finisher Medal (All 5 of the Leafs Top 5 Runners did, in fact.)  His time of 18:11 was a Lifetime Best.
• Freshman Micah Johnson ran as the Leafs’ 6th Man in the Race.  He placed 40th overall and was timed in 19:31.  “Little Yohanson” is enjoying a STRONG Season and he was the Leafs’ 6th Man in the race on the day.  Great Job, Micah.
• Sophomore Calvin Bell was one of the biggest surprises on the day.  He was unable to run all week with back tightness and then dropped a time of 20:23 (Season Best) that placed him 61st overall to be the Team’s 7th man on the day.  And then…….he ran 10 MILES during Sunday’s Team Run…..WOW!!!
• Rounding out the Leafs’ efforts were Freshman Alex Alleman (83rd Place in a Lifetime Best time of 21:51) and Sophomore Rafa Uguina (117th Place in 24:47.)  Great Races, Men.  I’m not sure if anyone on the team had a bigger race than Alex.  He had been battling a nagging injury but has really busted loose in the last two weeks.  And Rafa……he is improving by HUGE amounts each and every day.  Great Job, Men.  It is fun to improve…..keep it rolling.

HOOVER PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

AUSTIN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Senior Austin Hull who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

AUSTIN HULL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Senior Austin Hull was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, September 13th through Tuesday, September 19th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in their own Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Challenging Richmond Hill Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, September 16th.  Austin ran in the Junior/Senior Race that started at 9:40 a.m.  He ran the race of his life and ended up in 9th place in the Senior Boys Division and earned a “Highly Prized” Top 20 Individual Finisher Medal.  Austin was timed in 18:45 and was the 9th fastest Maple Leaf Boy on the Day.  Way to Go, Austin.  This was Austin’s finest day as a “Harrier” (Cross Country runner) by a TON.  His time was the fastest of his life for the 3 mile distance and was the 8th fastest time for a GHS Senior on the Richmond Hill Course since the course was redesigned by Head Coach Todd Ehlert in 2018 .  For anyone who understands the sport and just how challenging our home course is, the fact that he recorded a personal best AT Richmond Hill Park is “Jaw-Dropping”. 

Austin is a Senior and has taken Head Maple Leaf XC Coach Todd Ehlert’s Senior Leadership Challenge to heart.  As I mentioned in Sam Mosbarger’s “Bell Ringer” story…Seniors have the unique opportunity to “tap into” an opportunity that is hard to comprehend.  That is the chance to be a Senior Leader.  Every senior is given the opportunity but not everyone chooses to maximize that opportunity.  Austin is “thriving” as a Senior Leader and is “Getting the Job Done” on a daily basis.  In the process, he has found himself improving like CRAZY.  In Saturday’s Geneseo Invitational, Austin was the 9th fastest Maple Leaf on the day.  He is battling for a “Top 7 Spot”.  Way to Go, Austin.  Keep up the great work and continue to push yourself.  The sky is the limit.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing them up with the hard work and smart decisions that excellence demands.  You are in a unique position to help lead the Maple Leaf Cross Country Team to some VERY lofty achievements in the coming weeks.  Conference and Regional Championships appear to be possible.  Then, nailing another Top 7 Finish at the Sectional meet (which we will host) to qualify for the IHSA State Finals.  Then….making a Run at a Top 10 Team Finish.  All the best in those coming weeks.  Don’t forget to “Enjoy the Ride”.  

Here is what Austin had to say about his Athletic History:  12th Grade:  “Senior year so far I have run Cross Country where I was just awarded with the Bell Ringer award after running my lifetime best of 18:45 at our very own Richmond Hill Course (a course where it is very hard to PR on).   However, I had huge support from my running mate, Rylan Lambert, who went with me step-for-step crossing the mile and two mile mark at the same pace.  In the end, Rylan was the one pushing me that last mile along with my motivation to finish the race and I ended up beating Rylan by thirteen seconds.  In the end, I think we both won because he pushed me to be my best and he ran his heart out.  I plan to run Track and Field in the spring and hopefully can bring my motivation and persistence from Cross Country over to Track and maybe make it to state for the first time in my Track career.”;  11th Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and improved a little bit but had a lot of distractions so I didn’t perform to the best of my ability (well, not until the end of the year when I ran 18:50 at Conference) but I still ended up earning my Varsity Letter. I again ran Track and Field where my versatility was cut along with some motivation and mental challenges I was dealing with but my team was always there along with Coach Zach Johnson who pushed me to be my best even when I was having a bad day. In the end I earned my Varsity Letter.”;  10th Grade:  “This was the year that I joined Cross Country where I earned my Varsity Letter and the Bell Ringer Award. I was able to finish my first race at Kewanee Dunes Golf course and also was able to get my time under twenty minutes. I also ran Track and Field where I was an all-around guy and was used for every race at least once. I earned my Varsity Letter because of my efforts.”;  9th Grade:  “I participated in Track and Field where I did High Jump, the 400, 200 and 100 along with one 800 run.  I earned my Varsity Letter that year as well.”;    8th Grade:  “I participated in Track and Field again but our season was sadly cut due to COVID.”;  7th Grade:.  “I participated in Track and Field and made it to Sectionals for the 400 but sadly did not make it to state.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Soccer as mostly a Forward or a Goalie. I also played Little League Baseball where I played mostly in left or center field.”

Austin is the proud son of Melyssa Mosley and Jeremy Hull along with being the proud stepson of Timothy Mosley.  Siblings Names with ages or grade levels: Christopher Hull (25 and currently overseas in Kuwait and should be returning sometime next month, Chris also participated in Soccer and Track when he was in high school for Moline High School, Jayde Hull (22, also participated in Cross Country and Track in high school for Moline, Lexi Hull (16, current Sophomore at Geneseo High School, doesn’t play any sports but takes piano lessons), Eli Mosley (14, current Freshman at Geneseo High School and is apart of the marching band); and Addison who is a 2nd Grader at Southwest and participates in dance and cheer.

Here are Austin’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “I don’t have a nickname, to be honest, but Coach Freddy calls me Senior Austin Hull when I’m at practice and it makes me feel proud to be a senior and to be a captain of this amazing team.”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN: “None Listed”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Spaghetti”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Jurassic Park”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I listen to all music but I listen mostly to country because of my family.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Well he isn’t really an athletic hero but he is my hero. Gary Lee Wixforth my great grandpa is my hero.  Sadly, he lost his battle with cancer three years ago but he still impacts me everyday,  He’s my reason to run to keep going forward.  He wasn’t just my grandpa, he was my fatherly figure and he’s a huge reason why I am the person I am today. My grandpa (despite his age) volunteered at the Henderson fire department and even though he was strict, he still put us first and he motivated me and my sister to do our best. I miss him everyday but the lessons he taught me are still with me everyday of the year so I want to give a big thank you to him for everything he has done to not only improve my life but also change my life.”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“Whatever you’re going through, no matter what happens, keep trying!!!  Keep fighting, keep pushing forward and GO ALL THE WAY!” – Seán William McLoughlin;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  I decided to join Cross Country in the summer between my freshman and sophomore year because of the constant pushing I had not only from Coach Todd Ehlert but also my mom.  During tTack season of my freshman year, Coach Freddy realized that I would make a great addition to the Cross Country team and told the rack head coach Matt Deets and he agreed where they went on to tell Coach Ehlert. Lucky for me,  second semester Mr. Ehlert would be my health teacher so every day he would ask me if I would join cross country and he persisted to ask until I finally said yes and so from that point I joined the Cross Country team and ran my first threshold workout that summer trying to run with follow senior Sam Mosbarger.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “My advice to new runners is that if when it gets tough (because trust me it gets tough . . .  Cross Country is not an easy sport) keep your head up and eventually all the work you’ve put in will come back around.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Junior Mason Anderson, Junior Shane Bagby, Junior Connor Douglas, Junior Dylan Gehl, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Freshman Connor Runty, Sophomore Jaxson Sottos

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS CELEBRATE SENIOR DAY IN STYLE

Pictured are Geneseo Seniors Ryley Rowold, Tyson Duda, Sam Mosbarger, & Austin Hull as they sign the GHS XC Poster

LEAFS CLAIM SILVER AT GENESEO CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL

The Leafs hosted their annual Geneseo Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 16th.  The field included teams from:  East Moline (United Township), Geneseo, Moline, Rock Falls, Pleasant Valley (Boys Only), Rock Island, Sterling, and Wheaton-Warrenville South (Girls Only).  The meet offers a unique format that includes race divisions for each grade level (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, & Seniors).  Individual finisher medals are awarded to the Top 20 finishers in each race.  In addition, the Team Champion in each Division was also awarded a Team Championship Plaque.  Then, all the points are added and team plaques were awarded to the “Overall Boys” and “Overall Girls” Team Champions (adding 09, 10, 11, & 12 team points).  Then the boys and girls points were added to crown an Overall  Combined Team Champion.  Plaques were given to each of the previously mentioned winners.  I have been puzzled for years in regard to the reason that more teams don’t want to join in on the fun.  The Richmond Hill Course is challenging, but is a TRUE test of Cross Country skill.  The meet also offers a plethora of “Hardware”.  The fact that Geneseo has been awarded to host a SECTIONAL MEET this fall (and then will host every other year) should encourage more teams to participate.  The meet format was inspired by Crystal Lake Central Hall of Fame Coach Dick Kleopfer who created it “Back in the Day”.  “Ghost Runners” were used if a team didn’t field at least five runners in each race.  Also, an “Unlimited Pusher” formula was used for team scoring allowing for every single runner affecting the Team Scores.  The teams were treated to a bit of rain on a hard and fast course.  They also raced in temperatures that were in the low 60’s.  This meet has never experienced such a great day for racing (usually HOT & HUMID).  A special thanks goes out to all of the volunteer helpers.  It takes “An Army” to run a high quality meet and Coach Ehlert & Coach Skopek each earned an A+ for meet management skills.  On to the action.

Coach Ehlert shortened the meet significantly by cutting the number of races from four down to two.  The Freshmen and Sophomores raced together with the computer separating them for the tabulated results.  The girls started 3 minutes after the boys to separate the genders.  The Freshmen/Sophomores race started at 9:00 a.m.  Then the Juniors and Seniors followed the same format with their race beginning at 9:40 a.m.  We used to run into a lot of challenges with soccer practices and extreme heat when each class raced alone.  The change was a good one.  I will review each of the races by grade level (division). 

First up were the Freshmen.  Pleasant Valley is a State Powerhouse in Iowa and actually were missing their Top 7 Runners who were racing at a big meet in Iowa.  We were glad to have most of their team in Geneseo for the meet.  Their Freshmen boys scored a minuscule 24 points to win going away.  The Leafs placed Second as a Team and scored 81 Points. Jack Kreiss led the way with his 3rd place finish.  Jack was timed in 17:44 which is the 2nd fastest time for a GHS Freshman EVER on the course.  Micah Johnson and Connor Runty also “Cracked” the Top 20 to earn Individual Hardware.  Micah was 9th overall and his time of 19:37 ranks him as the 13th fastest GHS Freshman on the course.  Connor placed 18th and was timed in 21:47.  He is now the 22nd fastest Freshman on the Richmond Hill Park Course.  Alex Aleman and Jacob Berry also ran great races.  Each had Lifetime Bests on our challenging course.  Alex placed 24th in the race and was timed in 22:53 (#24 on the GHS Freshman List) while Jacob placed 27th in 23:10 and just missed making the list.  GREAT JOB, MEN.  Each of you raced with great focus.  It is fun to keep improving and each of you is doing so each meet.  Keep up the Great Work.

The GHS Sophomore Boys claimed the one lone class win for the Leafs on the day.  The team scored 53 points win the division.  Pleasant Valley was a distant second scoring 72 points.  Leading the way was Jaxson Sottos who won the race.  Jaxson’s time of 16:43 was a new Sophomore School Record for the course.  His time was also the 3rd fastest for any grade level for a Maple Leaf.  Way to Roll, Jaxson.  Kaden Elmer, Aidan Bries, and Graysen Carlson each ran great races and “Cracked” the Top 20 to win a highly coveted Top 20 Finisher Medal.  Kaden sprinted home in 3rd place and was timed in 17:41 (7th Fastest Sophomore for a GHS Runner on the course).  Aidan Bries closely followed him into the finish chute placing 4th in the race.  Aidan was timed in 17:45 (8th fastest time for a GHS Sophomore on the course).  Greyson also ran a tremendous race to finish 9th overall.  He was timed in 18:31 which moved him into 12th on the GHS Sophomore Course Rankings.  Great Job, Men.  Running as the Leafs’ 5th man (final team scorer) was Rafe Uguina who ran the race of his life.  Rafa’s time of 24:45 was a lifetime best and placed him in 36th place.  Congratulations on your Sophomore Class Division Win, Men.

Next up were the Junior Boys.  Dylan Gehl continued his magnificent season winning the race in a NEW GHS School Record for the course (also a Junior Class Record).  He was timed in 15:56.  Max Johnson was the next Leaf to cross the finish line.  Max placed 4th in the race and was timed in 17:23 (4th Fastest Junior in GHS History for the course).  Rylan Lambert sprinted home next in 15th place to win an individual “Top 20 Finisher” Medal.  Rylan was timed in 18:58 (12th Fastest GHS Junior on the Richmond Hill Course).  Jacob Taylor was the next Leaf to finish.  His 21st place finish barely missed a individual “Top 20” Finisher Medal.  He ran a great race and was timed in 19:48 which ranks him as the 18th Fastest GHS Junior for the Course).  Christian Haney (23rd), Mason Anderson (28th), and Shane Bagby (32nd) were the next Leafs to finish.  Christian had a tough day but still fought hard.  His time of 20:27 placed him 22nd on the Junior GHS List for the Richmond Hill Course.  Mason Anderson (20:57) and Shane Bagby (21:20) both ran Lifetime Bests on the challenging Richmond Hill Course.  Not far behind were Connor Douglas and Guage Damewood who sprinted home in 23:13 and 25:06 respectively.  They placed 36th and 38th overall.  Great effort by each and every one of you.  When the team scores were tabulated, Pleasant Valley had won the Division scoring 58 points.  The Leafs were a CLOSE 2nd scoring 64 points. 

Last but not least were the Senior Boys.  The Leafs only have four Seniors on the team and three of them ran their fastest time EVER for 3 miles (On our course…are you kidding me???)  The team placed a strong 5th.  Leading the way was Sam Mosbarger who has really been on a roll.  Sam continued his phenomenal season by placing 2nd in the division behind Sterling’s Individual State Contender Dale Johnson (He Smashed the Course Record in 15:32).  Sam’s time of 16:14 is a New GHS Senior School Record for the Richmond Hill Park Course.  Austin Hull sprinted home next for the Leafs in 9th place.  His time of 18:45 “Blasted” his Lifetime Best and moved him into 8th on the GHS Senior List for the Richmond Hill Course.  He also earned a “Top 20” Finisher Medal.  Tyson Duda and Ryley Rowold also established new LIFETIME BESTS on our challenging course.  They were timed in 22:26 and 22:34 and placed them 31st and 32nd.  They also “Cracked” the GHS Senior Top 25’s as they landed in 19th and 20th places.  There is something very special about being a senior.  There are “Super Powers” available for those willing to embrace the opportunity.  Sam, Austin, Tyson, and Ryley are all on board.  All the Best, Men. 

When all the Class Division Points were added together, the Leafs found themselves scoring 306 points to place 2nd to Pleasant Valley’s 242.  When the boys and girls points were added together, the Leafs WON the Meet scoring 617 Points.  It should also be noted that if all the races were combined into one race, the Leafs would have won the boys’ division.  The season has moved into the middle of September.  Stay the Course, Men!  The sky is the limit for this team.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and making smart decisions.  Each of you has the potential to be “The Guy” that is the “Difference Maker” on this team.  Help to lead the way via example.  All the Best, Men.

RICHMOND HILL TOP 25’s

RESULTS

SAM “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Senior Sam Mosbarger who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

SAM MOSBARGER SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Senior Sam Mosbarger was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, September 6th through Tuesday, September 12th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, September 9th.  Sam ran the race of his life and “Clocked” a HUGE personal best with a time of 15:45.  Sam also “Cracked” the Top 50 to earn a highly coveted finisher medal.  His time on the Detweiller Course was the 17th Fastest Individual Time in G.H.S. history.  He also climbed to 13th place on the Senior List.  He also helped the Leafs place in the Top 10 as a team in the 73 Team 2A Field.  The Leafs are currently ranked 12th in the State (2A) and are on the move. 

We have Top 25 lists for almost every course we race on but most of the courses have changed over the years due to various reasons.  The end result is that most of the lists don’t go back too many years.  That is NOT the case for the Detweiller Course which also plays host to the I.H.S.A. STATE MEET the first Saturday in November.  Considering all the above mentioned facts results in the Detweiller Park Top 25’s the closest thing that we can use to represent the proud history that G.H.S. has in Cross Country.  Congratulations on adding your name to the list, Sam.  Hopefully, you’ll have one more chance come November when you are in peak racing shape.

Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert has always appointed each senior on the team  to be a “Senior Leader”.  They receive an award at the end of the season and are asked to give a “Senior Speech” at the team’s banquet at the end of the season.  They also write a letter that is included in the team Cross Country yearbook.  In addition, the coaching staff also selects “Coaches’ Captains”.  Sam shared that honor with 2022 Senior Tyler Gehl last season.  Sam was only a Junior then.  The fact that he was selected speaks “VOLUMES” about the kind of leader that Sam is.  He has followed that up with taking his leadership skills to an even higher level over the summer and during the course of the current XC Season.  He is currently earning an A+.  The 2023 Maple Leaf Cross Country Team is VERY special and has set some LOFTY goals for the 2023 Season.  Leading that charge is Sam Mosbarger.  Keep up the great job, Sam.  You are a tremendous team leader both verbally and via example.  You possess  deep levels of both “Passion and Purpose”.  All the best with this season and beyond.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing them up with the Commitment that Excellence Demands.  We are VERY Proud of you.

Here is what Sam had to say about his Athletic History:  12th Grade:  “Cross Country Captain with some big course PR’s, including 3 Senior records, and a lifetime pr of 15:45”;  11th Grade:  “I was on the All-Conference second team, finished 8th in Regionals, and qualified for state in Cross Country. I ended the season with a 3 mile pr of 16:37. During Tennis season I lost only one match prior to the State Tournament, coming at the hands of National Champion Nicholas Patrick. I was the Doubles Conference Champion, Doubles Sectional Champion, and finished top 24 in the state tournament.”;  10th Grade:  “I improved much over this Cross Country season and was a member of the All-Conference Second Team. I ended the season with a pr of 17:01 after competing in the State Meet. During the Tennis season I competed on the varsity roster and missed qualifying for state by just a few points.”;  9th Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and ended the COVID year with a pr of 18:35 after starting the season with 22:15. During the Tennis season I played number 3 JV and only lost either 2 or 3 matches”;    8th Grade:  “I competed in Cross Country and was barely on varsity. I ended the season with a PR of 13:46. I also played Basketball and switched between the A and B teams. “;  7th Grade:.  “I competed in Cross Country and placed 3rd on the team at the Sectional Meet. I also played Basketball and switched between the A and B team. I did Track as well and barely broke 6 minutes in the mile.”;    Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played Soccer since I was in Kindergarten until 8th grade. I also played Rec Basketball and played Tennis for most of my life.”

Sam is the proud son of Jodi and Mark Mosbarger.  He is also the proud “Baby Bro” to Olivia who is a current Junior at Colorado State University.

Here are Sam’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  SCHOOL CLUBS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN: “Ping Pong Club, Cross Country, Tennis, NHS, Steel Drums”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Cane’s bread”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “McFarland USA”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Tyler Childers”….here is what a Google Search had to say about Tyler:  “Timothy Tyler Childers is an American singer and songwriter. His music is a mix of neotraditional country, bluegrass, and folk. He released his breakout studio album Purgatory in August 2017. Childers has released six studio albums and a number of EPs and singles.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Dylan Gehl.”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”There is no secret, work harder” -Unknown;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I always knew I was good at running, and a lot of guys on my Soccer team had already done Cross Country so I decided to give it a shot.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Listen to your body!  Also, you need to commit.  No one can make you get up and get better but yourself and the only way that can happen is if you put hard work into workouts.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Aidan Bries, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Junior Dylan Gehl, Junior Christian Haney, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, and Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS 10TH AT 73 TEAM FIRST TO THE FINISH INVITE

Pictured are 9 of the 10 Leafs who raced along with Coach Ehlert and Coach Brown.
Row 1:  Christian Haney, Kaden Elmer, Dylan Gehl, Rylan Lambert, Row 2:  Todd Ehlert,
Jack Kreiss, Sam Mosbarger, Jaxson Sottos, Max Johnson, Aidan Bries, Jeff Brown.

GEHL, MOSBARGER, & SOTTOS LEAD LEAFS WITH BIG EFFORTS

On Saturday, September 9th, the Leafs traveled to Peoria’s Historic Deweiller Park to participate in the First to the Finish Invitational.  The meet is one of the largest cross-country invitational in the nation.  There were 73 teams entered in the Class 2A Division alone.  There were also races in both the 1A and 3A Divisions.  The 1A races were unlimited allowing for each team to race their entire team.  The 2A and 3A races are limited to each team’s Top 10 runners.  At the end of the meet there was both a girls and boys Open Division which offered a race opportunity to the athletes who hadn’t raced yet.  We chose to only race our Top 10 in the 2A race.  In the past, we have had athletes suffer both physical and/or psychological injures in the race because of how many runners were in each Open Race.  Thus, Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert elected to not participate in the Open Race.  All non-racing team members were encouraged to still attend the meet and support their team.  In addition, they would get the chance to gain some “Detweiller Park Magic”. The numbers for the meet are simply astounding.  There were close to 200 girls AND boys teams in attendance.  It was estimated that close to 6,000 total runners “Toed da Line”.  There were 73 boys teams entered in the 2A Boys race alone.  Not every team ran the allotted 10-man team but if they had, that would have resulted in 730 runners in that race alone.  Each team will be hopeful of a return trip to the park come the first Saturday in November to participate in the IHSA STATE FINALS.  The bottom line is the fact that there is something VERY SPECIAL about this place. 

Before discussing the race, I would like to note the fact that the Detweiller Park Top 25’s (GHS Runner Rankings Overall and by Class) is the closest thing that we have to a true history of the sport for Geneseso High School.  Most of the courses that we race on have been changed over the years resulting in the current lists for the courses only going back a relatively short period of time.  The Detweiller Park lists go all the way back to the early 1970’s.  Geneseo has a proud history in distance running and it is on full display there.  The fact that FOUR members of the 2023 team joined the lists is impressive.  Remember, it is still early September.  I am already “Drooling” for the State Finals in November.

On to the race.  The Leafs entered the meet currently “Ranked” 10th in the State for 2A by Illinois Mile Split.  Early season rankings don’t mean a whole lot but it is a nice sign of respect for the team by the media.  The boys have been working hard and are having a great season to date. 

The Leafs’ Top Harrier all season long, Junior Dylan Gehl, ran the Cross Country race of his life.  He raced to 7th Place OVERALL and was “Clocked” in 15:04 for a season best time.  That is the 5th fastest time for a Geneseo Boy on the course and is the 2nd fastest time ever for a GHS Junior (behind Dan Chenoweth’s 15:02).  GREAT JOB, DYLAN!  “Cheno’s” Junior Class Record is nervous for a VERY good reason.  Look for Dylan to make a run at the GHS SCHOOL Record come November.

Finishing second for the Leafs was Senior Captain Sam Mosbarger who sprinted home in 41st place, earning a Top 50 Finisher Medal.  His time was a lifetime best of 15:45 which was a huge personal best for him.  His time also “Cracked” the Top 25 Individual List (17th.)  He also established himself as the 13th fastest Senior Individual in GHS History for the course.  Sam was the 28th fastest Senior on the day in the 2A race.  He ran the race of his life and continues to improve on a weekly basis.  Great Job, Sam.  A sub 15:30 or faster on the course appear to be a realistic goal come November.  The best way to lead is via example and you do it well on a daily basis.  Keep “Dreaming Big”.

Sophomore Jaxson Sottos was the next finisher for the Leafs and he also had a HUGE Race.  He barely missed a medal via his 52nd place finish.  Jaxson’s time was impressive as he dipped under the elusive 16:00 barrier for the first time.  He was “Clocked” in a fast 15:55 and he also joined the All-Time Top 25 Individual List (tied for 25th.)  In addition, he is currently the 7th fastest Sophomore in GHS History for the Detweiller Course.  Look for Jaxson to take a LOT of time off that when November rolls around and the Leafs are “Dancing at Detweiller” (AKA….racing in the State Finals.)

Junior Max Johnson was the fourth finisher for the Leafs and he sprinted home next in 110th place.  Max was timed in 16:36 for a season best time and averaged 5:32 per mile.  It takes al least a time of 16:02 to “Crack” the Junior Top 25 Individual List.  Look for Max to make that happen the next time he is in Peoria.  I wouldn’t be against the “Big Yohanson”.  Max was the 26th fastest Junior on the day in the 2A race.  Way to Roll.

Sophomore Kaden Elmer was the next Maple Leaf to cross the finish line.  He sprinted home in 174th place and “Stopped the Clock” at 174st place.  Kaden ran a season best time of 17:06 which improved his previous best time by 26 seconds.  He was also just the 31st Sophomore to cross the finish line on the day in the 2A Boys Race.  The time 16:42 is sitting at 25th on the Sophomore Individual List for a GHS Runner on the Detweiller Course.  Look for Kaden to make a  serious run at “Cracking” that list come November.

Sophomore Aidan Bries sprinted home next for the Leafs.  Aidan is still dealing with a painful case of Osgood-Schlatter’s that has resulted from him growing a LOT in the last year.  The boy is getting TALL.  Anyway, he has ddiscovere the “Magic” of Icing and is rapidly regaining his fitness.  He is improving like CRAZY.  Aidan placed 206th in the race and “Stopped the Clock” at a season best of 18:20.  Look for Aidan to also make a serious run at the Sophomore Detweiller Top 25 List come November.  Keep it rolling, Aidan.

Freshman Phenom Jack Kreiss was the Leafs’ next finisher and recorded an impressive time of 17:21 which was good enough to move him into the number 17 spot for a GHS Freshman on the Detweiller Course.  Jack was the 23rd Freshman to cross the finish line.  Great Job, Jack.  You are still early in your GHS Running Career and are racing at an extremely high level.  Set your sights on “Cracking” the 17:00 Minute Barrier the next time you race at Detweiller.  Hopefully, that will be this November in the IHSA STATE FINALS. 

The next Leaf finisher was Junior Christian Haney who “Threw Down” a time of 17:46 witch took 21 seconds off of his season best time.  That isn’t an easy assignment in this huge field.  Christian sprinted across the finish line in 254th place.  Great Race, Christian.  You have come a long way since last fall.  We are VERY Proud of you.  Keep up the dedication.  All of those “Right Choices” on and off the athletic field will pay HUGE dividends for you when Championship Meet Season rolls around.

The “Reigning Bell Ringer” was the next Maple Leaf to “Bring It”.  Junior Rylan Lambert sprinted home in a season best time of 18:21 which was good for 320th place.  He improved his personal best time for the season by 24 seconds.  Once again, as I mentioned in Christian Haney’s race….it is HARD to run really Fast in the middle of “The Hornet’s Nest”.  You were in the middle of the fight and we are VERY Proud of you.  Keep up the good work and continue to chase your potential.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing those Dreams up with the dedication and hard work that excellence demands. 

Last, but certainly not least, was Maple Leaf Sophomore Graysen Carlson.  Graysen is a Cross Country “Rookie” and his learning curve has been Extremely Impressive.  Graysen sprinted home in 18:38 which was just off of his season best time of 18:26.  He was also in the middle of an extremely busy weekend that included flying home to leave with the Geneseo High School Marching Band who competed later that day in the Peoria area.  He needed to head home right after his race so he could join the bands pre-competion preparation.  This young man is one to keep your eyes on.  Very few people have any idea who he is.  I predict that will change as he continues to improve during the course of the season.  We are glad you joined the team.  Keep striving for a Top 7 Sport, Grqysen.  You are a gifted young man who has a VERY cool Grandpa.

When the “Dust had Settled”, the Leafs had placed 10th in the 73 team field.  Great Job, Men.  This was an “Early Season” “Snap Shot” of where you are currently at as a team.  The best part is you are only going to keep getting better.  We need EVERY Man to do his best to contribute to the team on a daily basis.  “Together You CAN”.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and paying the price that excellence DEMANDS.  Great Efforts.  Also, a special “Shout Out” to the teammates who were NOT alternates but came to support their team anyway.  You made a difference by being there.  Keep up the Great Job, Leafs.

DETWEILLER PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

RYLAN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Junior Rylan Lambert who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

RYLAN LAMBERT SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Rylan Lambert was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, August 30th through Tuesday, September 5th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the 46th Annual Galesburg Silver Streak Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, September 2nd.  Rylan ran a tremendous race.  He was timed in 18:45 which was good for 51st in the powerful field.  Rylan “Cracked” the Maple Leaf’s Top 10 to qualify for next weekend’s meet.  In that meet, the Leafs race only their Top 10 Runners at the First to the Finish Invitational in Peoria.  The meet is held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  That site also serves as the host the the STATE FINALS held the first Saturday in November.  More on that later. 

Rylan is having another strong season for the Maple Leafs.  He has earned Varsity Letters each and every season in both Cross County and Track and Field since he entered GHS.  Way to go, “Little Lambo”.  His work ethic is outstanding as he brings a powerul dose of both Passion & Purpose to practice and races on a daily basis.  He is a total team man who is highly respected by both his teammates and coaches.  Rylan opened his season at the Leafs’ Rust Buster which was held at Geneseo’s rugged Richmond Hill Park Course.  Rylan raced to 10th place overall and was the team’s 10th man.  He was timed in 12:35 for the challenging 3K course.  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational.  The meet was held at The Midlands Golf Course (aka…Kewanee Dunes) and he ran a quick 19:00 which placed him 33rd overall.  Rylan held his team rank as he was the 10th Maple Leaf to cross the finish line.  Way to Roll, Rylan.  Keep up the good work.

Rylan has also done a great job of mixing his racing and striving for his optimal races while still being an impactful leader on the team.  That isn’t an easy assignment for someone in the middle of “The Hornet’s Nest”.  Rylan can always be observed encouraging his teammates while working hard himself.  He is a “Selfless” young man.  That is something that we hope each and every team member will develop into .  The opposite of that is a “Selfish” person who only cares about himself.  That is a cancerous element that causes nothing but trouble for any team.  We are VERY Proud of you, Rylan.  We wish you all the best in the coming weeks of this season and beyond that.  You are a Special Young Man and it is a TRUE honor to serve as one of your coaches.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing those dreams up with the Commitment that Excellence DEMANDS.

Here is what Rylan had to say about his Athletic History:  11th Grade:  “I just ran the best race of my life at the Galesburg Inv. where I was 10th man and was timed in 18:45.  My goals for the season include going sub 18:00 and then going after a sub 17:00 clocking.”;  10th Grade:  “I earned a Varsity Letter in both Cross Country & Track and Field.  I clocked a 2:16 in the 800 Meter Run and 5:25 in the 1600.”;  9th Grade:  “I earned my Varsity Letters in both XC and Track & Field.  I was a middle distance runner in Track.”;    8th Grade:  “COVID-19 restricted our practice schedule to only two days each week.  It was better than nothing but we needed more work.  The girls and boys practiced on opposite days with no practice on Fridays.  I also ran Track & Field.”;  7th Grade:.  “I ran Cross Country for the first time and had fun.  I was also joined the Track and Field team but unfortunately, the season was ended due to COVID-19 the day before our first meet”.;    Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played a variety of sports which included Baseball (short stop), Basketball, Soccer, and Swimming.”

Rylan is the proud son of MacKenzie & Korey Lambert.

Here are Rylan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Little Lambo”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “PBJ”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Spider-Man:  Across the Spider-Verse”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rap/RNB”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “My Dad Korey Lambert.”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”Float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee”…=Muhammad Ali;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I decided to join the Cross Country team because I tried it in middle school and just instantly fell in love with it.  There is something about this sport that just felt so different from the rest and it really resonated with me.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “This is a great sport to put your body and mind to the test, to push yourself and your teammates to be better than you were the day before, and to really get to know the people around you.  It can be challenging at times, but remember, NO BALLS NO GLORY!!!  Being a part of the team is an experience that you will never forget”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Alex Aleman, Junior Shane Bagby, Sophomore Aidan Bries, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Junior Dylan Gehl, , Junior Christian Haney, Senior Austin Hull, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Micah Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Sophomore Jaxson Sottos, Junior Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS CLAIM SILVER STREAK BRONZE

Pictured are both the Varsity & F/S Squads.  Each team placed 3rd in the strong fields to earn team trophies.
Individuals earning medals are in the front row.  Jack Kreiss, Jaxson Sottos, Aidan Bries,
Sam Mosbarger, Dylan Gehl, Max Johnson, & Kaden Elmer

LEAFS RUN STRONG AT 46TH ANNUAL GALESBURG INV.

On Saturday, September 2nd, the Leafs traveled to Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park to participate in the 46th Annual Silver Streak Cross Country Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Abingdon-Avon, Annawan-Wethersfield, Dunalp, East Peoria, Fort Madison, Galesburg, Geneseo, Knoxville, Macomb, Metamora, Morton, Normal West, Peoria Notre Dame, Ridegewood, ROWVA/Wlliamsfield, Sterling, United Township, and United (Monmouth).

The weather was a bit warm but not too bad considering that is was the first weekend in September.  The daytime high was 89˚ with racing temperatures of 78˚ for the Varsity Boys and 82˚ for the F/S Boys.  Individual medals were awarded to the Top 30 in the Varsity Race and Top 20 in the F/S Race.  In addition, trophies were awarded to the Top 3 teams in each race.

Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert chose to run all of our team’s freshmen and sophomores in the F/S race.  That meant that some of the team’s “Top 7” runners were not racing the Varsity Race.  I applaud his decision.  We have always run the “Young Guns” “down” in meets that offer F/S level competition.  The positives simply outweigh the negatives.  More team potential Varsity Top 7 runners are put in “Scoring” positions as a result of this decision.  The only exception was due to a marching band conflict that necessitated running all of those athetes in the Varsity Race which happened to be run first.  

Back to the action.  The Varsity Boys race started at 9:40 a.m.  Geneseo Junior Dylan Gehl followed Coach Ehlert’s instructions of “Hanging with Dale” as long as he could.  He was referring to Sterling Senior Dale Johnson who placed 2nd in the 2A STATE MEET last fall.  He also ran 9:07 last spring during the track season.  The twosome rolled through the mile in 4:49.  Dale started to pull away from Dylan after that but Dylan demonstrated a LOT of guts to go out that hard.  He ended up running 15:37 which destroyed the GHS School Record for the course by almost a minute.  The old record was set by William Plumley who was clocked in 16:30 back in 2019.  Dylan ended up a mere 21 seconds behind Dale.  Way to Go, Dylan.  Next up was Senior Sam Mosbarger who sprinted home in 8th place and also was timed under the Old School Record.  Sam established a NEW GHS Record for Seniors.  His time was 16:29.  Also claiming a “Top 30” Finisher Medal was Junior Max Johnson.  Max was timed in 16:45 which is now the 6th fastest time ever on the course for a GHS Junior.  Rounding out the Varsity Teams’ Top 5 Scorers were Junior Christian Haney (44th Place in 18:18…..13th Fastest Junior in GHS History for the Course), and Sophomore “Rookie” Graysen Carlson (46th Place in 18:26…..18th Fastest Sophomore in GHS History for the Course).

Not far behind were:  Junior Rylan Lambert (51st Place in 18:45…..15th Fastest Junior in GHS History for the Course), Senior Austin Hull (56th place in 19:08….#19 Senior in GHS History for the Course), Sophomore “Rookie” Matthew Darnall (72nd Place in 19:50…..#23 Sophomore in GHS History for the Course), Junior Jacob Taylor (74th Place in 19:51…..#19 Junior in GHS History for the Course), Junior “Rookie” Shane Bagby (106th Place in 21:39), Junior Mason Anderson (108th Place in 21:41), Freshman Connor Runty (113th Place in 22:21, Junior Zach Meier (123rd Place in 22:37), Senior Ryley Rowold (124th Place in 22:47), Senior Tyson Duda (135th Place in 23:47), Freshman Jacob Berry (138th Place in 24:31), and Junior Camden Baumgardner (141st Place in 25:20.)  When the team scores were tallied, the Leafs found themselves winning the 3rd Place Trophy behind Morton (36 points) and Sterling (93 Points.)  The Leafs scored 111 Points.  Great Job, Men.

The F/S Boys race started at 11:00 a.m. and Geneseo Sophomore Jaxson Sottos “Stormed” to a large lead after the “Starters Gun”.  Shortly after the mid point of the race (Noah Harris) Morton’s Top Freshmen joined him and the duo ended up racing the rest of the way.  In the end, Jaxson outsprinted him and won the first race of his life.  In a MAJOR Invitational.  Way to Go, Jaxson!  His time was barely off the old GHS School Record of 16:30.  Jaxson “Clocked” a quick 16:36 which established a New GHS Sophomore School Record for the Course.  Not far behind were;  Sophomore Kaden Elmer (10th Place in 17:44…..#9 Sophomore in GHS History for the Course), Freshman Jack Kreiss (13th Place in 18:00…..#3 Freshmen in GHS History for the Course), and Sophomore Aidan Bries (18th Place in 18:20…..#15 Sophomore in GHS History for the Course).  Each man earned a Highly Prized “Top 20 Finisher Medal” for the Race.  Freshman Micah Johnson closed the GHS Scoring with his 37th Place finish.  He was timed in 19:20 (#13 Freshmen in GHS History for the Course). 

Not far behind were:  Sophomore Calvin Bell (69th place in 21:36), Freshman Alex Aleman (95th Place in 25:49), and Sophomore “Rookie” Rafa Uguina (101st Place in 27:45).  When the team scores were tabulated, the Leafs found themselves winning another Team Trophy as they placed 3rd overall.  The Leafs scored 79 points which was barely behind First Place Peoria Notre Dame (70 Points), and Second Place Morton (74 Points).  If there hadn’t been a Marching Band Conflict, the Leafs would have Won easily.  No worries….we are glad that those athletes were able to participate in both activities but it is still fun to “Plug” their Varsity Race times into the F/S Race.  Great Job, Men.  Congratulations on a great day.

In fact, Congratulations on a GREAT WEEK.  The team raced on Monday at the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational (They WON) and then had a Heavy workout at Richmond Hill Park on Wednesday.  The fact that they ran as well as they did after all that is pretty impressive to put it mildly.  Great Job, Men.  Keep making smart choices.  The cooler weather is coming and everyone on the team will be running personal bests on a regular basis in the coming weeks.  It is fun to keep improving.  See how far each of you can test yourselves.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing it up with the Hard Work that Excellence Demands.  We are VERY proud of each and everyone of you.

LAKE STOREY COURSE TOP 25’s

RESULTS

RAFA “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Rafa Uguina who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

RAFA UGUINA SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Rafa Uguina was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” ran from Wednesday, August 17th through Tuesday, August 29th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the annual Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Kewanee’s Midland Golf Course (also referred to as Kewanee Dunes.)  The meet was held on Monday, August 28th.  Rafa put forth a tremendous effort that saw him “Stop the Clock” at 28:50.  In the process, he won a spirited battle with another runner over the final 400 meters of the course.  The entire boys team (and many of the girls) were there to witness his effort and encourage him along the way.  Way to Go, Rafa!  GREAT RACE!

Rafa’s journey to become a member of the Geneseo High School Cross Country Team is unlike any I have ever witnessed.  Rafa is from Spain and is a Foreign Exchange Student.  He had only been in the U.S. for a few days when he joined our team.  Rafa and his host family (more on them later) discussed how he might become more involved in a school activity and gain a deeper experience.  The amazing thing is he chose Cross Country without having ever run distance in his past.  That is a very unusual choice but he is a very special young man.  I mean that in the most complimentary way.  His grasp of the English language is quite impressive.  So are his manners.  He is a humble young man with a tremendous work ethic.  Jumping into the season with ZERO preparation isn’t an  easy task.  We are trying to be careful with his training and racing.  We honestly weren’t sure if he could run the entire 3 mile race let alone race it.  We told him that he could stop at either one or two miles and then try to go farther in the next race.  I did offer him a sports drink on me if he could accomplish the goal in his first try.  He not only finished but RACED.  We are VERY proud of him.  Our team is also lucky he chose Cross Country.  It is going to be a LOT of fun watching him improve during the course of the season.  All the best, Rafa.  There are no bad reasons for joining this team.  We hope that this decision will be one that you will treasure before you return to Spain.  We also feel confident that you will make a LOT of new friends along the way.

Here is what Rafa had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “I am Currently running Cross Country.  Not sure what I will participate in the rest of the school year”.  9th Grade:  “Same as in 8th grade (Volleyball) but we actually started improving and played more time.”  8th Grade:  “It was almost the same as in 7th grade, but now I switched to Volleyball. My friends and I played everyday after school but not as part of a team, just for fun.”  7th Grade:.  “I played Basketball, but not as part of a team, I just played with my friends most days of the week.  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I used to do Judo until I was 7, but after that I didn’t do anything more. I just stayed at my house doing nothing”.

Rafe is the proud son of Rafael Uguina and Maria Cuevas.  He is also the “Proud Baby Bro” of Ana Uguina  (Freshman at University of Illinois (UIUC.).  He is also the proud guest of Jared and Stephanie Wexell who are the parents of his host family.  Their family includes:  Jayden Wexell (9th grade), Peyton Wexell (6th grade), Grayson Wexell (3rd grade), and Jocelyn Wexell (Kindergarten.)

Here are Rafa’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Rafa…his real name is Rafael”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Tortilla de patata ( Spanish omelet )”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “The Hunger Games (All 3 movies)”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I don’t have any favorite genre, I listen to almost all kinds of music.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Carlos Alcaraz. He is my athletic hero because at his young age he has won a lot of important awards and done so many significant things.:  Here is what Google had to say about him .  . . Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (Born 5 May 2003) is a Spanish professional Tennis player. He is ranked as the world No. 1 in men’s singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Alcaraz has won twelve ATP Tour-level singles titles, including two major titles (at the 2022 US Open and 2023 Wimbledon Championships) and four Masters 1000 titles. Following his win at the 2022 US Open, Alcaraz became the youngest man and the first teenager in the Open Era to top the singles rankings, at 19 years, 4 months, and 6 days old.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”You don’t need to be amazing to start but you need to start to be amazing”;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “One of my goals of coming to the U.S was to try new things I would never do in Spain. When I got here I started looking at the sports available for this season. Since running was one of those things I’d never do in Spain I decided to give it a try. I wasn’t sure if I was gonna like it but once I got to the first practice and saw everyone cheering you up even if you weren’t doing as good as them, I knew that I was going to enjoy it.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “I have been doing Cross Country for barely 2 weeks so there isn’t much I can share, but one thing I’ve learned is that even if it hurts, you should push as hard as you can every time.  It may feel bad for 10 minutes when you are running, but the feeling after finishing the race and seeing that you have improved is one of the best things of this sport. This will make you want to push harder each race.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Junior Shane Bagby, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Sophomore Matthew Darnall, Junior Dylan Gehl, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Freshman Micah Johnson, Junior Christian Haney, Senior Austin Hull, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS OPEN SEASON WITH A-W TITAN GOLD

Pictured are the Team Champions of the Titan XC Invite.  The medal winners (Top 20) are in the first row.

On Monday, August 27th, the Leafs traveled to Kewanee’s Midland Golf Club (aka…Kewanee Dunes) to participate in the annual Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational.  The meet is held on a golf course which offered a “fast track”.  Usually, this meet battles brutal late August high temperatures and a high dew point.  This year we got lucky.  Just a few days ago, the “Heat Index” read 120˚.  The daytime high for Monday was 80˚ with a Dew Point of 56˚.  It was still warm but for late August is was AWESOME.  The meet includes mostly Class 1A schools with Galesburg and Geneseo being the two exceptions.  We greatly appreciate being allowed to participate in this meet.  Head Annawan-Wethersfield Coach Creston Fenn is more than just a great coach.  He is also a friend. 

The field included teams from:  Aledo (Mercer County), Annawan-Wethersfield, Cambridge, Galesburg, Galva, Geneseo, Monmouth-Roseville, Orion, Port Byron (RIverdale), Princeville, Rock Island (Alleman), ROWA (Williamsfield), Sherrard, and Toulon (Stark County).  Some of these teams didn’t show up in the team scores because they weren’t able to field a scoring team (minimum 5 runners).  There was a LOT of talent on display in both the girls race and the boys race (one of each).  They did add a 1 1/2 mile COED Open Race this year but all of the Geneseo runners (Girls and Boys) ran in the Varsity Race.  The Varsity Girls Race started at 4:20 p.m. with the Varsity Boys Race starting at 5:00 p.m.  Individual Medals were awarded to the Top 20 Finishers in each race while Team Plaques were awarded to the Top 3 teams.  The racing distance was 3 miles.

The Maple Leafs put 7 runners in the Top 20 (Medals) to win the meet going away.  They scored a miniscule 38 points to outdistance the Riverdale Rams by 33 points (71)  Princeville placed 3rd with 103 points.  Ten teams fielded scoring teams.  Leading the way for the Leafs was Junior Dylan Gehl who destroyed the Geneseo School Record for the course by Gavin Allison (17:06 in 2021) with a tremendous time of 15:24.  He took off 1:42 seconds off Gavin’s time.  He also won the race by almost a minute (56 seconds.)  Way to roll “Big Horse”!  Sophomore Jaxson Sottos (3nd in 16:33) and Senior Sam Mosbarger (16:41) also bested the previous school best on the course and established new Geneseo Class Records in the process.  What a start to the meet.  Three guys in the Top 5!  Not far behind were Sophomore Kaden Elmer (14th Place in 17:31) and Junior Max Johnson (15th Place in 17:32) to close the Geneseo scoring.  That’s five guys in the Top 15 in case you are wondering.  Kaden is now the 2nd fastest sophomore on the course while Max moved into the number 4 Junior spot.  Rounding out the Maple Leafs’ Top 7 were Freshman Jack Kreiss (17th Place in 17:42) and Junior Christian Haney (20th Place in 18:07.)  Jack established a new GHS Freshman Class Record while Christian moved into the number 6 Junior in GHS History for the course.  SEVEN Maple Leafs earned a hignly prized Top 20 Finisher Medal.  Great Job, Men!

Not far behind were:  Sophomore Aidan Bries (23rd Place in 18:31), Sophomore “Rookie” Graysen Carlson (29th Place in 18:53), Junior Rylan Lambert (33rd Place in 19:00) and Freshman Micah Johnson (35th Place in 19:17.)  Each man “Cracked the Top 40.  Aidan now sits as GHS’s 7th fastest Sophomore while Graysen (#9 Sophomore), Rylan (#9 Junior), and Micah #5 Freshmen) joined in on the “Rewriting” of the Top 25 Lists for this meet.  Great Job, Men.  The great races just kept coming.  Senior Austin Hull (45th Place in 19:37…..#11 Senior on “da List”), Junior Jacob Taylor (61st Place in 20:36…..#10 Junior on “da List”), Sophomore “Rookie” Matthew Darnall (66th Place in 21:07…..#13 Sophomore on “da List”), Sophomore Calvin Bell (68th Place in 21:11…..#14 Sophomore on “da List”.  That rounds out the Maple Leaf’s Top 15 Runners.  Great Races by EVERY MAN!

But wait….the fun kept on coming.  Up next was Junior “Rookie” Shane Bagby (72nd Place in 21:41…..#14 Junior on “da List”), Freshman Connor Runty (76th Place in 22:16…..12th place on “da List”), Junior Mason Anderson (78th Place in 22:25…..#17 Junior on “da List), Junior Zach Meier (89th Place in 23:34…..#20 Junior on the GHS List), Ryley Rowold (93rd Place in 24:01…..#17 Senior on “da List”), Junior Guage Damewood (95th Place in 24:28…..#21 Junior on “da List”), Senior Tyson Duda (100th Place in 25:19….#19 Senior on “da List”), Freshman Jacob Berry (110th Place in 27:53…..#19 Freshmen on “da List”), Junior Camden Baumgardner (111th Place in 27:54…..#23 Junior on “da List), and Sophomore “Rookie” Rafa Uguina (114th Place in 28:50 (#24 Junior on “da List”. 

If I counted correctly, EVERY SINGLE MAN that was able to race “Cracked” at least, the appropriate Genese High School Class Top 25 List for thin the race.  That is simply AMAZING.  Great Job of “Stepping Up”, Men!  Now, the first race of the season is “In the Bank”.  Use every practice and race to help you to keep improving.  It is going to be a LOT of fun to see how each of you can progress during the course of the season.  We are extremely proud of ALL OF YOU.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the hard work and smart choices to make those dreams come to fruition.  All the Best, Men.

TITAN INVITE TOP 25’s

RESULTS

MOLINE SEASON OPENER WB-6 XC INVITE

MEET CANCELED DUE TO EXTREME HEAT

RECORD BREAKERS

Pictured are the eight team members who “Cracked” the “Rust Buster” “All-Time” Top 25 lists.
Pictured are Sam Mosbarger, Jack Kreiss, Dylan Gehl, Max Johnson, Christian Haney, Kaden Elmer, & Jaxson Sottos..

LEAFS “RUN WILD” AT 2023 “RUST BUSTER” TIME TRIAL

On Tuesday, August 15th, the Leafs held their annual “Rust Buster” Time Trial.  Both the Boys and Girls team raced over the 3,000 meter course.  The middle school team joined in the the fun also and raced over the final mile of the course.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  The temperature at race time (6:00 pm) was 75˚ with a low dew point.  Needless to say, those are rare weather conditions for August in “The Land of Lincoln”.  The team took advantage of the great weather conditions.

Head Boys Coach Todd Ehlert and Head Girls Coach Aaron Skopek elected not to use any type of handicap system and to start all of the high school athletes together.  Ditto for the middle school teams.  The boys team grabbed the Top Ten places followed by Freshman Brooklyn Smith who established a new girls course record herself.  Leading the way for the Maple Leafs was Junior Dylan Gehl who took FIFTY SECONDS off the old course record of 10:44 run by Gavin Allison in 2021.  He was timed in a quick 9:56 for the challenging 3,000 meter Richmond Hill Course.  His time was also a new Junior Class Record.  Up next were:  Sophomore Jaxson Sottos (2nd Place in 10:22), Junior Max Johnson (3rd Place in 10:25), and Senior Sam Mosbarger (4th Place in 10:28.)  Each man smashed Gavin’s old course record and they were separated by a mere 6 seconds.  Each man also established a new Class Record (except for Max who is now number two behind Dylan.)  Way to roll, Men!  Rounding out the team’s “Top 7” were:  Sophomore Kaden Elmer (5th Place in 10:57), Freshman Jack Kreiss (6th Place in 11:16), and Junior Christian Haney (7th Place in 11:29.)  Great running, Men.  Kaden is now the 3rd fastest Sophomore ever for the race, while Jack established a NEW Freshmen class record.  Christian is now the 9th fastest Junior in school history for the race.  GREAT STUFF, MEN!

Up next were:  Freshman Micah Johnson (8th Place in 11:53), Sophomore Aidan Bries (9th Place in 12:20), and Junior Rylan Lambert (10th Place in 12:35.)  Micah is now the 6th Fastest Freshmen while Aidan recorded the 15th Fastest Sophomore time for the race.  Rylan also “Cracked the Top 25 list for Juniors with the 17th fastest time ever for the race.  Up next was the surprise of the meet for me.  Never having run cross country before Sophomore Graysen Carlson decided to race after joining the team THAT DAY! He chose to not just show up and watch but actually RACE.  RACE HE DID!  He was the Leafs’ 11th finisher on the day and was timed in 13:05 (18th fastest Sophomore ever for the race.)  Simply AMAZING STUFF.  Rounding out the team’s “Top 14” runners were:  Senior Austin Hull (12th Man in 13:23…..18th fastest Senior), Junior Jacob Taylor (13th Man in 13:55…..good for 25th on the Junior List), and Junior “Rookie” Shane Bagby (14th Man in 14:05….just missed making the list.)  Way to Race, Men!!!

Rounding out the team’s efforts were:  Junior Mason Anderson (15th Man in 14:17), Sophomore Matthew Darnall (16th Man in 14:18), Sophomore Calvin Bell (17th Man in 14:26), Freshman Connor Runty (18th Man in 14:27), Junior Zach Meier (19th Man in 15:08), Senior Ryley Rowold (20th Man in 15:28), Freshman Jacob Berry (21st Man in 15:34), Senior Tyson Duda (22nd Man in 15:52), Junior Guage Damewood (also a “Rookie”….23rd Man in 16:30), and Junior Camden Baumgardner (24th Man in 17:10).

We are very proud of each man who was able to “Toe da Line”.  One of the things I love the most about this sport is we don’t “Pick Starters”.  EVERYONE is a STARTER.  No one has to sit out while others see action.  Carpe Diem.  Also, this team has a plethora of talented guys who have “Bought In”.  Bringing with them a power dose of both Passion and Purpose.  Keep Dreaming BIG and backing those dreams up with the hard work and smart decisions that are needed to make those dreams come to fruition.  Every single member of this team has the potential to be “The Difference Maker”.  Try and contribute to the goal of maximizing each athlete’s potential this season and beyond.  All the best, Men.  You are in for quite a journey.  Don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

RUST BUSTER TOP 25’s

RESULTS

CHRISTIAN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Junior Christian Haney who was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”

CHRISTIAN HANEY SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Christian Haney was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior team leaders and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” included the entire summer and the time since the season opened on Monday, August 7th through Tuesday, August 15th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in their “Rust Buster”.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  Christian had a “Breakout Race” that saw him cover the rugged 3,000 meter course in 11:29 (9th fastest Junior on the course EVER) and “Cracked” the Maple Leafs VARSITY Top 7 for the first time.  Christian was also a regular at summer training runs.  Way to Go, Christian.  What a great start to your season.

Christian is one of the most dedicated athletes on the GHS team.  A brings a powerful dose of “Passion & Purpose” to practice and meets on a daily basis.  He also posseses a delightful smile that literally “Lights up the room” when he enters.  His teammates also think the world of him and he received a LOT of “High Fives” following his big race on Tuesday.  Christian has battled intestinal issues and other “issues” ever since he decided to become a distance runner Freshman year.  He as invested a plethora of effort and watching him “Kick the door down” as he broke through to a new level was especially rewarding to watch.  The more a person invests in the pursuit of excellence the more satisfaction they experience along the way.

So what’s next?  Keep paying the dues that excellence demands.  Now that you have found your confidence, you can keep “Pushing the envelope” as you continue your meteoric rise.  The invitational part of the season starts on Monday in the Moline WB-6 Season Opener Invitational.  Get ready to keep moving up.  Get out conservatively and then “Move at the Mile”.  You had a tremendous Track season and you are building upon that.  Sub 5 for the 1600 last spring was for real.  Just keep telling that “Little Man” to SHUT UP and push on through.  We are VERY proud of you.  All the best in the coming weeks.  The team goals of contending for the WB-6 Conference Title and a return trip to the State Finals in November are realistic.  You are in a great position to help make those goals come to fruition.  Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.   

Here is what Christian had to say about his Athletic History:  11th Grade:  “Just to recap the summer, I’m in the best shape of my life currently. I’ve been tackling the mental part of running so far. I’m starting to understand it doesn’t matter how fast I’m going, it’s about how much I’m putting into it. So far I have run Detweiller at Dark, The Bix 7, and the Rust Buster. I have finished all 3 races so far, but I’m most proud of the Rust Buster, since it’s the first actual Cross Country “race” I’ve finished.  10th Grade:  With Cross Country starting again I tried to attend all the summer runs and was training harder than I have previously. Somehow my confidence and stomach problems got the better of me during this Cross Country season. I PR’d with a time of 17:46 and was pretty proud of myself until it kinda went downhill again. Once Track season had started, I was in around the same shape at the end of Track season of last year. I started off with 5:20 for the mile but somehow ran 11:06 for the 2 mile opening with a 5:22. Confidence issues did get the better of me when the end of the season approached. But overall it was a great experience. I ended the season with a 4:55 mile PR and 10:59 2 mile PR.  9th Grade:  At this point, I started to try and get serious about running and joined Cross Country again. I had the advantage of being taller and lighter than previous years and was naturally better than I was in 7th and 8th grade. I tried to go to all the summer runs and even ran my 2nd ever Bix 7. Cross Country was a bit funky since I ended up getting a hip injury and was out for around a month. I still tried to bike and be active and even started running again once it had passed through. My PR of the season was somehow at Richmond hill in 20:36. Yet again when Track season came around I joined and tried to main the mile and 2 mile. I PR’d with 5:24 in the mile and 11:44 in the 2 mile. I did have some confidence and stomach issues during that time so I didn’t reach my full potential but I gave it what I could”.

8th Grade:  “I ran a total of 1 race since the end of 7th grade and lost most of the fitness I had built up. I ran a few times and ended up gaining a lot of my fitness back. Unfortunately, my Achilles decided to be funny and I got Achilles Tendonitis before the first meet I was supposed to run in. Since it was a weird year due to COVID, I had one more opportunity to run in 1 meet after my tendonitis cleared. I ended up running around 17 minutes for 2 miles which was pretty alright for running 1 practice before that. When Track season came around I jumped on the train and did a whopping 2 events. I did High Jump and the 4×200 since I lost my distance fitness at that point. In the end I was able to go to Sectionals for High Jump”.

7th Grade:  “I haven’t ran a day in my life until I joined Cross Country in 7th grade. I was normally near the very end of the team but I wanted to try to improve on myself. I brought my 2 mile Cross Country time from around 24 minutes down to 16 minutes. I was proud of myself and wanted to continue to improve so I still tried to find opportunities to run. I wanted to go out for Track 7th grade year but then it got canceled 2 weeks later.”.

Prior to 7 th grade:  “I didn’t do anything all day, I just played Minecraft on my tablet.”

Christian is the proud grandson of Candy Haney.  He is also the “Proud Baby Bro” of Isabella (Current GHS 12th Grade).)

Here are Christian’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Don’t have one”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Lasagna”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Spiderman Into the Spiderverse”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Anything that can get me emotional.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Nick Symmonds”:  Here is what Google had to say about him (Nicholas Boone Symmonds is a retired American middle-distance track athlete, from Boise, Idaho, specializing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters distances. Symmonds signed with Brooks Running in January 2014 after a 7-year sponsorship with Nike.)  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”I run around in circles, professionally.” – Nick Symmonds;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “My Grandma suggested it and I was kinda chunky in middle school and did nothing so I wanted to improve on myself but instead I managed to weigh the same amount I did in 7th grade when I entered 9th grade.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “It’s gonna suck, hurt, and give you the occasional diarrhea. In the end let it hurt and put in all the effort you can. And go to the bathroom before you race. If you have to go and you don’t it’s gonna be the worst experience of your life.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Junior Shane Bagby, Sophomore Graysen Carlson, Sophomore Kaden Elmer, Junior Dylan Gehl, Junior Max Johnson, Freshman Micah Johnson, Freshman Jack Kreiss, Junior Rylan Lambert, Senior Sam Mosbarger, Sophomore Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

SENIORS READY TO LEAD

Pictured are Sam Mosbarger, Tyson Duda, Austin Hull, and Ryley Rowold

LAST YEAR’S WEBSITE IS AVAILABLE BELOW FOR VIEWING. 
IT WILL BE DELETED SOON

2022 GENESEO BOYS XC TEAM

Pictured are most of the Maple Leafs’ 2022 Boys Cross Country Team

2022 HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Click on the link listed above.  Coach Ehlert did a great job putting the video together.  A LOT of hours.

LEAFS 23rd in IHSA STATE FINAL

Pictured Aidan Bries, Kaden Elmer, Jaxson Sottos, Cooper Schaad, Max Johnson, Dylan Gehl, & Tyler Gehl
This picture doesn’t truly capture how muddy the course was.

.

“MUD FEST”

This picture DOES.  2A lead pack near the mile.  Racing in muddy conditions is both challenging and a BLAST

LEAFS GAIN VALUABLE STATE FINAL EXPERIENCE

On Saturday, November 5th, the Leafs traveled to Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park to compete in the IHSA STATE FINALS.  The meet schedule for the day was races every hour starting at 9:00 a.m. with the 1A Girls.  The Leafs competed at “High Noon” and the field contained teams from:  Belvidere (North), Bethalto (Civic Memoria), Champaign (Central), Chatham (Glenwood), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chicago (Mather), Chicago (Payton), Crystal Lake (Central), Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge), Deerfield, Dunlap, Geneseo, Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), Grayslake (Central), Lake Villa (Lakes), Marian, Mt. Zion, Morton, Mt. Vernon, Niles (Notre Dame), Normal (Community West), Oak Park (Fenwich), Peoria (Notre Dame), Riverside (R.-Brookfield), Rock Island, Washington, Woodstock, & Vernon Hills.  I checked the weather forecast at 10:00 p.m. on Friday night and it called for the rain to end at 2:00 a.m.  It POURED during the 1A Girls and Boys Races (That’s TWO HOURS!)  As the cold front rolled through the winds then “kicked up” during the rest of the day.  The newspaper stated the next morning that wind gusts were recorded between 30-50 mph during the afternoon.  The 1A races ripped up the course and it was a “Mud Fest” from then on. 

The Leafs traveled to the meet on a Tour Bus organized by Head Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert.  Then they set up a brand new tent that I have “Nicknamed” as the “United Center”…aka the Chicago Bulls home venue.  The thing is HUGE and has a great big GENESEO on it.  Our Booster Club and Athletic Department purchased THREE of them.  They were suggested by Coach Ehlert.  The dude just gets things done.  Way to go, Coach.  A large group of both boys and girls comprised a strong “Hype Squad” and they were EVERYWHERE.  Great job of helping the guys run tough in challenging conditions.  One more thing before I jump into a recap of the race.  The Maple Leafs number three man for most of the season, Junior Sam Mosbarger, unfortunately, rolled his ankle on Tuesday and was unable to race.  ILXCTF predicted the Leafs to finish in 25th place (with Sam.)  The fact that he couldn’t race made that prediction a “Big Ask”. 

The 2A Boys State Championship Race began at “High Noon”.  The boys had their spikes double knotted and were wearing the IHSA Longest allowable 1/2 inch spikes.  The guys got out nicely and it was AWESOME to watch them compete against the State’s Best in “da Mud”. 

Sophomore Dylan Gehl entered the meet hoping to “Crack” the Top 100 Runners and add his name to the Geneseo Honor Roll (Top 100 in the State Finals).  Mission accomplished.  Dylan concluded his Sophomore “Harrier” season by “Roaring” to a 66th place individual finish.  He was timed in 16:44 (times didn’t mean a whole lot due to the nasty footing).  He was the 11th Sophomore to finish in the race.  Dylan’s Sophomore XC season was simply tremendous.  Shortly after finishing the race he was already talking about hitting a strong winter of base work and then hammering Track season.  Then, he said he will be chasing some “All-State” Hardware (Top 25 Finishers).  I wouldn’t bet against him.  Way to go, Dude.

Up next was the Maple Leafs Team Leader Tyler Gehl.  This Senior has separated himself from his peers via his tremendous leadership skills.  He has done a great job both on and off that athletic fields.  I have had the privilege of working with a plethora of tremendous young men and women.  NO ONE has done a better job of providing leadership during that time (several others would be in the same discussion but no superior to him).  Tyler sprinted home in 129th place and was timed in 17:15.  He was the 43rd senior to cross the finish line in the race.  By the way, this was Tyler’s 3rd State Meet Appearance.  It was also his 3rd year on the team.  That is AWESOME!

The next man up for the Leafs was Sophomore Max Johnson.  Max was racing in his first State Meet and the “Big Stage” didn’t even phase him.  He moved up to finish as the Leafs’ 3rd man.  He finished in 161st Place and was timed in 17:35.  He was the 34th Sophomore to finish the race.  Max’s improvement from last year is simply “Jaw-Dropping” AND a LOT of fun to watch.  It has been ongoing during the entire season and he took another big step forward in this race.  Way to roll, Max.

Freshman Jaxson Sottos sprinted home as the Leafs’ 4th Man.  He “Stopped the Clock” at 17:39 (only 4 seconds behind Max) and placed 168th.  He was only the 9th Freshman to cross the finish line.  Way to Go, Jaxson.  Jaxson has “Rocked It” all season long.  He has also improved at an impressive rate ALL SEASON LONG!  I feel pretty certain that Jaxson is going to make some “BIG NOISE” in the IHSA State Meet Level in the coming years.  Keep up the great work, “X-Man”.  Also, please hang onto that amazing smile of yours.  It truly “Lights Up” any room (or area) you enter.  Your work ethic is second to none.

Closing the team’s scoring was Junior Cooper Schaad.  Cooper sprinted home in 192nd place and was timed in 17:59.  Cooper was the 81st Junior to cross the finish line and was the Maple Leafs’ 5th Man on the day.  I sometimes call Cooper “Money” because he ALWAYS delivers when needed.  He posesses an impressive competitive ability to “Bring It” and the team desperately needed him on this day.  He didn’t disappoint.  All the best as you zero in on the Track and Field season and your brother’s GHS School Record in the Pole Vault.  We are sure glad that you are still willing to be such a critical member of the GHS XC Squad too.

Next up was “Super Sub” Kaden Elmer who has served as the team’s “8th Man” during the team’s IHSA Postseason.  We had told him to be ready “Just in Case” something happened to one of the guys.  Well, “opportunity knocked” when Sam, unfortunately rolled his ankle and wasn’t able to race.  Kaden’s State Meet experience took a trip into the surreal when someone stepped on the back of one of his spikes near in the “Horseshoe” 180 turn at 600 meters into the race.  It resulted in his spike leaving his foot and forced him to race the last 2 1/2 miles with only one spike.  He shared that it was a HUGE challenge.  He made the best of the situation and sprinted home in 210th place and was timed in 18:13.  He was the 20th Freshman to cross the finish line.  Way to Go, Kaden.  Oh, is your future bright. 

The final Maple Leaf to cross the finish line was another Freshman.  Aidan Bries sprinted home in 224th Place and was the Leafs’ 7th Man for the day.  He was timed in 18:37 and was the 22nd Freshman to cross the finish line.  He grabbed a Maple Leaf Top 7 Position late in the season and NEVER let go of it.  He has enjoyed a phenomenal season.  He hasn’t been 100% the last couple of meets but put forth his best effort ANYWAY.  We are VERY Proud of you, Aidan.  Your “improvement curve” from the beginning of the summer to now is “Ginormous”.  Way to go, Dude.  You are a critical part of an extremely talented team that possess a PLETHORA of Young Talent.  Heal up and get ready to take the “Next Step”.  I see GREAT Things in your future athletic career.

When the results were posted, the Leafs found themselves in 23rd place.  They were predicted to place 26th . . .  WITH Sam.  To finish 23rd without him was AMAZING!  WAY TO GO MEN!!  Also, in case anyone may have missed the fact that the team raced with only One Senior.  Tyler Gehl who is an amazing dude and will be sorely missed next year for sure . . .  but SERIOUSLY……ONE JUNIOR…..TWO SOPHOMORES….. & THREE FRESHMEN, Are you kidding me.?!  All I can say is WATCH OUT for “da Leafs” in the coming years.

I would also like to throw out a “Great Job” to the “Hype Squad”.  Those of you who chose to attend the meet and support the team knew that it would be an “All Day” commitment.  God Bless You for making that decision.  It was also AWESOME to see several of the Lady Leafs make the trip.  Each of you “Made A Difference” in how the guys ran.

Lastly, Congratulations to Head Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert.  Since the “Ehlert Era” began at the high school level in “G-Town”,  the team has gotten better EVERY Year.  Coach started leading the Leafs in the Fall of 2018 and the team placed 8th at the Sectional Meet (Top 5 Teams qualified that year).  The following year the team placed 7th in the Sectional meet to barely miss qualifying for the State Meet (Top 5 again).  The next year the IHSA Advisory Committee voted to change the qualifying number of teams from 5 to 7 teams.  They reduced the number of sectionals from five to four.  The Leafs placed 5th in the 2020 IHSA Sectional Meet to qualify for the State Meet (which wasn’t held due to COVID-19).  The team was invited to participate in the Shazam Meet where teams were invited to compete.  It wasn’t an official State Meet but it was great that they offered the race.  The Leafs placed 20th in the race.  Last fall, the team placed 7th at the Sectional Meet to qualify again and placed 26th in the IHSA STATE FINALS.  Then, this year, the team placed 3rd in the Sectional Meet to qualify and placed 23rd in the STATE FINALS.  The team has improved EVERY YEAR.  Let’s take a quick look at the past.  The last time the Geneseo Boys Team qualified for the IHSA State Finals was 1999.  Now, the Leafs qualified THREE YEARS IN A ROW!  That isn’t easy to due.  Coach Ehlert has been a part of three IESA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS in both Cross Country and Track & Field.  He has also been a part of 9 State Trophies (Top 4) total during his Geneseo Career.  Coach Ehlert is a tremendous coach and an even better man.  He has only just begun his journey and it is going to be a LOT of fun following the Leafs during under his leadership.  I would NOT bet against him bringing some “State Meet Hardware” back to “G-Town” sometime soon.  The dude is a WINNER who makes it every day an enjoyable experience.  It is a true honor and privilege to still be a part of a program that means a great deal to me.  Thank You, Coach Ehelrt.

So, What’s Next?  Coach Ehlert has issued a challenge to each of you to “Take the next Step”.  To do that you will need to become a runner that trains all year long.  Certainly a few breaks will be needed.  Now is one of those times.  Take a week or two off and then get back after it.  There are road races all year long and they are a great way to stay motivated and get some “Feedback” on the progress that you are making.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing those dreams up with the hard work and dedication that athletic excellence DEMANDS.  God Bless All of You.  Thank you for making recent months come ALIVE with excitement.  It has been a true pleasure to watch each of you improve and grow as both athletes and human beings.  Remember, “It is nice to be great but it is GREAT to be NICE”.  Also, you don’t have to be great to start but you have to START to be GREAT. 

RESULTS

PARADE OF CHAMPIONS

Pictured are the Geneseo Boy’s Cross Country Team before they were honored with the “Parade of Champions”

LEAFS RUN THE HALLS

On Friday, November 4th, the Leafs were honored during ASAP by the entire school.  Each class stood in the hallway as the Leafs jogged throughout the school.  Junior Captain Sam Mosbarger was pushed at the front of the group in a wheel chair after severely spraining his ankle earlier in the week.  The Leafs qualified for the IHSA State Finals last Saturday at the Metamora Sectional Meet.  The State Finals are Saturday, November 5th and will be held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.

This fall has seen Geneseo High School achieve success at the IHSA Level in each and every sport that the school participates.  That is pretty amazing.  The Boys XC Team won their Regional Meet and placed 3rd in their Sectional Meet.  The Lady Leaf Cross Country team advanced all the way to the Sectional Final.  The Girls Tennis team qualified for the Sectional meet and qualified a couple of individuals into the State Meet.  Both the girls and boys Golf teams won their Regional Meets.  Hayden Moore (only a Junior) placed 2nd in the IHSA BOYS STATE FINALS.  The boys Soccer team also won their Regional Championship.  The GHS Football team joined in on the fun and qualified for the State Playoffs.  Congratulations to each of the sports.  Only one team was honored with the “Parade of Champions” and that was the Maple Leafs’ XC Team because that honor is reserved for qualifying for the STATE FINALS.

COOPER & AIDAN “RING THE BELL”

Pictured are Junior Cooper Schaad & Freshman Aidan Bries who were selected as this week’s “Co-Bell Ringer Award Winners”

COOPER SCHAAD & AIDAN BRIES SELECTED
AS “CO-BELL RINGER AWARD WINNERS”

Junior Cooper Schaad and Freshman Aidan Bries were selected as the Season’s Final “Bell Ringer Award Winners”.  They were selected as Co-Recipients.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday during the course of the season.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, October 23rd through the IHSA State Final, held on Saturday, November 5th.  During that time, each man competed in both the IHSA Sectional Meet held at Metamora’s Black Partridge Park held on Saturday, October 29th and the IHSA State Final held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, November 5th.  It took each man a while to return their “Bell Ringer” Questionaire document.  Thus, I am typing this story on Saturday, November 12th.  I will type a season summary for both Cooper and Aidan and include their responses to the “Q’s”.

Cooper has been a “Key Man” for the Maple Leaf Cross Country team ever since he entered Geneseo High School.  Cooper started his racing this season on Tuesday, August 16th when the team held their annual  “Rust Buster”.  Cooper was timed in 11:47 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park’s 3K course and placed 7th overall.  That was the 8th fastest time EVER for a Junior in GHS History on the course.  He then raced in Moline’s Season Opener Invitational which was held at Empire Park on Monday, August 22nd.  Cooper was was timed in 18:30 and was the Leafs’ 6th man on the day.  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational held on Monday, August 29th at Kewanee’s Midlands Golf Course.  Cooper helped lead the Leafs to the Team Title with his 9th place individual finish.  He was timed in 18:20 and earned a “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  His time was good for #3 for the Leafs on the day and the 4th fastest EVER for a GHS Junior on the course.  He then “Toed da Line” on Saturday, September 3rd at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Cooper raced in the Varsity Division and was timed in 17:49.  He was the 3rd fastest Leaf on the day and his time was the 7th fastest for a GHS Junior on the course.  Next up on the schedule was the First to the Finish Invitational held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  Cooper was timed in 17:32 and had the 3rd fastest time for a GHS runner on the day  Next up was a return to the Leafs’ home course on Saturday, September 17th when the team hosted their own invitational.  Sam raced in the Junior-Only Race.  He was timed in 18:54 for the three-mile course and placed 11th overall to win a highly prized “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  Cooper was the 7th Leaf on the day and his time was the 9th fastest for a GHS Junior on the course EVER.  A trip to Sterling’s Hoover Park to race in the Rock River Run Invitational occurred on Saturday, September 24th.  Cooper was timed in 17:34.  He raced in the Varsity Division and had the Leaf’s 5th fastest time on the day.  Up next was a trip to Freeport’s Highland Community College Campus to race in the “Pretzel” Invitational.  Cooper raced in the Varsity Race and was timed in 17:32 for the tricky course.  He won another individual award and helped lead the Team to the Championship.  He was the Leafs’ 5th Man on the day and his time was the 12th Fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the course.  The following week the Leafs traveled to Metamora to participate in the annual Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational held at Back Partridge Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, October 8th.  Cooper was unable to participate due to a scheduled college visit to Purdue University.  He followed that up with another trip back to Hampton’s Empire Park on Thursday, October 13th for the WB-6 Conference Meet.  Despite STRONG Winds and Cold Temperatures, Sam “Blasted” a tremendous time of 17:02 which placed him 25t in the race and helped lead the Leafs to a strong 3rd place team finish.  He was the Leafs’ #5 man on the day and his time was the 3rd fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the Course.  Next up was the Morris Regional Meet which was held at their high school on Saturday, October 29th.  Cooper placed 17th overall and was the Leafs’ 5th Man.  His effort helped lead the team to the REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.  Way to Go, Coop.  A trip back to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park was up next for the IHSA Sectional Meet.  Cooper “Threw Down” another great effort despite a hamstring issue.  He was timed in 17:32 and was the Leafs’ Number 6 man on the day.  His time was the 14th fastest EVER for a GHS Junior on the course.  Cooper then ended his season in the IHSA STATE FINALS on Saturday, November 5th.  The conditions were pretty tough (MUDDY & WINDY.)  Cooper just put his head down and cranked out another great race for “da Leafs”.  He was timed in 17:59 and was the Leafs 5th Man.  Great Job, Cooper.

I will discuss Aidan’s season now.  Aidan opened his high school Cross Country career on Tuesday, August 16th when he raced in the team’s annual  “Rust Buster”.  He was timed in 12:10 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park’s 3K course and placed 8th overall.  That was the 7th fastest time EVER for a Freshman in GHS History on the course.  He then raced in Moline’s Season Opener Invitational which was held at Empire Park on Monday, August 22nd.  Aidan was was timed in 18:59 and was the Leafs’ 8th man on the day.  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational held on Monday, August 29th at Kewanee’s Midlands Golf Course.  Aidan helped the Leafs win the Team Title with his 19th place individual finish.  He was timed in 19:06 and he was the #7 for the Leafs on the day.  His time was the 3rd fastest EVER for a GHS Freshman on the course.  He then “Toed da Line” on Saturday, September 3rd at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Aidan raced in the F/S Division and helped lead the team to the Team Championship.  Aidan placed 19th overall in the race to earn more “Hardware”.  He was timed in 18:59.  He was the 7th fastest for the Leafs on the day and his time was the 11h fastest for a GHS Freshman EVER on the course.  Next up on the schedule was the First to the Finish Invitational held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  Aidan was timed in 18:23 and had the 6th man for the Leafs on the day  Next up was a return to the Leafs’ home course on Saturday, September 17th when the team hosted their own invitational.  Aidan raced in the Freshman-Only Race.  He was timed in 18:54 for the challenging three-mile course and placed 7th overall to win a highly prized “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  Aidan was the 7th Leaf on the day and his time was the 8th fastest for a GHS Freshman on the course EVER.  A trip to Sterling’s Hoover Park to race in the Rock River Run Invitational occurred on Saturday, September 24th.  I think that this was Aidan’s “Biggest Race” of his season.  Aidan was timed in 17:24.  He raced in the F/S Division and helped lead the team to the CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.  He was the Leafs’ 6th man on the day and his time was the good for the 16th fastest time EVER for a GHS Freshman on the course.  Up next was a trip to Freeport’s Highland Community College Campus to race in the “Pretzel” Invitational.  Aidan raced in the Varsity Race and was timed in 18:49 for the winding course.  His effort helped lea the Leafs to the Team Championship.  He was the Leafs’ 9th Man on the day and his time was the 10th Fastest for a GHS Freshman EVER on the course.  The following week the Leafs traveled to Metamora to participate in the annual Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational held at Back Partridge Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, October 8th.  Aidan raced in the F/S Division and was timed in 17:31.  He had the 6th fastest time for a Maple Leaf on the day.  He followed that up with another trip back to Hampton’s Empire Park on Thursday, October 13th for the WB-6 Conference Meet.  Despite STRONG winds and COLD temperatures, Aidan ran a tremendous race and was timed in 17:24.  That moved him all the way up to 2nd place on the All-Time Freshman list for GHS Runners on the course EVER.  He was the Leafs’ #7 man on the day and his place was “Cemented” his position for the IHSA “Post-Season”.  Way to Roll, Aidan.  Next up was the Morris Regional Meet which was held at their high school on Saturday, October 29th.  Aidan placed 32nd overall and was the Leafs 7th Man.  His effort helped the Maple Leafs WIN the REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.  GREAT STUFF, AIDAN!  A trip back to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park was up next for the IHSA Sectional Meet.  Aidan was battling a bit of lingering fatigue issue but gave it everything he had anyway.  He was timed in 17:58  and was the Leafs’ Number 7 man on the day.  His time was the 9th fastest EVER for a GHS Freshman on the course.  His effort helped his teammates qualify for the IHSA State Finals.  What a “Rookie Season”.  Aidan then ended his season in the IHSA STATE FINALS on Saturday, November 5th.  The conditions were brutal (MUDDY & WINDY.)  Aidan was timed in 18:37 and finished as Geneseo’s number 7 runner.  His effort helped the Leafs achieve 23rd as a team.  What a season!!!

Back to Cooper . . . Here is what Cooper had to say about his Athletic History:  11th Grade:  “Again qualified for state on a team of mostly Freshmen.”  That makes me 3 FOR 3.”;  10th Grade:  “In Cross Country our team qualified and competed in the IHSA State Finals.  That was the first time racing at state as a team in over 20 years”.   “Then I decided to join the Wrestling team again and went undefeated in JV and won a couple matches as a Varsity Wrestler. I made it to sectionals after taking two years off.  I thought I had a great season and was pretty impressed.”  “Then came the Track and Field season.  This was a big year for the Pole Vault since it was my brother’s (Malakai) last.  The two of us placed first and second at every single meet that we both participated leading up to the state meet.  At State, I tied for third.  Not too bad for a Sophomore.  My season PR was 15’ 06 1/4″ which was a new GHS Sophomore Class Record.  It also put me up in the top five in the nation.  I also ended up being ranked in the top 50 overall OVERALL in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”  “I also attended to a couple of extra meets in the off-season.  One of which was the Windy City Vault Summit where all the top vaulters from the previous year in the State of Illinois were invited. There were a couple of other meets in Bloomington. I also competed in the Nike Nationals meet in Oregon. There, I got to compete against the best vaulters in the nation. If I had cleared one more height, I would have placed third in the second bracket.  It was an AWESOME experience”.;  9th Grade:  “My Freshman year was a weird year due to COVID-19.  We were  only allowed to compete in mostly dual meets.  We won all of them and qualified for the big meet hosted by a timing company (Shazam Unofficial State Meet).  I earned my Varsity Letter along the way”.  “I didn’t do Wrestling because it interfered with Track and Field (both in the late spring into summer due to COVID-19).  “During the shortened Track season Malakai and I placed First and Second at all meets except for Sectionals. We both qualified for state meet.  I ended up placing 9th and earned “All-State Honors”.  I set a new Freshman School Record by jumping 14 ft as a freshman.”;  8th Grade:  “I still played all three sports this year. I won a couple meets for Cross Country team and went down to state and placed lower than I wanted but still qualified for state.”  “In Wrestling, I destroyed most of my opponents only losing two matches and going into Sectionals and came out only losing three which was good enough to get me to State which ended up being canceled because of COVID-19″.  “Sadly, we lost the whole Track season because of COVID-19.  It was canceled right before our first meet. This was gonna be my year to qualify for State in all of my sports. But I did my best with what I had at home and jumped around 11 ft at the “Schaad Family Family Pole Vaulting Facility” (It is an old pit with a runway my dad built).;  7th Grade:  ‘This was my first year of all three sports XC,Wrestling, and Track.  I started off with Cross Country.  I moved all the way up to the second fastest on the team and was just 7 seconds away from qualifying for State.”  “In Wrestling I had a pretty good season.  I wrestled all the way until the Sectional Meet where I just missed qulifying for State”.   “This was my first year participating in Track and Field.  My favorite event was, surprisingly, the High Jump. I cleared 5’2 as a 7th grader. Eventually, my best event was Pole Vault which was a close second as my favorite.  I was undefeated all year until State where I placed third.  I set the Geneseo Middle School 7th Grade School Record”.;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “This was my first year of Wrestling and probably my sixth and last year of Soccer.  I qualified for the Sectional Meet in my first year of Wrestling”.

Cooper is the proud son of Gwen and Jason Schaad.  He is the proud “”Baby Bro” of “Malakai (Freshman at Wichita State”) and the Proud “Big Bro” of Finnegan (Current GMS 8th Grader.).

Here are Cooper’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Grilled Chicken Hearts”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “The Alpinist”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Indie Folk & Caamp”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Cody Johston”  (Here is what a Google searched had to say about Cody:  Cody Daniel Johnson is an American country music singer-songwriter. He self-released six albums, including Gotta Be Me, which debuted at number two on Billboard’s Country Albums chart, before releasing his first major-label album, Ain’t Nothin’ to It, in January 2019:  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“You are the salt of the earth but if the salt has lost it’s taste, how shall it’s saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”  “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden”  (Matthew 5:13 & 14).   “;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS COUNTY TEAM:  “I’ve run it since 7th grade so I decided to keep the streak going.”  “WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Meets are a weird mix of “suckiness” and happiness.  It’s your choice which part overpowers the other.”

More about Aidan . . . Aidan is the proud son of Jesica and Jeremy Bries.  He is the  proud “Big Bro” to Leila ((6th Grade), Chris (1st Grade), Kai (4 years old), & Kyra (2 Years of Age.)

Here are Aidan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Burgers”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Star Wars”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Country.;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Anthony Rizzo”  (here is what a quick Google Search had to say: (Anthony Vincent Rizzo is an American professional Baseball First Baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. He is a three-time All-Star. Through his philanthropic ventures, he is a regular finalist for the Heart and Hustle award)  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I accomplish what others can’t”  Jerry Rice (Jerry Lee Rice is an American former professional Football Wide Receiver who played in the National Football League for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championships, he then had two shorter stints at the end of career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks);  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I realized that I loved long distance running when I did cross county in 8th grade.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Run your own race, have NO Regrets.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  None

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

STATE BOUND SMILES

Pictured are the State-Qualifying Maple Leafs, the “Hype Squad” and Head Coach Todd Ehlert

LEAFS “RUN WILD” TO QUALIFY FOR IHSA STATE FINALS

On Saturday, October 29th, the Leafs traveled to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park to participate in the IHSA Sectional Meet.  On the line was a trip to next Saturday’s IHSA STATE FINALS for the Top Seven Finishing Teams.  In addition, the Top 10 individual finishers NOT on any of the Top 7 teams would also qualify.  The field included teams from the following schools who all qualified for the Metamora Sectional by finishing in the Top 6 at their IHSA Regional:  Chicago (Agriculture Science), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chicago (Marist), Chicago Heights (Marian), Dunlap, East Peoria, Geneseo, Lemont, Metamora, Midlothian (Bremen), Morris, Morton, New Lenox (Providence Catholic), Oak Forest, Oak Lawn (RIchards), Peoria (Notre Dame), Rock Island, & Washington.  The weather for the meet was near perfect.  A daytime high of 65˚ with a race time temperature for the boys race of 54˚ with very light 5-8 mph winds.  The course was dry and fast.

The Leafs entered the meet with a plethora of momentum on their side.  The team has performed magnificently all season long and has just keep improving every week.  Then, they “Hit the Gas Pedal” once they entered “Championship Meet Season” and have improved at an even greater rate.  There are three internet high school resources that each predicted the meet’s outcome.  “Athletic.Net” uses season best times and correctly predicted six of the seven qualifying teams.  They had the Leafs placing 5th.  “Runner’s Space / Illinois XC & Track and Field” ended up with 5 of the 7 teams.  They had the Leafs picked 4th.  Finally, “Illinois Mile Split” NAILED all seven of the qualifying teams for the boys race and had the Leafs picked for 3rd.  On to the actual race.

The boys race started at 11:30 a.m. sharp.  The Black Partridge Park Course has several long and winding trail sections which are challenging to move up on.  Thus, Head Maple Leaf Boys Coach Todd Ehlert devised a race strategy that saw the team run a bit more aggressively in the first half mile.  Going out too slow in the race would make it hard to move up, getting “buried” by the field.  Going out too fast can also result in tragic results.  The boys did a GREAT JOB of listening to their “Sensory Data” and the plan worked to perfection. 

Leading the charge was “Super-Soph” Dylan Gehl who entered the race with a goal of earning a “Top 10 Finisher Medal”.  That wasn’t an easy target to attain but attain it he did.  Dylan had himself in the Top 15 for the entire race and gradually picked off a few more guys to get the job done.  The “Big Horse” (His nickname from Head Maple Leaf Boys Track Coach Matthew Deets) raced to a 10th place finish that saw him establish a new GHS Sophomore Record for the course (2nd fastest Maple Leaf EVER).  Dylan has been working extremely hard ever since he started his running career and he is certainly reaping the benefits of that impressive commitment.  Dylan dropped his Black Partridge personal best by 5 seconds. 

Next up was the Leafs’ most impactful Team Leader, Tyler Gehl.  Tyler is simply one of the best team leaders that I have EVER had the pleasure ot “Watching in Action”.  He is the real deal and he leads both by example and by his kind and thoughtful words.  He ran another inspiring race that saw him place 22nd overall.  He was timed in 16:06 which took off 19 Seconds off his personal best for the course.  His time was the 6th fastest for a Maple Leaf All-Time and the 4th Fastest Time for a GHS Senior.  Things were looking good for the Maple Leafs’ chances.

Up next was Junior Sam Mosbarger.  Sam has been the first person to arrive at practice and the last to leave almost EVERY day.  After Tyler Gehl, he is the team’s next Leader.  Not too shabby for a Junior who isn’t one of the “Senior Captains”.  That is just the kind of person Sam is.  He “oozes” Leadership.  Sam kept his eyes on Tyler the whole race and sprinted home in 24th place overall.  His time of 16:11 was a HUGE Personal Best for the course by 24 Seconds.  His time was the 6th fastest for a GHS Runner EVER and the 5th Fastest for a GHS Junior.  Oh, by the way…that put THREE Maple Leafs in the Top 24.  Are you kidding me?!  Simply Amazing Stuff.

The Great News just kept coming.  Superstar Freshman Jaxson Sottos sprinted home next.  He crossed the finish line 39th Place and “Stopped da Clock” at 16:32.  He was only the second Freshman to finish and his time was good for the 12th fastest time EVER by a Geneseo runner.  He also broke his OWN Freshman School Record for the course by 12 Seconds.  He looked great the entire race and it hard to believe how much he has improved.  I love the phrase “You Gotta Wanna”.  Jaxson WANTS TO A LOT!!!

Closing the scoring for the Maple Leafs was Sophomore Max Johnson who was also running the race of his life.  Max sprinted across the finish line in 43rd place and was timed in 16:36.  His time was the 14th fastest for a Maple Leaf on the Black Partridge Course EVER.  He now ranks as the 6th fastest Sophomore on the Course.  Max has come a LONG WAY in a short amount of time.  His improvement from last year is also “Jaw-Dropping”.  Just to make sure that you’re following this closely….that makes FIVE Maple Leafs in the First 43 Runners.  There were a LOT of Geneseo Smiles “Sparkling” at this point.  Max improved his personal best for the course by a HUGE 23 Seconds.  SERIOUSLY???

Up next was Junior Cooper Schaad.  Cooper told Head Coach Ehelrt that his left hamstring was bothering him before the race.  He got out great and led Max through the first half of the race.  Then, as his “Hammy” began to tighten up he drifted “South” in the race.  He held on to a Top 100 Finish.  He was timed in 17:32 which was the 14th fastest time for a GHS Junior EVER on the Black Partridge Park Course.  Way to be smart, Cooper and “Listen to Your Body”.  Hopefully, you’ll be healed up by next Saturday’s STATE MEET.  Cooper beat most of the competing schools’ 6th men across the finish line.  Get ready to have some fun next weekend.

The final man on the day was Freshman Aidan Bries.  Aidan was timed in 17:58 and placed him 110th.  He beat most of the other teams’ 7th men and has had an incredible season.  His best time on the course occurred in the “Gene Jones” Metamora Running Red Cross Country Invitational earlier in the season.  He was timed in 17:31 and ran in the F/S Race that saw the Leafs battle some of the Top F/S Teams in the State.  Aidan’s time for that day is the #9 time for a GHS Freshman EVER on the Course.  Great Effort, Aidan.  It is not possible to run a personal best each and every time out.  Get ready to have some fun next weekend when you will run in the IHSA STATE FINALS.  

When “The Dust had Settled” the Leafs found themselves in 3rd place.  The Leafs simply ran a near perfect team race to score a minuscule 121 points in the Sectional Meet.  Our team was projected to score 203 points and they scored 82 points LESS than that.  They were a mere 17 points behind 2nd place Peoria Notre Dame.  Six of the Seven men ran a season best time on the course.  That is a HARD thing to thing to do.  Congratulations to the team and to Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert.  This is Coach Ehlert’s 5th year as the Head Coach and what he and the team have accomplished is simply “Jaw-Dropping”.  The Leafs have now gone BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK in regards to qualifying for the IHSA STATE FINALS.  2020 didn’t offer an official “State Meet” due to COVID-19 but they did host the Sectional Meet and the Leafs DID qualify for the State Meet.  The dude has won at every level at which he has ever participated or coached.  He is simply a WINNER.  Geneseo is VERY LUCKY to have Coach Ehlert on board.  Stay tuned.  There are a LOT of additional chapters to be written.  His career has become a “Dynasty”.  More great things are coming.  In today’s race 6 of the 7 Maple Leaf Runners were underclassmen.  This program is getting ready to make some “Major Noise” at the STATE LEVEL.  Keep Dreaming Big, Men and then backing those dreams up with the hard work and commitment that excellence demands.  We are VERY PROUD of all you.  Lastly, a special thank you to the “Hype Squad” that was there to support the team.  Mission accomplished.  As I rode my bike all over the park I saw members of the Hype Squad EVERYWHERE.  Let’s have more of the same next weekend when the team rolls into Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park for the STATE FINALS.  Get ready to “Dance at Detweiller” 🙂

METAMORA’s TOP 25’s

RESULTS

SAM “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Junior Sam Mosbarger who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

SAM MOSBARGER SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Junior Sam Mosbarger was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, October 16th through Saturday, October 22nd.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Morris IHSA Regional Cross Country Meet.  The meet was held at Morris High School.  The field included teams from:  Chicago Heights (Marian), Crete (C-Monee), Geneseo, Kankakee, LaSalle (L-Peru), Lemont, Morris, New Lenox (Providence Catholic), Ottawa, Plano, Rock Island, & Streator.  This was the first round of the IHSA Sate Meet Series and each team was limited to only seven competing runners.  Sam ran another tremendous race that saw him “Crack” the Top 10.  He finished 8th Place OVERALL and was the Leafs’ 3rd Man across the finish line.  He was timed in 16:39 and helped the Leafs WIN the Regional Championship.  That is something that only 11 other teams in the 2A classification could say.  Way to go, Leafs and Way to go, SAM!

Sam has been “On Fire” all season long.  He put in a solid summer of base work and has been reaping the benefits of that summer commitment all season long.  In addition, he has also overcome a nagging case of “Shin Splints” that have nagged hims ever since he started running.  The magical cure has been a more cushioned training shoe.  He is now a proud “Hoka Man”.  It has also been a LOT of fun watching Sam mature into a tremendous team leader.  Tyler Gehl is the team’s Top Captain but Sam, in my opinion, is by far the second most impactful leader on the team.  Not bad for a Junior that also plays Tennis (more on that later).  Sam’s improvement from last fall has been impressive.  He has also developed his “Racing Skills” and can adapt to any type of race that is “Thrown his way”.  Sam deserves a LOT of the credit that goes along with the successes that the 2022 Maple Harriers (another name for XC runners) have achieved.  The fact that there is only one senior among the team’s Top 7 makes it a challenge to NOT look too far ahead into the future.  We need to stay focused on the opportunities that this season still provides.  I am typing this on Friday, October 28th (the day before the Sectional Meet).  The team is hoping to qualify for the IHSA STATE FINAL on Saturday, November 5th.  I feel very good about their chances.  I also am “drooling” with anticipation in regards to what the future might hold.  All the best, Sam.  You are the LAST man to leave practice every day.  You are also one of the first to arrive each day.  You posess extremely high levels of both Passion and Purpose.  All the best tomorrow and beyond.  Keep Dreaming Big and backing those dreams up with the hard work and commitment that excellence demands.  Also, don’t forget to enjoy the journey.  That might just be the best part.  .

I will revisit Sam’s season to date.  Sam started his racing on Tuesday, August 16th when the team held their annual  “Rust Buster”.  Sam was timed in 11:07 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park’s 3K course and placed 3rd overall.  That was the 4th fastest time for a Junior in GHS History on the course.  He then raced in Moline’s Season Opener Invitational which was held at Empire Park on Monday, August 22nd.  Sam was was timed in 17:25 and placed 21st overall (Number 3 Man and the 3rd Fastest Junior for a GHS Runner on the Course).  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational held on Monday, August 29th at Kewanee’s Midlands Golf Course.  Sam helped lead the Leafs to the Team Title with his 7th place finish.  He was timed in 18:00 and earned a “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  His time was good for #3 for the Leafs on the day and the 3rd fastest EVER for a GHS Junior on the course.  He then “Toed da Line” on Saturday, September 3rd at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Sam raced in the Varsity Division and was timed in 19:00.  He was the 8th Leaf on the day and his time was the 13th fastest for a GHS Junior on the course.  Next up on the schedule was the First to the Finish Invitational held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  Sam wasn’t feeling too hot (nasty cold) so Head Maple Leaf XC Coach Tood Ehlert elected to rest him that weekend (GREAT decision.)  Next up was a return to the Leafs’ home course on Saturday, September 17th when the team hosted their own invitational.  Sam raced in the Junior-Only Race.  He was timed in 18:02 for the three-mile course and placed 7th overall to win a highly prized “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  Sam was the 4th Leaf on the day and his time was the 7th fastest for a GHS Junior on the course EVER.  A trip to Sterling’s Hoover Park to race in the Rock River Run Invitational occurred on Saturday, September 24th.  Sam, once again, raced in the Varsity Division.  He was timed in a quick  16:50 and was the Leafs’ 3rd Fastest Man on the Day.  Up next was a trip to Freeport’s Highland Community College Campus to race in the “Pretzel” Invitational.  Sam raced placed 11th in the Varsity Race in 17:00 for the tricky course.  He won another individual award and helped lead the Team to the Championship.  He was the Leafs’ 3rd Man on the day and his time was the 7th Fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the course.  The following week the Leafs traveled to Metamora to participate in the annual Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational held at Back Partridge Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, October 8th and he was timed in another personal best of 16:35.  He was the Leafs’ 3rd Man on the day and his time was the 8th Fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the course.  He followed that up with another trip back to Hampton’s Empire Park on Thursday, October 13th for the WB-6 Conference Meet.  Despite STRONG Winds and Cold Temperatures, Sam “Blasted” a tremendous time of 16:37 which placed him 15th in the race which was earned him second team “ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS”.  He was the Leafs’ #3 man on the day and his time was the 3rd fastest for a GHS Junior EVER on the Course.  That leaves us with the Regional Meet mentioned earlier in this story.  Like I said earlier….Sam has had a TREMENDOUS Season to date.  All the best in tomorrow’s Sectional Meet and hopefully, the IHSA STATE FINALS.

Here is what Sam had to say about his Athletic History:  11th Grade:  “So far I’ve had a solid Cross Country season outside of a little run in with bronchitis, having a season best and pr of 16:37.  I plan on playing Tennis in the spring and hopefully qualifying for state”.;  10th Grade:  “Sophomore year I ran varsity Cross Country anywhere from 3-7 on the team depending on the meet. I ended the season just missing out on going sub 17 at state, running 17:01. Early on in the season I had some trouble with shin splints but was able to get it under control to make it through the majority of the season. I was able to win the Top Dog Award and Most Improved. Later, in tennis season, I played varsity and was a part of the conference winning team. I narrowly missed qualifying for state in doubles, placing 5th when the top 4 teams qualified.”;  9th Grade:  “Freshman year was my first year of real Cross Country.  I ended up being 12th on the team with a season best of 18:35 run at Detweiller.  I earned my varsity letter, and have every year since.  I played Tennis and played either 1, 2, or 3 on JV.”.:  8th Grade:  ” I ran Cross Country for my second year ending up being 4th on the team.  We did not end up qualifying for state as a team.  I played Basketball again, and switched back and forth between the A and B teams. Later that year instead of Track, I played Tennis at the Quad City Tennis club.”.;  7th Grade:  “This was my first year of Cross Country and I fell in love with the sport.  I finished 3rd on the team at the Sectional invite which was our last meet of the year as a team.  This ended up being my last year playing Soccer due to the entire team except Cooper and I moving up to the High School, and I decided to focus on Cross Country.  I played Basketball during the winter and switched between the A and B teams.  I tried Track in the spring, but didn’t enjoy it as much as Cross Country, so I decided to stick to Tennis.”.;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “Prior to 7th grade:  I played Travel Soccer for 4 years and Rec Soccer for 2 years before that.  I also played Flag Football for 2 years and youth Basketball for 3 years.”.

Sam is the proud son of Jodi and Mark Mosbarger.  He is the “Baby Bro” of “Olivia, sophomore in at Colorado State”.

Here are Sam’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Himothy”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Any meat my dad smokes”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “The Dark Knight”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Tyler, the Creator” (here is what a Google search had to say:  Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future.;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Tim Mies, from the 1991 State Champion Cross Country Team at St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden) HS team”:  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”““I’m fixing him” -Dr. Christian Haney;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I always knew I was pretty decent at running so I decided to give racing a shot.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “There will be a lot of discomfort, you just have to find the threshold of where you’re able to run, and where you should rest. Staying healthy is the most important thing in running, and to do so you need to understand your limits, which are probably higher than you think. Once you push through, it becomes unnoticeable.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Aidan Bries, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Sophomore Max Johnson, Junior Cooper Schaad, & Freshman Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS WIN MORRIS REGIONAL

Pictured are the team’s “Varsity Top 7”, “Hype Squad”, and Head Boys Coach Todd Ehlert

LEAFS DOMINATE REGIONAL MEET

On Saturday, October 21st, the Leafs traveled east down I-80 to Morris High School who hosted the IHSA Regional Meet to which Geneseo was assigned.  The meet was held on the campus of Morris High School and surrounding area.  The field included teams from:  Chicago Heights (Marian), Crete (Crete-Monee), Geneseo, Kankakee (Sr.), LaSalle (LaSalle-Peru), Lemont, Morris, New Lenox (Providence Catholic), Ottawa, Plano, Rock Island, & Streator.  On the line was a chance to advance to next Saturday’s IHSA Metamora Sectional Meet.  The top six team automatically qualify.  In addition, the top 5 individual finishers on teams that didn’t qualify would also make the trip.  Individual “hardware” was awarded to the Top 5 individual finishers along with a Championship Plaque to the winning team.  The weatherman provided unseasonably warm weather.  The daytime high of 84˚ tied the all-time high for the day.  The race time temperature for the boys race was 73˚.  There was a 10-15 mph south wind blowing.  For late October, the weather was AMAZING.

Athletic.net is a national website that that has a huge data base.  Illinois coaches are required by the IHSA to report all of their team’s races to them.  With a “Plus Subscription”, the user is able to actually have every runner in the meet’s season best for three miles listed.  There is also an option to score a “Hypothetical Meet”.  It isn’t perfect due to the fact that comparing times on different courses is similar to comparing  “Apples to Oranges”.  Nevertheless, the Leafs entered the meet as the favorites and lived up to it.  Athletic.net accurately predicted all six of the boys qualifying teams and five of the six girls teams.  Pretty impressive and certainly a great coaching tool.

The boys race started at 11:00 a.m. sharp.  The Leafs ran an extremely intelligent race by not going out too fast and then “Moving at the Mile”.  Leading the way were Sophomore Dylan Gehl and his “Big Bro” Senior Tyler Gehl who raced to 4th and 5th places.  They each earned a “Highly Prized” Top 5 Finisher medal.  Dylan “Stopped the Clock” at 16:15 with Tyler right behind him in 16:26.  It is pretty challenging for any team to earn one of those medals.  The fact that the Leafs earned two was VERY Impressive. 

Up next was Junior Sam Mosbarger who raced to a “Top 10” finish.  Sam placed 8th overall and was timed in 16:39.  Not far beind were Freshman Jaxson Sottos (14th Place in 17:04) and Junior Cooper Schaad (17th Place in 17:14.)  Thus, the Leafs had placed 3 runners in the Top 10 and two more in the Top 20.  That is an excellent recipe for a good team result.

Rounding out the team were Sophomore Max Johnson (25th Place in 17:31) and Freshman Aidan Bries (32nd Place in 17:49.) 

Also, under “Championship Meet History” on our XC Website their are lists for Regional, Sectional, and State.  The “Make the List” for the Regional Meet an athlete needs to “Crack” the Top 25.  Thus, six of the seven men “Nailed It”.  All seven men ran GREAT RACES!  When the points were totaled, the Leafs found themselves winning the meet by 21 points as they scored a mere 48 points (Athletic.net predicted we would have 55 points.)  Rock Island placed second with 79 points.  It was pretty cool to watch the Western Big Six go 1-2 in the meet.  Great Job to both the GHS competing athletes and “Hype Squad”.  This is the second IHSA Regional Championship in Head Coach Todd Ehelrt’s five years at the helm.  The Leafs last won a Regional Title in 2018.  Before that the last win was in 1999.  Great Stuff.

Next up will be the IHSA Metamora Sectional Meet for the Leafs.  The meet will be held at Metarmora’s Back Partridge Park on Saturday, October 29th.  The Top 7 teams in that meet will qualify for the IHSA STATE FINALS to be held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, November 5th.  All the best, Men.  Keep making intelligent choices.  We also need as many members of the “Hype Squad” as possible to be at the meet.  Every man that decides to come and support the team does make a difference.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing those dreams up with the actions that help to make them come to fruition. 

RESULTS

KADEN “RINGS THE BELL”
Pictured is Freshman Kaden Elmer who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

KADEN ELMER SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Freshman Kaden Elmer was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, October 16th through Tuesday, October 18th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Sterling 09/JV Invitational which was held at Sterling’s Hoover Park.  Kaden raced in the Freshman-Only Race.  He hooked up with Sterling’s OUTSTANDING Freshman Charles Johnson.  They separated themselves from the field immediately and were never more than one step apart from each other until the final homestretch where Charles pulled away.  Kaden’s race was extremely impressive and inspirational too.  He was timed in 17:48 which was only one second off his fastest time ever on the course.  That is pretty impressive considering just how windy it was.  The wind was blowing at 20 mph with gusts well over 40 mph.  Way to roll, Kaden.  His second place finish earned him an Individual Medal (in the Freshman-Only race medals were awarded to the Top 5 finishers).

Kaden has been “On Fire” all season long.  He has run in the Leafs’ Top 7 EIGHT times during the season and barely missed “Cracking” the IHSA Post-Season Starting Line-up.  He finished the “Regular Season” as Geneseo’s number eight man so he will be the first man  if any of the Leafs Top 7 get sick or injured.  That isn’t an easy position to be in but Kaden has proven that he posses a “Team-First” attitude and will be ready if needed.  I met Kaden and Jaxson Sottos during their 8th grade year.  They both came and ran with the distance guys several times during the Track season.  It has been a LOT of fun getting to know Kaden and watching his dramatic improvement from then until now.  He possesses a healthy dose of both “Passion & Purpose”.  The Maple Leaf Roster is “Loaded” with a plethora of young talent and Maple Leaf fans are literally “Drooling” with anticipation in regards to the potential that the team possesses.  All the best, Kaden.  Keep paying the price that excellence demands.  Also, don’t forget to “Enjoy the Journey”.  That is probably the best part of the whole experience.  God Bless you and your awesome family.

Here is a quick look at Kaden’s season to date.  Kaden began his GHS racing career on Tuesday, August 16th when he participated in the team’s annual “Rust Buster”.  Kaden was timed in 11:27 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park’s 3K course where he was the team’s 6the man and ran the 2nd fastest Freshman Time in GHS History for the course.  He then raced in Moline’s Season Opener Invitational which was held at Empire Park on Monday, August 22nd.  Kaden was was timed in 18:20 and was the Leafs’ 5th man on the day.  His time was the 2nd fastest ever for a GHS Freshman on the course.  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational held on Monday, August 29th at Kewanee’s Midlands Golf Course.  Kaden “Threw Down” a 18:36 time which was good for 12th overall in the race.  He earned “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  He was the 6th Man on the day and his time was the 2nd fastest ever for a GHS Freshman on the course.  He also helped the team claim the Team WIN.  He then “Toed da Line” on Saturday, September 3rd at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Kaden helped the Leafs win the  F/S Team Championship.  He was timed in 18:24 and placed 7th overall for another individual “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  He was the Leaf’s 5th fastest man on the day and he claimed the 7th fastest time for a GHS Freshman on the course.  Next up on the schedule was the First to the Finish Invitational held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  The Leafs only raced their Top 10 Runners and Kaden was one of those men.  He was clocked in 18:03 and was the Leafs’ 5th man on the day.  Next up was a return to the Leafs’ home course on Saturday, September 17th when the team hosted their own invitational.  Kaden raced in the Freshmen-Only Race.  He was timed in 18:50 for the three-mile course which was good for 6th overall in the race an another medal.  He as the Leafs’ 6th man on the day.  Then, a trip to Sterling’s Hoover Park to race in the Rock River Run Invitational occurred on Saturday, September 24th.  Kaden was once again, a critical part of the Leaf’s Championship F/S Team.  He was timed in 17:47 and was the Leafs’ 8th man on the day.  Up next was a trip to Freeport’s Highland Community College Campus to race in the “Pretzel” Invitational.  Kaden raced in the “Varsity” Division and helped the Leafs win the Team Title  in that race.  He was timed in 17:59 and was the Leafs’ 7th man on the day.  His time was the 7th fastest EVER for a GHS Freshman on the course.  The following week the Leafs traveled to Metamora to participate in the annual Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational held at Back Partridge Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, October 8th and he was timed in another personal best time of 17:40.  He competed in the F/S Race and helped the Leafs place 5th in a “Loaded Field”.  He was the Leafs’ 7th man on the day and his time was the 10th Fastest EVER for a GHS Freshman on the Course.  Up next was the WB-6 meet on Thursday, October 13th.  The meet was held at Hampton’s Empire Park.  Kaden ran a great race in challenging conditions (it was COLD and WINDY).  He was timed in 18:03 which is the 3rd fastest time for a GHS Freshman EVER on the Course.  He was also the Leafs’ 8th Man on the day.  Great Job, Kaden!  He then raced at the Sterling 09/JV Invite which I mentioned earlier.  Following that (I am typing this on Tuesday, October 25) he did a GREAT JOB of serving the team as the number one alternate for the Morris IHSA Regional Meet on Saturday, October 22nd.  The Leafs WON the team title and advanced to the Metamora Sectional to be held on Saturday, October 29th.  Keep up the GREAT WORK, Kaden. 

Here is what Kaden had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “XC + HOPEFULLY, Track & Field”;  8th Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and was the number one man.  I qualified for the State Meet as an individual.  I also ran Track.  I competed mostly in the 1600 Meter Run where I barely missed qualifying for the State Meet.  My best time was 5:09”;  7th Grade:  “In 7th Grade I ran Cross Country and qualified for the State Meet but didn’t get to race it due to COVID-19.  I also participated in Track & Field.  I ran the 100 Meter Hurdles, the 1600 Meter Run, and the 1600 Meter Relay in most meets..”  THAT IS A RARE TRIPLE;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I played REC Soccer and also played REC Baseball.  I was mostly a 2nd baseman.  I played three years (Marlins, White Sox, then the Cardinals.”

Kaden is the proud son of Kari and Josh Elmer.  He is the “Proud Baby Bro” of Anthony (23), Hope (21 & in college), Gabrielle (18 & in college.)  He is also the “Proud Big Bro” of Reese (Current 6th Grader) and Hallie (Current 4th Grader.)  Yup, if you counting he is one of SIX Sibblings.  Pretty Cool!

Here are Kaden’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Brubs”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Fried Chicken from  Pizza Ranch”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Infinity War”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Classic Rock”…..I asked him for a few of his favorite groups and he mentioned the Beatles, Metalica, and ACDC;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Tim Tebow”  (former Heisman Trophy Winner for the University of Florida in College Football….currently, one of the top sports casters in the business);  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”The faster you run the faster you’re done”;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I’ve done it since 7th grade (I was recruited by Eric States) and I like to run.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Go all out.  Find another Milkshake.  Also, buy some spikes.  I promise that they help a LOT.  Lastly, pace yourself so you don’t tie up in a race well before the finish line.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Mason Anderson, Sophomore Camden Baumgardner, Freshman Calvin Bell, Senior Will DeJohn, Junior Tyson Duda, Senior Caleb Durian, Sophomore Christan Haney, Junior Austin Hull, Freahman Grady Hull, Sophomore Rylan Lambert, Sophomore Zach Meier, Sophomore Taber Swanson, Sophomore Jacob Taylor, & Senior Nathan Venneberg.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

7 LEAFS CLAIM HARDWARE AT “JV STATE”

Pictured are most of the guys.  The 7 medalists are proudly wearomg their awards.

STERLING 09/JV INVITATIONAL

On Tuesday, October 18th, the Leafs traveled back to Sterling’s Hoover Park to participate in the annual Sterling 09/JV Invite.  The meet was created to allow each teams whose athletes who didn’t “Crack” the Varsity Top 7, the chance to line up and race one more time.  Individual finisher medals were awarded to the Top 5 in the Freshman-Only race.  In addition, medals were awarded to the Top 10 in the JV Race.  The field included teams from:  Dixon, Geneseo, Rochelle, Rock Falls, and Sterling.  LaSalle-Peru and Princeton usually take part but missed this year’s action due to conflicts.  The athletes were challenged with a cold and windy day.  The race time temperature hovered in the mid 40’s with  strong Northwest Winds blowing at 20 mph and gusting to over 40 mph.  Both genders were run together to expedite the meet.

The Freshman were the first athletes to “Toe the Line”.  The Starter’s Gun “Cracked” at 4:30 p.m.  The Leafs were led by Kaden Elmer who ran stride-for-stride with Sterling’s Star Freshman Charles Johnson the entire race.  Charles ended up pulling ahead in the final 800 meters to win by 7 seconds.  Kaden was timed in 17:48 to claim second place.  Grady Hull ran another strong race and placed 3rd overall in a time of 19:34.  Calvin Bell was also in the race and finished his season with another great race.  It is amazing how much this dude has improved during the course of this season (his first as a Cross Country harrier.)  Calvin was timed in 23:02 to place 8th overall.  Great Job, Men.  When the points were counted, Sterling had won 23 to 34 (ghost runners were used to complete the Leafs’ score.)  Unfortunately, no other team lined up any Freshmen.

The JV (Open) race was the final race of the day  They “Took-Off” at approximately 5:10 p.m.  The race consisted of each team’s sophomores, juniors, and seniors who were not in their school’s “Varsity Top 7”.  Well, almost.  Rochelle did race a freshman boy (they must have arrived a bit to late for him to warm-up in time for the Freshman race.)  Also, Sterling did a “Run-Off” for their 7th man position.  Thus, they raced their 7-8-9 men.  The Leafs were led by Sophomore Rylan Lambert (4th Place in 18:36);  Junior Austin Hull (5th Place in 19:26);  Sophomore Christian Haney (6th Place in 19:46);  Sophomore Jacob Tayor (7th Place in 20:06);  and Sophomore Zach Meier (10th Place in 20:31.)  Each man earned a “Higly Prized” Top 10 Finisher Medal.  Not far behind were Senior Caleb Durian (11th Place in 20:47);  Sophomore Mason Anderson (12th Place in 21:00);  Senior Nathan Venneberg (13th Place in 21:04);  Sophomore Camden Baumgardner (14th Place in 21:15);  Junior Ryley Rowold (16th Place in 21:35);  Sophomore Taber Swanson (17th Place in 21:55);  Senior Will DeJohn (18th Place in 22:15);  Junior Tyson Duda (19th Place in 22:17);  and Sophomore Connor Douglas (21st Place in 24:19.)  After the team scores were tabulated, the Leafs found themselves with a winning team score of 34 points.  Great Job, Men!

I was on my bike for both races riding towards the runners.  I was able to ride on the trails too.  It was awesome to watch each team member race with great levels of both “Passion and Purpose”.  It was also impressive to watch the Varsity Top 7 Maple Leafs cheer on their teammates.  They were EVERYWHERE.  They were today’s “Hype Squad”.  That “Baton” will now be handed off to everyone who raced today.  The Varsity Top 7 will need each man’s support as the IHSA Post-Season begins.  This week we will be in Morris at the IHSA Regional Meet.  Come dressed to run all over the course encouraging your teammates to “RUN WILD”.  Our team has BIG PLANS and needs each of your help to try and attain those goals.  “TOGETHER WE CAN”.

On the day the Leafs had “Grabbed” 7 of the 15 available medals (that is 46%.)  In addition, Ten of the Leafs seventeen competing men improved their time from the Sterling Rock River Run Invitational held a month ago.  Two of the men actually ran lifetime bests.  Considering just how tough the weather conditions were makes that fact “Jaw-Dropping”.  Way to go, Guys.  To our seniors I say, “Thank You”. We hope to see you on the oval (Track & Field) later in the school year.  We also hope that you will keep running beyond that.  This can be a lifetime sport with road races offering competitive opportunities year round.  To our returners I can’t help get excited about all of the potential that is evident.  We also hope to see you join the Track and Field team and “Raise da Bar” in regards to your current fitness level.  Then, put in a solid summer of base work.  After that, get ready to help the Maple Leafs make a run at a Top 10 Finish in the IHSA STATE FINALS in 2023.  Each of you possesses the possibility of being “THE GUY”.  Being “THE DIFFERENCE MAKER”.  All you need to do is “Dream Big” and then back it up with the commitment that excellence DEMANDS.

RESULTS

 LEAFS PARTICIPATE IN 2ND ANNUAL “DUMPSTER DIVING”

Pictured are some of the team members who participated in the “Dumpster Dive”

YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT

On Friday, October 14th, the Boys Team participated in an optional “Dumpster Dive”.  The “Event” coincides with Geneseo Fall “Free Pick-Up Day”.  Residents are able to place items that they want to discard.  There is a similar day in the spring.  During this time of year, quite a few vehicles can be seen driving around and picking up items that they take home with them.  At the end of this period, Head Maple Leaf Cross-Country Coach Todd Ehlert sends the boys out to try and find a few items worth bring back.  The rules are you need to run the whole time (it is on a recovery day) AND the item(s) have to go home with them.  It was a LOT of fun.  The baby stroller was actually grabbed by one of the Adult Summit Participants.  It was in great shape.

CALVIN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Freshman Calvin Bell who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

CALVIN BELL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Freshman Calvin Bell was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, October 9th through Saturday, October 15th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Western Big Six Conference Cross Country Meet.  The meet was held at Hampton’s Empire Park.  The field included teams from:  Galesburg, Geneseo, Moline, Quincy, Rock Island, Rock Island (Alleman), Sterling, and UTHS.  Calvin raced in the Boys Varsity Race.  He “THREW DOWN” the best race of his life.  Calvin’s time of 22:06 was run in 20+ mph winds (gusting to over 40 mph.)  It is hard to accurately compare times in Cross Country due to the fact that it is like comparing “Apples to Oranges”.  Some courses are flat while some are hilly.  Some course are long (over 3 miles) while some are short, etc.  Anyway, Calvin dropped his personal best time by almost THREE MINUTES.  That just never happens this late into a season.  I mean, I have been coaching XC for a LONG TIME and I have NEVER seen anything like this during my entire career.  Way to go, Calvin.  It is pretty cool that the “Committee” of Senior Captains and Coaches selected YOU after such an important meet.  That speaks volumes in regards to how much you are appreciated and respected.

This is Calvin’s first year of EVER running Cross Country.  His improvement during the season is nothing short of “Jaw-Dropping”.  I will discus his season to date.  Calvin began his distance racing career on Tuesday, August 16th when he participated in the team’s annual “Rust Buster”.  Calvin was timed in 17:43 for the challenging Richmond Hill Park’s 3K course.  He then raced in Moline’s Season Opener Invitational which was held at Empire Park on Monday, August 22nd.  Calvin was battling some Major Race Anxiety at that point.  He was only able to complete two of the three-mile course.  Next up was the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross Country Invitational held on Monday, August 29th at Kewanee’s Midlands Golf Course.  Calvin was unable to compete due to muscle soreness, etc.  He then “Toed da Line” on Saturday, September 3rd at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Calvin was member of a Geneseo’s F/S Team Championship.  He was timed in 25:08.  Next up on the schedule was the First to the Finish Invitational held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  The Leafs only raced their Top 10 Runners so Calvin sat that one out.  Next up was a return to the Leafs’ home course on Saturday, September 17th when the team hosted their own invitational.  Calvin raced in the Freshmen Only Race.  He was timed in 27:10 for the three-mile course.  A trip to Sterling’s Hoover Park to race in the Rock River Run Invitational occurred on Saturday, September 24th.  Calvin was once again part of the Championship F/S Team.  He was timed in 25:23.  Up next was a trip to Freeport’s Highland Community College Campus to race in the “Pretzel” Invitational.  Calvin raced in the “Open” Division and helped the Leafs place second as a team in that race.  He was timed in a career best of 24:53.  The following week the Leafs traveled to Metamora to participate in the annual Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational held at Back Partridge Park.  The meet was held on Saturday, October 8th and he was timed in another personal best….well at least we thought he was.  After studying the results, it became obvious to Coach Ehlert that something wasn’t right with his near sub six minute last mile.  He eventually figured out that the group of runners that Calvin was following “took a wrong turn” and accidentally cut the course.  His first two mile splits were 7:42 and 8:10.  Oh well, that could happen to anyone.  And then he raced at the WB-6 meet (discussed above).  He dropped his personal best by 2:47.  I am still shaking my head in amazement.  Way to Go, Calvin.

I have often told students during my career that they can only control the controlables.  No one has any control over who their biological parents are.  Most of our students are VERY lucky to have wonderful parents (not all).  Calvin hit a “GRAND SLAM” in this category.  Both of his parents are wonderful people who I had the privilege of coaching “Back in the Day”.  They were both TREMENDOUS athletes.  They were also a LOT of fun to work with in both Cross Country & Track and Field.  Putting it lightly, Calvin has a LOT of genetic gifts that have been passed onto him via his parents.  The dude has a plethora of potential and it is going to be a LOT of fun watching him chase that potential.  Many are “Gifted” but not all choose to make the commitment that excellence demands.  It is my since hope that Calvin will develop a strong sense of purpose in this regard.  Add in some healthy doses of “Passion and Purpose” and LOOK OUT.  Also, don’t forget to enjoy the journey….that is actually the best part of the whole experience.  The Maple Leafs are a young team and are headed for greatness in the coming years.  We hope that you will be a part of that.  What do you need to do?  The best way to lead people is via example.  All the best to you in your final race of the season in Tuesday, October 18th Sterling 09/JV Invitational.  Then, get ready to hop on the “Geneseo XC Hype Squad Train”.  That will include trips to the I.H.S.A. Morris Regional on Saturday, October 22nd.  Following that, the “Train” will arrive in Metamora for the I.H.S.A. Sectional Meet on Saturday, October, 29th.  THEN, HOPEFULLY, the last stop will be at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park for the I.H.S.A. STATE FINALS.

Here is what Calvin had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “XC + Hopefully, Track & Field”;  8th Grade:  Track & Filed;  7th Grade:  Soccer.  Recreational Soccer which emphasized learning the game.  I played many positions including Goalie.”   Prior to 7th Grade:  “More Soccer”.

Calvin is the proud son of Cindy and Michael Bell.  He is the “Proud Older Bro” of Ethan (His Twin…..Calvin is approximately 14 minutes older).  We are glad that his family has returned to “G-Town”.  Calvin spent the first part of his life in Madison, Wisconsin.  He then spent tow years in Manhattan, Kansas before moving to Geneseo 3 years ago.

Here are Calvin’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Eisenberg Hot Dog at School & Chocolate Milk”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Call of the Wild”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Squirrels in My Pants”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Dylan Gehl”:  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“No Balls No Glory” -Jaxson Sottos 6:46 PM Friday October 14….also – Frank Shorter (1972 Olympic Marathon Champion);  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I decided to do it because my dad suggested it and I needed to do two athletics this year.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Don’t think you are worse than you are, you just don’t have the practice in yet.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Aidan Bries, Senior Will DeJohn, Junior Tyson Duda, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Junior Austin Hull, Sophomore Max Johnson, Sophomore Rylan Lambert, Senior Sam McCleary, Junior Sam Mosbarger, Junior Cooper Schaad, Freshman Jaxson Sottos, & Senior Nathan Venneberg.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

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ALL-CONFERENCE RUNNERS

Pictured are the Top 10 Runners from Right to Left.  Geneseo Sophomore Dylan Gehl placed 3rd

LEAFS CLAIM WESTERN BIG 6 CONFERENCE BRONZE

On Thursday, October 13th, the Leafs traveled to Hampton’s Empire Park to participate in the Western Big Six Conference Cross Country Meet.  UTHS hosted the meet this year.  The field included teams from:  Galesburg, Geneseo, Moline, Quincy, Rock Island, Rock Island (Alleman), Sterling, & UTHS.  The weatherman challenged all of the runners with a cold and windy day.  More to come on that.  This is Geneseo’s 4th year as a member of the Western Big Six Conference (Actually, 8 teams now since Geneseo and Sterling joined).  The WB-6 has always run only two races at the conference meet (Girls followed by the Boys.)   Every conference meet I have either competed in or coached in has run multiple levels (F/S, Open, Varsity.)  I always wondered why the WB-6 didn’t do the same.  However, now that we have participated in four conference meets I have come to LOVE the concept.  In this meet, everyone is matched up head-to-head.  Everyone has an equal chance to prove themselves.  Anyway, that’s my two cents worth on that topic.

Back to the racing.  The Leafs entered the meet as a 14 point underdog to Sterling (according to Athletic.Net).  The point projections were 1.)  Sterling  58, 2.)  Geneseo  72, 3.)  Rock Island 79, 4.)  Quincy 79, 5.)  Moline  139, 6.)  Rock Island (Alleman) 141, 7.)  Galesburg 158, UTHS 165.  The projections were all based on season best times on a three-mile course.  Quincy doesn’t’s race on any “Fast” courses during the season so they were “Flying Under the Radar” a bit.  The boys race started at 5:30 PM Sharp.  Just before the race started, the wind “Kicked Up” to 20+ mph with gusts over 40 mph.  In addition, the temperature dropped into the mid 40’s resulting in a “Wind Chill” of the mid 30’s.  I guess our “Indian Summer has gone south”.  As I discuss the race I will also include where each team member ranks on the Empire Park Top 25’s.  This is only the 3rd time that Geneseo has ever raced the 3-mile course.  This year’s seniors were Freshman the first year we raced it.  The meet is held annually but wasn’t held in 2020 due to COVID-19.  Due to extreme heat last year’s Moline Season Opener Invite was bumped back to the same date as the Annawan-Wethersfield Invitational (we attended the latter due to the signed contract).  Thus, when I mention each man’s rankings I will list their overall ranking (If they cracked the Top 25 List and then their Class Rank . . . AT will mean All-Time.)

On to the race.  Sophomore Dylan Gehl led the Leafs’ charge with a solid 3rd place finish.  He actually, took the lead around the mile after moving up from the 20’s at the half mile mark.  Dylan earned First Team Western Big Six All-Conference Honors (Top 10 Finishers.)  Dylan set a new GHS Record (Sophomore Record too) for the course as he was timed in 15:58.  Senior Tyler Gehl (14th Place in 16:36…good for 2nd on the GHS All-Time List and #1 on the GHS Senior List) and Junior Sam Mosbarger (15th Place in 16:37…good for 3rd AT and a new Junior GHS Record.)  Each man earned 2nd Team All Western Big 6 All-Conference Honors.  Closing the Leaf’s Top 5 Scoring were Freshman Jaxson Sottos (21st Place in 16:55…good for 5th AT and a New GHS Freshman Record for the Course) and Junior Cooper Schaad (25th Place in 17:02…good for 6th AT and #3 on the Junior GHS List.)  ALL FIVE of the Leafs Top five ran lifetime bests.  What a great start to the meet.  That fact almost sounds unbelievable to me considering just how challenging the weather conditions were.  GREAT JOB, MEN!

Not far behind were Sophomore Max Johnson (28th Place in 17:24…..good for 7th AT and #2 on the GHS Sophomore List), Freshman Aidan Bries (36th Place in 17:34….good for 8th AT and #21 on the GHS Freshman List), Freshman Kaden Elmer (55th Place in 18:03…good for 11th AT and #3 on the GHS Freshman List), Sophomore Rylan Lambert (55th Place in 18:05…good for 12 AT and #5 on the GHS List), Sophomore Christian Haney (66th Place in 18:29…good for 15th AT and #6 on the GHS Sophomore List), Senior Josiah King (68th Place in 18:36…good for 16th AT and #4 on the GHS Senior List), Junior Austin Hull (75th AT and #4 on the GHS Junior List), Freshman Grady Hull (85th Place in 19:20…good for 19 AT and #4 for a GHS Freshman), & Sophomore Jacob Taylor (89th Place in 19:36…good for 20th AT and #7 on the GHS Sophomore List.)  Those are your Top 14 Maple Leafs.  Those are the men who will advance into the IHSA Post-Season.  We are required to list 14 athletes (no changes allowed) with 7 of those men being eligible to race in the Regional, Sectional, and State Final.  Congratulations to all 14 men!!!

Rounding out the team were Senior Nathan Venneberg (93rd Place in 19:43….good for 21st AT and #6 on the Senior GHS List), Senior Sam McCleary (98th in 19:53…good for 23rd on the GHS List and #7 on the GHS Senior List), Sophomore Taber Swanson (104th Place in 20:17…good for #10 on the GHS Sophomore List), Senior Caleb Durian (105th Place in 20:20…good for #8 on the GHS Senior List, Sophomore Zach Meier (110th Place in 20:40…good for #12 on the GHS Sophomore List), Junior Ryley Rowold (111th Place in 20:53…good for #6 on the GHS Junior List), Freshman Calvin Bell (127th Place in 22:06…good for #6 on the GHS Freshman List), Sophomore Camden Baumgardner (128th Place in 22:14…good for #14 on the GHS Sophomore List), Junior Tyson Duda (129th Place good for 8th on the GHS Junior List), & Senior Will DeJohn (130th Place in 22:29…good for #11 on the GHS Senior List for the Course.) 

In case you weren’t counting, 16 of the 24 Maple Leafs that competed on the day ran Lifetime Bests.  That is AMAZING considering the challenging weather conditions.  Each andy every man competed with a top of “Passion and Purpose”.  Our team goal was to win the Conference Championship.  In the end, that goal was just out of reach.  A talented Sterling Squad lost a “Heart Breaker” to Quincy 66-68 (low score wins.)  The Leafs were a close 3rd totaling 78 points.  This year’s Maple Leaf Squad would have WON the three previous WB-6 Conference Meets that we have participated in since joining the league.  Sometimes, you just need to “Give Credit” where “Credit is Due”.  Ultimately, Quincy Won the meet.  No one lost it.  We threw “Everything including the kitchen sink” at them.  What’s next?  First up will be “JV State” (Sterling 09/JV Invitational on Tuesday, October 18th.)  Then, it will be time to “Load the Bus” and head towards the Morris Regional Meet on Saturday, October 22nd. where the first Six Teams will advance to the IHSA Sectional Meet.  GHS is in a position to WIN the Regional Meet.  After that, it will be time to travel to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park to participate in the Sectional Meet on Saturday, October 29th with the Top 7 Teams advancing to the IHSA STATE MEET.  THEN, we hope to see you “DANCING AT DETWEILLER” and competing in the STATE FINALS to be held on Saturday, November 5th.  Every team member has the opportunity to help the team get there.  Either by racing or by being a part of the “Hype Squad”.  Everyone can keep training.  It’s all up to you.  “DREAM BIG” and back those dreams up with the dedication that excellence DEMANDS.  TOGETHER WE CAN!!!!

EMPIRE PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

CHRISTIAN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Christian Haney who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

CHRISTIAN HANEY SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Christian Haney was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, October 2nd through Saturday, October 8th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Metamora Gene Jones “Running Red” Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Metamora’s Black Partridge Park.  Christian has been battiling stomach issues all season long and it was AWESOME to see him drop under the “Magical 18-Minute Barrier”.  Christian “Stopped the Clock” in 17:48 and he ended up as the 8th Fastest Leaf on the WHOLE TEAM.  He raced in the F/S Division and helped the team place fifth in a “Loaded Field”.

Christian is one of the most dedicated athletes on the GHS roster.  He has demonstrated a deep level of both “Passion & Purpose” on a daily basis.  Christian has battled a plethora of challenges during his high school athleteic carrer to date.  I am typing this on Saturday, October 15th (WB-6 Conference Meet was 10/13).  Due to severe stomach issues, etc, Christian has only been able to complete four of the team’s nine races.  By the way, those races were the Maple Leafs’ last four races.  Prior to that, he had started two others where he was forced to drop out.  In the other races he warmed up and was unable to race.  In addition to the physical issues, he was battling what Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert refers to as “The Little Man”.  The “Little Man” is the voice everyone hears in their head tell us we CAN’T succeed.  We are very proud of Christian for telling the “Little Man to “SHUT UP” as he has pushed through to a new level.  I can still remember Coach Ehlert tellimg me about this incoming Freshman two summers ago.  He was attending Coach’s Morning Training Group and showed Tremendous Potential.  All I can say is “Stay Tuned”.  Christian Haney is ready to “Bring It:.

His competitive season will be ending at Sterling on Tuesday, October 18th when he races in the Sterling 09/JV Invitational (JV State).  Following that, he will support the “Top 7” via the “Hype Squad”.  All the while he will continue to train and maybe jump into a few road races.  Then, nail a solid winter of base work to get ready to Nail “da Oval” when the Track & Field Season rolls around.  Your potential has a VERY high ceiling.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then paying the price that excellence Demands.  You are a Very Special young man and a key member of an extemely talented F/S Squad.  How far can you guys “Raise the Bar”?  The best way to help lead that group is via example.  That “Assignment” has already begun.  I feel certain that you are up for the challenge.  It is both an Honor and privilege to be one of your coaches.  All the best on Tuesday and in your seasons beyond.  Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

Here is what Christian had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “Cross Country has been a roller coaster for me. Early on I had to go and have an operation done to look inside my stomach after dealing with constantly being on the verge of throwing up. Turns out I had acid reflux that was also burning the inside of my esophagus. The doctors had to make sure I wasn’t vaping to clarify it was actually acid reflux. So far the highlight of my season was in Metamora. I got stuck being a slower group and I had to make up for the time I had lost. I ended up not slowing down and I sped up and passed a lot of people. I plan on trying to dip under 17:30 in and breaking into the top 7 now that I’m in good shape. One last highlight I had was during a workout. We did a mile time trial and I ended up destroying my 5:24 mile PR and dropped a 5:11 mile PR. I’ve hit a few low points in the season where I was questioning whether I could keep letting myself down. Prior to racing I always got anxious and thinking of the worst possible outcome since I’ve just started my medication for my acid reflux. I was constantly worried about everything and wondering where all my hard work went. My first successful race was at the Sterling meet. I went out and felt anxious off the gun. I ended up slowing down so I can regain some mental strength. I dropped a pretty good time of 18:18, which was already 2 minutes faster than my freshmen PR. At Freeport, I made the rookie mistake of not dropping a deuce right before the race. I was in the lead for a mile and some change before the undeniable feeling of a bowel movement hit me. I was considering how much further I could go. I decided to pick myself up at the 2 mile mark and try to give whatever I had left. Unfortunately, I dropped a 21:29 which I was very upset with. On the bright side I still finished the race, just not the way I had planned. At Metamora I was more content after taking a visit to the bathroom. Off the gun I started to run right at the pace I planned on keeping for the whole race. This led me to getting stuck in a slow group but I pulled through. After I broke through the pack, I ended up looking for teammates to chase down. I ended up seeing Rylan and starting making the chase. Once I passed him, I kept my pace and looked for one more guy. Coach Ehlert ended up pointing Kaden out and I tried to chase him down. He was too far ahead for me to catch but I made up some ground along the way which led me to a slightly faster time of 17:48. I sadly had more left in the tank which made me mad but I have a couple more meets to focus on going all out.“. 

9th Grade:  “Keeping my running dreams alive, I joined the high school Cross Country team. I started out trying to make it to as many summer runs as possible. I started surprising myself with how far I was making it. Compared to the year before I was struggling to hold 8:50 pace in an 8th grade meet. My season came to a quick end. Starting off with the first meet I dropped a time around 21:36. I was happy with myself considering this was the first year I tried to take my running more seriously. My last race I successfully finished was at Richmond Hill. Funny enough I dropped a 20:36 PR on a course I didn’t enjoy all too much. Unfortunately I got a hip injury and
it put me out of commission for around a month or so. During that time I kept biking just trying to hold on to as much fitness I had gained during the year. During the end of the season I started running again. I surprised myself again because I ended up coming back faster after a little bit of workouts and runs. I still had a race I wanted to do to close the year, which was the Jingle Bell 5k race. I ended up dropping 20:46 for a race a little over 3 miles. I was happy to close the year with that. Starting the new year I joined the track team. I was excited to race again to see how far I’ve come since cross country. My primary events were the 1 mile, 2 mile, and 4×800. At our first meet I ran a 4×800 and was on the list for the mile. I ended up dropping 2:32 for my 800 meter split and surprised myself I could even go that pace. Unfortunately, the entire Geneseo team was too late to check in for the mile. We all ended up running a 4×400. I was no stranger to short distance running since I was a mediocre sprinter in middle school. Considering I’ve only ran a time trial for a 400 in middle school, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up running a 64 second 400 meter split. I was very content with that and excited to start the season. Unfortunately I can never escape the wrath of sickness and constantly getting hammered with it. My Track season was pretty weird but I was just trying to hang on to whatever motivation left to keep me running. Prior to the outdoor season and getting sick I ran a 3200 indoors. I dropped an 11:54 and I was very happy. Prior to that, I had barely broken the 13 minute barrier for 2 miles. I also ended up dropping a 2:27 4×800 meter split. Unfortunately, I had another 800 meter race to run and dropped another 2:32. Considering I raced only a little bit earlier, I was happy. The outdoor season got pretty ugly. I remember my first mile time outdoors was 5:49 and I wasn’tt very happy. I also remember a very painful 4×800 I had run just coming off of being sick. I dropped 2:36 and was very upset. I tried to put it behind me and focus on what was to come. I soon enough raced the 3200 again. It was cold but good conditions for running. I warmed up on my own since my race was one of the first. I ended up going out in 5:51 but ran a 5:53 second mile. The official time was 11:44 and I was very happy that I beat my original PR after battling sickness. Eventually I dropped a 5:24 mile PR and a 2:25 800 meter split. Sadly, that was my last successful race but I had to keep trying to focus on what was to come.”

8th Grade:  “8th grade was a terrible season. While I was already a slow runner I battled tendonitis until the last meet. Due to Covid and not being in the top 7, I was limited to how many meets I could run. I already barely had any training but I had a growth spurt and slimmed down (Maybe a little bit too much). I ended up running one meet after I healed up. I can’t remember the official time but it was around 17 minutes for 2 miles with a couple runs under my belt for the season. I wasn’t very happy with where I was and considered quitting again but I wanted to try high school Cross Country after remembering how good all the high school athletes were.”

7th Grade:  This was the first time I tried to pick up on running. I ended up showing up at the summer runs. I was shocked at how fast all the high school Cross Country runners were. I tried to look up to them because I wanted to think I would be like them one day. Starting off with the meets I was always near the end of the list and I was constantly dropping times around 17-18 minutes for 2 miles. My first meet was a memorable one. I ran around 20-24 minutes and was nearly the last guy on the team. I ended up getting faster and catching up with some of my friends in the season. I dropped a 16:16 2 mile PR at the last meet I ran in. The 7th grade season was still memorable. No matter how slow I was, I had the support of the team and my friends and family. I did hit a low point and completely stopped running after the season ended. I wanted to quit because I thought it was getting too difficult. My Grandma convinced me to keep doing it in 8th grade. She’s the reason I’m still running to this day”.

Prior to 7 th grade:  “I was a typical tablet kid prior to 7th grade. I did T-Ball for quite some time. I can’t remember much of it but from what I remember, I wasn’t that bad. Afterwards, I got a bit chubby leading to middle school due to the inactivity I did and constantly eating junk. I didn’t want to do much at all.  I just ate my potato chips and played “Minecraft” all day..

Christian is the proud grandson of Cindy Haney.  He is also the “Proud Baby Bro” of Isabella (Current GHS 11th Grade).)

Here are Christian’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Don’t have one”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Lasagna”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “The Green Mile”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Anything that can get me emotional.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Nick Symmonds”:  Here is what Google had to say about him (Nicholas Boone Symmonds is a retired American middle-distance track athlete, from Boise, Idaho, specializing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters distances. Symmonds signed with Brooks Running in January 2014 after a 7-year sponsorship with Nike.)  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“The long felt too run” – Justin Johnson;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “In 6th grade my Grandma told me about it and being quite chubby and out of shape I decided to pick it up to just try to slim down. (It didn’t work I constantly ate McDonalds). I wanted to join the high school team because I was inspired at how good the high schoolers were.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “You won’t be able to see the big picture when you first start. You have a lot more potential than you can imagine, you just have to put in the work to find out. It’s gonna hurt but that’s the fun part.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Calvin Bell, Senior Will DeJohn, Junior Tyson Duda, Senior Caleb Durian, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Sophomore Max Johnson, Junior Sam Mosbarger, and Freshman Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

“HARDWARE” AWARD WINNERS

Pictured are Freshman Jaxson Sottos, Sophomores Dylan Gehl and Max Johnson

46th GENE JONES “RUNNIN’ RED” INVITATIONAL

On Saturday, October 8th, the Leafs traveled to Metamora’s Black Partridge Park to participate in the Gene Jones “Runnin’ Red” Cross Country Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Bartonville (Limestone), Bloomington, Canton, Champaign (Central), Deer Creek/Mackinaw, Dunlap, Oswego East (Boys), East Peoria (Boys), Geneseo, Glenbard South, Illini Central, Lincoln, Macomb, Mahomet-Seymour, Metamora, Moline, Morton Normal (Community), Normal (U-Uigh), Peoria (Notre Dame), Olympia, Pekin, Peoria (RIchwoods), Rochester, Rock Island, Springfield (HS), Springfield (Scared Heart Griffith), Springfield (Lamphier), Tolono (Unity) – (Girls), and Washington.  The teams were treated to a wonderful day to run a Cross Country race.  The race time temperatures for the boys races were 53˚ and 55˚ with a light, 8 mph west wind.  Fall has finally found us.

Before I delve into the meet action, I would like to acknowledge former Metamora Head XC Coach Gene Jones.  “Jonsie” coached at his alma mater for FIFTY-TWO YEARS.  During that time, he coached a plethora of student athletes (Boys & Girls).  He coached ALL of them the same way.  With a ton of LOVE mixed in with high levels of both purpose and passion.  Metamora athletes and teams were ALWAYS a force to be dealt with during his tenure.  Multiple STATE CHAMPIONS and STATE TROPHIES along with a TON of Conference and Sectional Championships also occurred.  You’d never know about any of it if you talked to him.  The dude is one of the most humble men I have EVER met.  It is fitting that Metamora named the “Running Red” Cross Country in his honor.  He was at the meet, now working as an IHSA official.  GREAT STUFF.  All the best, Coach Jones.

GENE JONES

Coach Gene Jones served as Metamora’s Head XC Coach for 52 Years
before stepping down after last season..

Head Maple Leafs XC Coach Todd Ehlert decided to run all of the team’s Freshmen and Sophomores in the unlimited F/S Race.  I applaud the decision.  Thus, the Undefeated Geneseo F/S Team “Toed the Line” for the 10:00 a.m. start.  The field was impressive and we knew that it was going to be a HUGE ask to win this meet.  The guys ran great and actually beat ALL of the 2A schools in the race.  They were bested by 1A Powerhouse U-High out of the Bloomington/Normal Area.  Also besting the Leafs were 3A Powers Normal Community H.S., Palatine, & Oswego East.  The Leafs ended up placing a strong 5th.  The team was led by individual champion, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, who was timed in a quick 15:50 (3rd Fastest All-Time and a new Sophomore Record for a GHS Runner on the Course.  Also earning “Top 40” Finisher Medals were Freshman Jaxson Sottos (11th Place in 16:44…good for 15th All-Time and a New Freshman Record for a GHS Runner on the Course) and Sophomore Max Johnson (16th Place in 16:59….good for 21st on the GHS All-Time List and  #10 on the Sophomore List).  Not far behind were Freshman Aidan Bries (42nd Place in 17:31…good for 9th on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List);  Freshman Kaden Elmer (50th Place in 17:40…good for the 10th fastest freshman time for a GHS Runner on the Course);  Sophomore Christian Haney (58th Place in 17:48…good for 23rd on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the Course), Sophomore Rylan Lambert (70th Place in 18:02…good for 22nd on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the Course);  Sophomore Zach Meier (143rd Place in 20:16);  Sophomore Taber Swanson (154th Place in 20:42);  Sophomore Mason Anderson (158th Place in 20:46);  & Freshman Calvin Bell (190th Place in 21:59.)  All but two of the men ran a “Season Best” on the day.  Great Job, Men.  All the best in the coming meets.

The Varsity Boys Race took off at 11:20 a.m sharp.  They were racing without several of the team’s Top 7 runners who raced in the F/S race.  Leading the team was Senior Tyler Gehl (52nd Place in 16:25…good for 10th on the All-Time List and 7th for a GHS Senior on the Course) and Junior Sam Mosbarger (60th Place in 16:35…good for 12th All-Time and 8th Fastest Junior for a GHS Runner on the Course).  Each man barely missed earning an Individual Top 40 Finisher Medal.  Up next were Senior Josiah King (153rd Place in 18:22…good for 22nd on the GHS Senior Top 25 List for the Course);  Senior Caleb Durian (200th Place in 19:36);  Senior Nathan Venneberg (22nd Place in 20:26);  Junior Tyson Duda (248th Place in 22:05), & Senior Will DeJohn (253rd Place in 22:36).  All but one of the Maple Leaf Varsity Runner recorded a “Season Best” time, on the day.  Way to “bring it”. Men.  The fields were both exceptional.  Last year it took 16:44 to crack the “Top 40” in the Varsity Race.  This year it took a time of 16:06.  Ditto in the F/S Race.  Last year 18:20 placed 40th while this year it took a time of 17:29 (that would have placed 79th this year.)  Anyway, the competition was outstanding. 

We have officially entered “Championship Meet Season”.  This is my FAVORITE time of the season by far.  Up next will be a trip to Hampton’s Empire Park for the WB-6 Conference Meet on Thursday, October 13th.  After that the team will compete in the Sterling 09/JV Invitational (“J.V. STATE”) on Tuesday, October 18th at Hoover Park.  Then, the team will travel to Morris H.S. for our assigned IHSA Regional Meet on Saturday, October 22nd.  Then, Metamora will be hosting our assigned IHSA Sectional Meet on Saturday, October 29th.  We hope that the team will maximize their knowledge of the course and earn a trip to the IHSA STATE FINALS on that date.  Keep Dreaming Big and backing those dreams up with smart decisions.  We need EVERYONE to make contributions to the team each and every day.  Everything matters.  It all adds up.  We wish each of you all the best.

BLACK PARTRIDGE TOP 25’s

RESULTS

RYLAN “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Rylan Lambert who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

RYLAN LAMBERT SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Rylan Lambert was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, September 25th through Saturday, October 1st.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Freeport “Pretzel” Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held on the grounds of Freeport’s Highland Community College.  The field included teams from:  Dakota, Eastland, East Dubuque, Durand, Freeport, Geneseo, Machesney Park (Harlem), Moline, Oregon, Polo, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rockford (Boylan), Rockford (East), Stockton,  and Winnabago.  Rylan raced in the Open / J.V. race.  The Varsity Race was limited to each team’s Top 10 runners.  Rylan is in that group for the Leafs but Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert elected to put our number 9 and 10 runners in the Open Race  I APPLAUD that decision.  Rylan responded by running the race of his life.  He “ROARED” to a 3rd place finish OVERALL in the race.  He “stopped the clock” at 18:32.  For his efforts he was awarded a highly prized Top 20 finisher medal.  In addition, he was also awarded with a “Freeport Pretzel”.  Pretty cool stuff.  His effort led a highly spirited Maple Leaf J.V. Squad to a strong, second place team finish.

Rylan has been “Climbing the Ladder” on the Maple Leaf Roster ever since he entered high school.  After successfully battling a nasty case of shin splints freshman year, he prepared for the 2022 cross country season by putting in a solid summer of base work.  The results have been impressive.  Rylan’s season to date is as follows:  12:49 for the rugged Richmond Hill 3K course on Tuesday, August 16th.  Then he raced at Hampton’s Empire Park during Moline’s WB-6 Season Opener Invitational.  He clocked 19:55 on the course and will get another “Crack” at it when UTHS hosts the WB-6 on Thursday, October 13th.  Next up was a trip to Kewanee’s Midland Golf Course for the Annawan-Wethersfield “Titan” Cross Country Invitational which Rylan had to sit out due to illness.  Next up was Galesburg’s “Silver Streak” XC Invite held at Lake Storey Park held on Saturday, September 3rd.  Rylan was timed in 20:36 and helped the Maple Leaf’s F/S Squad Claim the Team Title.  He then raced at the First to the Finish XC Invite held at Peoria’s Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th.  The Maple Leafs only ran their Top 10 runners and Rylan was timed in 19:19.  The Leafs next played “Hosts” on Saturday, September 17th, when hosted their annual Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  Rylan was timed in 20:04 for the hilly course.  He placed 13th overall in the Sophomore race to earn a “Top 20 Finisher Medal”.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  Next up was Sterling’s Rock River Run Invitational were Rylan “Threw Down” a time of 18:20 which was a lifetime best.  He helped lead the Maple Leaf F/S Squad to the Team Win.   Then he raced in the Freeport “Pretzel” XC Invite which I mentioned earlier and is the reason he was awarded this honor.  I am typing this on Wednesday, October 11th.  I will also mention his race last Saturday (10/08/22) in Metamora’s Gene Jones “Running Red” XC Invitational.  Rylan “Smoked” the course in a lifetime best 18:02.  The dude is “On Fire”. 

Rylan is a “Key Member” of Geneseo’s “Powerhouse” F/S Squad.  It is exciting to contemplate what this group might accomplish in the coming years.  There is a plethora of talent in the group.  The key will be to continue to “Dreaming Big” and then backing up those dreams with the commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  We need people to lead this group, Rylan.  Do you know what the best leadership style is?  Leadership via example.  Carpe Diem (Latin for “seize the day”).  Rylan is a very special young man blessed with enormous athletic talent.  It has been a lot of fun watching him continue to improve as he “Chases His Potential”.  Keep up the great job, Rylan.  All the best with your remaining races this season.  It is a HONOR to be one of your coaches.  Keep telling that “Little Man” to SHUT UP.  Then, get ready to FLY!!!  Also, don’t forget to enjoy the journey….that is the best part of the whole experience.

Here is what Ryan had to say about his Athletic History:  10th Grade:  “The highlight of my XC season to date was placing 3rd at the Freeport “Pretzel” XC Invitational.  I destroyed my personal best of 19:06 last year to 18:02 at the Metamora “Gene Jones – Running Red” Cross Country Invitational.  I am very excited about our upcoming races”.  9th Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and earned my Varsity Letter.  During the season I dropped my personal best time from around 22 minutes down to 19:06.  I followed that up with a solid Track and Field season.  During the season I ran the 400 meter dash, the 800 meter run, and both the 1600 & 3200 Meter Relays.  I kept dropping my “PR’s”.  I did battle a nasty case of shin splints all year.  I earned my VARSITY LETTER.  I am Very Proud of that.”  8th Grade:  “I ran Cross Country and Track & Field.  In Track, I ran the 1600 Meter Run, 400 Meter Dash, and High Jumped.  I went to Sectionals in the 1600 Meter Run.  7th Grade:  “Ran XC & Track….Track was cut short due to COVID-19”:  Prior to 7th grade:  “I played a little bit of EVERYTHING.  Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Football, ETC….I don’t really remember the names of the teams I was on or the positions I played but I tried them all.”

Rylan is the proud son of Mackenzie and Korey Lambert.  He is “The one and only” Lambert child.

Here are Rylan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Little Lambo”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Still P B & J”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Not Sure”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Depends on how I’m feeling.  Usually, something relaxing.”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “I am not sure:  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“It hurts so good” -Coach Ehlert.;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I ran in middle school and I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable doing other sports so I just stuck with it and I’m sure glad I did.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “The first few weeks are going to be really rough.  You may not be the fastest or the strongest in the pack but with time you’ll start to get faster and faster.  Injuries will come and go, but the best thing to do is be smart and counteract it before it gets worse.”

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Mason Anderson, Freshman Aidan Bries, Senior Will DeJohn, Junior Tyson Duda, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Sophomore Christian Haney, Junior Austin Hull, Sophomore Zach Meier, Junior Sam Mosbarger, Freshman Jaxson Sottos, Sophomore Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS WIN FREEPORT “PRETZEL” XC INVITATIONAL

Pictured are the Varsity Team Members and the F/S guys who won Top 15 Medals

“G-MEN” LEAD TEAM AS LEAFS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE

On Saturday, October 1st, the Leafs traveled to Freeport to participate in the annual Freeport “Pretzel” Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Freeport’s Highland Community College.  The 16-team field included entries from:  Dakota, Eastland, East Dubuque, Durand, Freeport, Geneseo, Machesney Park (Harlem), Moline, Oregon, Polo, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rockford (Boylan), Rockford (East), Stockton,  and Winnabago.  Racing conditions were near perfect and the course was dry and fast.  Add in a minimal 4 mph wind and the end result is it doesn’t get much better than this.  Team championship plaques in each division (Varsity and Open (J.V.) were awarded in addition to Top 15 Finisher Medals.  In addition, anyone who finished in the Top 5 individually, in any of the races, was also awarded a “Freeport Pretzel”.  Pretty Cool Stuff.

It has always been hard to compare “Apples to Oranges”.  That is what the situation is when comparing times in Cross Country on different courses.  Some courses are long (over 3 miles), some are short, some are flat and fast, while some are hilly and results in slower times.  An athlete’s “Effort Level” could be the same but the times would certainly differ.  Oh well, it is still fun to compare the times anyway.  TEN Maple Leafs recorded season best times on the day.  The Highland Community College course is NOT considered to be a “Fast Course”  In addition, 17 team members added their name to the Highland Community College XC Course Top 25 Lists (see below.)  Great Job, Men.  On to the action.

First up for the boys team was the Open or J.V. Race which began at 9:45 a.m.  The race time temperature was a comfortable 55˚.  Leading the way were Top 15 finishers:  Sophomore Rylan Lambert (3rd Place in 18:32…good for 13th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List on the Course);  Junior Austin Hull (7th Place in 19:02…good for 21st on the GHS Junior Top 25 List for the Course);  Freshman Grady Hull (9th Place in 19:15…good for 11th on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List for the Course);  and Sophomore Jacob Taylor (12th Place in 19:33…good for 18th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the Course.)  Rylan, Austin, Grady, and Jacob all earned a highly coveted Top 15 Finisher Medal.  In addition, Rylan earned a “Top 5 Finisher Pretzel”.  Way to Roll, Men!  Not far behind were Senior Sam McCleary (19th Place in 20:08…good for 23rd on the Senior Top 25 List for the Course);  Senior Caleb Durian (24th Place in 20:33…good for 25th on the GHS Senior Top 25th on the Senior Top 25 List for the Course);  Sophomore Zach Meier (25th Place in 20:38…good for 24th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the Course);  Sophomore Mason Anderson (29th Place in 20:52…good for 25th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List for the Course);  Senior Connor Knowles (30th Place in 20:52);  Sophomore Taber Swanson (32nd Place in 21:05);  Sophomore Christian Haney (39th Place in 21:29);  Senior Nathan Venneberg (41st Place in 21:35);  Junior Tyson Duda (57th Place in 23:36);  Senior Will DeJohn (59th Place in 23:41);  Sophomore Camden Baumgardner (66th Place in 24:46);  and Freshman Calvin Bell (67th Place in 24:53…good for 25th Place on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List for the Course.)  When “The Dust had Settled” the Leafs found themselves in second place, a mere 11 points behind the winning Moline Marrons (36 – 47.)  Great Job Men.  That is even more impressive when we factor in that Senior Josiah King wasn’t able to compete and Sophomore Christian Haney led the first mile before running into tummy trouble.  If either of those guys was able to run a normal race, the team would have won.  Hindsight is always 20/20 but it is fun to play the “What If?” game. 

The Varsity Top 10 Boys Race began at 11:15 a.m.  Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert elected to only run 8 men in this race and have his #9 and #10 men race in the Open (J.V.) Race.  I applaud that decision.  The race time temperature of 63˚ was a bit warmer but still very nice for early October.  Leading the Maple Leaf attack, like they have all season long were the “G-Men” (Dylan and Tyler Gehl.)  Sophmore Dylan Gehl ended up winning the race.  That is his first VARSITY Invitational Win.  Great Job, Dylan!  His winning time of 16:18 ranks him 2nd fastest for a GHS Runner EVER on the course.  It also established a new GHS Sophomore School Record for the Course.  Close behind were Senior Tyler Gehl (9th Place in 16:48….good for 10th All-Time and 3rd for a GHS Senior on the Course);  Junior Sam Mosbarger (11th Place in 17:00…good for 12th All-Time and 7th for a GHS Junior on the Course);  and Freshman Jaxson Sottos (15th Place in 17:12…good for 16th All-Time and 2nd for a GHS Freshman on the Course.)  Dylan, Tyler, Sam, and Jaxson each earned a “Top 15 Finisher Medal”.  In addition, Dylan also was awarded a “Top 5 Finisher Pretzel”.  Up next for the Maple Leafs were Junior Cooper Schaad (21 Place in 17:32….good for 23 All-Time and 12th for a GHS Junior on the Course);  Sophomore Max Johnson (28th Place in 17:55…good for 10th Place on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List);  Freshman Kaden Elmer (31st Place in 17:59…good for 7th Place on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List for the Course);  and Freshman Aidan Bries (51st Place in 18:49…good for 10th place on the GHS Freshman Top List for the Course.)  When the team scores were “Tallied” the Leafs found themselves in FIRST PLACE.  Their winning team score of 49 Points was 29 better than the 78 points that Machesney Park (Harlem) scored.  Following last year’s team win that means that the Leafs have gone BACK TO BACK.  GREAT JOB, MEN!  We are rapidly approaching “Championship Meet Season”.  All the best in the coming weeks.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing up those dreams with the hard work that excellence DEMANDS.  The opportunity for this team to become a CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM is a definite possibility.  Keep making good decisions in regard to training, recovery, nutrition, hydration, sleep…..ETC.  All the Best, Men!!!.  The team will next be in action on Saturday, October 9th when the compete in the “Gene Jones. Running Red” Metamora Cross Country Invitational.  The meet will be held at Metamora’s Black Partridge Park.

FREEPORT INV. TOP 25’s

RESULTS

CALEB “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Senior Caleb Durian who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

CALEB DURIAN SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Senior Caleb Durian was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, September 18th through Saturday, September 25th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in Sterling Rock River Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Sterling’s Hoover Park.  The field included teams from:  Belvidere, Belvidere North, Dixon, Durrand/Pecatonica, Eastland, Freeport, Geneseo, Geneva, Hampshire, Harlem, Hinsdale South, Kaneland, LaSalle-Peru, Moline, Ottawa, Parkville Christian, Princeton, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rock Island, Rockford Christian, Sandwich, Sterling, Sycamore, United Township, & Yorkville.  Caeb raced in the Varsity race where he “ROARED” to his season best time of 20:50.  Caleb had dropped his season best time 21:59 which he ran at the Galesburg “Silver Streak” Cross Country Invitational by OVER A MINUTE (1:05 to be exact.)  WAY TO ROLL!!!

This is Caleb’s 3rd year with the GHS cross country team.  I will speak more of his athletic history a bit later in this story.  I would like to point out that he battled a nasty foot injury for an extended period of time.  He was finally diagnosed with severe pronation and fitted with orthotics.  Add to that a venture into the “Land of da Hoka” and the result is a healty and training and racing with NO pain.  Well, I don’t like to call the discomfort we feel as distance runners pain.  I prefer to refer to it as discomfort.  Anyway, we sure I glad that his pronation issues are behind him.

I have known Caleb and his extended family ever since I arrived in G-Town back in the fall of 1985.  He is a proud member of a Geneseo Legacy Family.  Just to mention a few of those members . . .  His papa Eric played football for GHS his Freshman and Junior Years.  He also ran Cross Country his Sophomore and Senior years.  He was also a 4-year track man.  His Uncle Scott was a 4-year XC and Track and Field man.  He was a key member of the 1990 XC Team that placed 5th in the State Finals.  That team was recently inducted into the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame.  If that team’s school enrollment had been doubled they still would have been the smallest school in the Top 10.  Simply Amazing.  Eric’s Uncle Travis (GHS Principal for many years in addition to serving as the AD for over a decade) was a 4-year member of the “Green Machine”.  During that time, the team WON a STATE TITLE (also a second place finish).  He also was a key member of the GHS Track & Field Team for 4 years as a “Thrower”.  He also “Hooped It Up” for one year and “Grappled for another.  Uncle Travis then took his talents to the NCAA Level where he participated in both Football and Track & Field.  He also helped coach the “Green Machine” for several seasons.  Last, but certainly not least, is Grandpa Steve.  He served the Geneseo School District both as an excellent educator and later an the Business Manager.  He earned ALL-AMERICAN HONORS in Wrestling during his college days at Augustana College.  He also coached the XC team for 5 years and Wrestling team for all of his teaching tenure.  WOW…..I know I’ve missed some of the family but WOW!!!  Caleb is proud of his family’s history and has added to that history himself.  Well done, Caleb!

Caleb’s season to date is as follows:  14:11 for the rugged Richmond Hill 3K course on Tuesday, August 16th.  Then he raced at Hampton’s Empire Park during Molne’s WB-6 Season Opener Invitational.  He clocked 23:12 on the course and will get another “Crack” at it when UTHS hosts the WB-6 on Thursday, October 13th.  Next up was a trip to Kewanee’s Midland Golf Course for the Annawan-Wethersfield “Titan” Cross Country Invitational.  Caleb was timed in 23:40.  The Galesburg “Silver Streak” Invitational was up next.  The meet was held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park held on Saturday, September 3rd.  Caleb was timed in 21:59.  He sat out the First to the Finish XC Invite held at Peoria’s Detweiller Park on Saturday, September 10th. The Leafs played “Hosts” on Saturday, September 17th, when they held their annual Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  Caleb was timed in 23:53 for the hilly course.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  Next up was Sterling’s Rock River Run Invitational were, as I mentioned earlier in the article he “Blasted” as season best time of 20:50.  His teammates rewarded his effort with the “Bell Ringer Award”.  Way to Go Caleb.  The season is “Ticking Down”.  It is my sincere hope that you have great races in your remaining competitive opportunities.  All the best.  Keep working hard and leading by example.  I am already looking forward to hearing your “Senior Speech”.  Uncle Travis just shared with me that Caleb is a talented musician.  He is the Lead Singer for Cats and Dragons.  He has written MANY Songs.  God Bless you and your amazing family.

Here is what Caleb had to say about his Athletic History:  12th Grade:  “Currently running XC with some BIG GOALS”;  11th Grade:  “Cross Country Varsity runner (state qualifying team) & Track & Field where I earned my Varsity Letter again competing in the Triple Jump and Sprints”;  10th Grade:  “Cross Country Varsity Letter Winner (state qualifying team) and Track and Field (Sprinter and Triple Jumper.)  I earned ALL-Conference Honors in the TJ;  9th Grade:  “Soccer (Left Outside Forward) on the Freshman Team.  I also participated in Track & Field.  We only had three meets before the season was cut by COVID-19”.)  8th Grade:  “Cross country, Track, and Soccer.  Qualified for state in Track for the 4×400”.  7th Grade:  “Track and Soccer. 3rd at state for 4×400 and qualified for 2×400”:  Prior to 7th grade:  “LOTS of Club Traveling Soccer.”

Caleb is the proud son of Tammy and Eric Durian.  He is also the “Proud Big Bro” to  Grace (Current GHS 10th Grader.)

Here are Caleb’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Pepper Jack Burger”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Lord of the Rings”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “The Strokes”…here is what Google had to say about the group (The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. They were a leading group of the early-2000s indie rock revival.);  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Noel Deyzel”….Here is what Google had to say about Noel  (Noel Deyzel (born: September 30, 1984 (1984-09-30) [age 38]), formerly WanderBoy2010, is a South African fitness YouTuber, TikTok star, and bodybuilder who is known for his shorter fitness videos that last under 2 minutes. He posts fitness tips, workout routines and comedy videos.):  ;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”“Don’t listen to the little man” -Coach Ehlert.;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I tried Soccer my freshman year and hated it. Coach Ehlert encouraged me to try Cross Country.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “DON’T Listen to the Little Man”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Sophomore Mason Anderson, Freshman Aidan Bries, Senior Will DeJohn, Sophomore Connor Douglas, Freshman Kaden Elmer, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Sophomore Christian Haney, Junior Austin Hull, Sophomore Max Johnson, Sophomore Zach Meier, Junior Sam Mosbarger, Freshman Jaxson Sottos, Sophomore Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

F/S TEAM CHAMPIONS

Pictured are most of the members of the F/S Squad and Head Coach XC Coach Todd Ehlert.

LEAFS RUN “UN-BEE-LIEVABLE” AT ROCK RIVER INVITE

On Saturday, September 24th, the Leafs traveled to Sterling’s Hoover Park to participate in the 33rd Annual Sterling Rock River Cross Country Invitational.  The field included teams from:  Belvidere, Belvidere North, Dixon, Durrand/Pecatonica, Eastland, Freeport, Geneseo, Geneva, Hampshire, Harlem, Hinsdale South, Kaneland, LaSalle-Peru, Moline, Ottawa, Parkville Christian, Princeton, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rock Island, Rockford Christian, Sandwich, Sterling, Sycamore, United Township, & Yorkville.  Thus, there was representation from 1A, 2A, and 3A schools.  The teams were treated to ideal racing conditions with minimal winds and a race time temperature on the low 60’s.  The dew point was also a NON-Factor.  Fall has finally arrived.

Head Maple Leaf Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert decided to “Split” the teams running all the Freshmen and Sophomore in the F/S Race and running all of the Junior and Senior Boys in the “Varsity” Race.  I applaud the decision.  We still have a lot of team members fighting for the “Top 7” and this decision optimized their chances by putting more guys in “scoring” position.  Both races promised to be competitive.  The awards were reduced this year by the Sterling Athletic Director.  They used to award medals to the Top 30 finishers and team awards to the Top 5 teams in each race.  This year, only the Winning Team and the Top 15 Finishers in each race earned “Hardware”.  Bummer…this meet has a LOT of talent in it and we hope that they, at the least, go back to awarding medals to the Top 30 Finishers.  Sterling ALWAYS puts on high quality athletic events and this meet was no exception.

The Varsity Boys “Took Off” at 9:30 a.m. SHARP.  The race saw the return of Senior Gavin Allison….aka…”Trevor Atkinson”.  He has been sidelined since the end of the Track season with a nasty big toe issue.  It was great to see  him on the starting line.  On to the race recap.  One of the biggest stories of the meet was the attacking bees which stung hundreds of athletes in the final half mile of the race.  Some of our guys were stung more than once.  “To Bee OR Not To Bee”.  Senior Tyler Gehl and Junior Sam Mosbarger led the charge for the Leafs.  Tyler (27th Place in 16:48) and Sam (31st Place in 16:50) each ran tremendous races.  Up next were Junior Cooper Schaad (62nd Place in 17:34);  Senior Josiah King (103rd Place in 18:54):  and Senior Gavin Allison (104th Place in 19:06.)  I would like to share the race plan that Coach Ehlert had Gavin follow.  He was instructed to wait for 3 Seconds after “The Gun” to ensure that he would start the race in LAST place.  Then, he was asked to see how many runners he could “Catch”.  The answer was EIGHTY-SEVEN.  He passed 87 runners during the race….running a “Controlled Effort”.  Welcome Back Gav.  Rounding out the team efforts were Junior Austin Hull (117th Place in 19:38);  Senior Nathan Venneberg (135th Place in 20:13),  Senior Connor Knowles (143rd Place in 20:46);  Senior Caleb Durian (145th Place in 20:50);  Senior Will DeJohn (172nd Place in 23:22); and Junior Tyson Duda (173rd Place in 23:23.)  Every single member of the Varsity Team (minus one) attained a SEASON BEST TIME.  The Hoover Park Course isn’t a “Fast Course” so that makes the team’s accomplishment even more impressive.  GREAT JOB, MEN.  The team placed a highly respectable 10th.  That is also impressive when considering the fact that all of the F/S team members DIDN’T run in this race.

The F/S Boys Race started at 10:30 a.m.  Luckily, the racing conditions were still GREAT.  The Geneseo F/S Team put their UNDEFEATED STREAK on “da Line”.  Coach Ehlert challenged each man to tell “The Little Man to Shut Up” (voice inside our heads telling us to take the easy route in life) and “RUN TO WIN”.  THAT THEY DID!  Sophomore Dylan Gehl ended up winning the race in 16:07.  That is 7th Fastest Individual Time on the Course for a Maple Leaf EVER and was the 7th Fastest Time for a Geneseo Sophomore.  It should also be noted that this list goes all the way back to 1983.  Most of the courses that we race on have had major changes over the years.  The Hoover Park course has changed a bit but not enough to “VOID” the years back to the fall of 1983.  Also earning Individual Top 15 Medals were Sophomore Max Johnson (4th Place in 17:05….good for 19th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List), Freshman Jaxson Sottos (5th Place in 17:06….good for 14th on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List), and Freshman Aidan Bries (11th Place in 17:24…..good for 16th on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List for the Hoover Park Course.)  Not far behind were Freshman Kaden Elmer (16th Place 17:47…good for 21st on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List);  Sophomore Christian Haney (38th Place in 18:18);  Sophomore Rylan Lambert (39th Place in 18:20), Sophomore Jacob Taylor (59th Place in 19:17);  Freshman Grady Hull (64th Place in 19:33);  Sophomore Mason Anderson (79th Place in 20:31);  Sophomore Taber Swanson (83rd Place in 20:47), Sophomore Zach Meier (89th Place in 20:56);  Sophomore Connor Douglas (120th Place in 23:17);  Sophomore Camden Baumgardner (125th Place in 24:49);  & Freshman Calvin Bell (129th Place in 25:23.)  Every single guy (minus one) nailed a “Season Best” Performance.  As I mentioned earlier, the Hoover Park Course ISN’T a “Fast Course”.  The fact that the team ran so fast is VERY EXCITING.  The team ended up “WINNING GOLD”.  Their point total of 33 was OVER 50 points ahead of second place Darien (Hinsdale South.)  WAY TO GO, MEN!  To say that your future looks “BRIGHT” would be a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT.  That was AWESOME!!!

The team will next be in action on Saturday, October 1st, when they travel up to Freeport to participate in the “Pretzel Cross Country Invitational”.  Keep up the good work.  This team has a strong chance to become a “Championship Team”.  To accomplish that goal we need EVERYONE doing their job.  The team can’t afford to have any “Weak Links”.  Work hard on the hard days.  Go Easy on the Easy Days.  Get the appropriate hydration, nutrition, sleep, etc….  All of the “Little Things” do make a HUGE difference.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing up those dreams with the high level of commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  God Bless Each of You. 

HOOVER PARK TOP 25’s

RESULTS

TYLER “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Senior Tyler Gehl who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

TYLER GEHL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Senior Tyler Gehl was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, September 11th through Saturday, September 17th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in their own Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s challenging Richmond Hill Park.  The field included teams from:  Geneseo, Moline, Pleasant Valley, Rock Island, Sterling, and United Township.  Race divisions were determined by each athlete’s grade level.  Medals were awarded to the Top 20 Finishers in each division.  Tyler ran in the Senior Boys Race and placed 2nd overall in the race.  He was timed in 17:59 and had the second fastest time for a Maple Leaf on the day (just behind his brother Dylan).  Tyler helped lead the Leafs to a second place finish in both the Senior Boys Division and the Overall Boys Combined Division.  Great Job, Tyler. 

Making his accomplishment all the more impressive was the fact that this was “Homecoming” for Geneseo High School.  Add to that fact that Tyler was elected by his peers as the “Homecoming King” and you can surmise that he had quite a busy week.  He helped to organize and choreograph the team’s COED Team Dance during the pep rally (performed on the Football Field in front of the entire Student Body along with hundreds of friends and family members.  He then had to lead the “Homecoming Parade” (lots of waves and smiles”, compete in the GHS Cross Country Invitational (Also Senior Day…signed a LOT of Posters), and then get ready for the “Homecoming Dance” after pictures in the park.  He was pretty wiped out after all of that.  During times of stress most of us struggle….Tyler just flashes that amazing smile of his and works through it, optimizing the situation.  He is a very special young man who always strives towards optimal performance in each of his many endeavors.  He is currently involved in the following school related activities:  Class President, Student Council, Choir, Madrigal, National Honor Society, Robotics Club, & Radio Club.  Don’t forget that he has a challenging academic load in addition to participating in both Cross Country & Track and Field.  Oh, he also has a wonderful family with LOTS of activities and a social life.  Tyler possesses an impressive level of time management skill.  That will serve him well in his exciting future.  If anyone could sell stock in Tyler Gehl’s future, I would be “All In” and buy a LOT.  His future is going to be amazing. 

Back to the running action.  This is the first time that Tyler was able to train prior to the cross country season beginning.  COVID-19’s season was just weird in every way  He played both Football and ran XC the first year of COVID.  Then, last year he decided in the 12th hour to go out for XC instead of playing Football where he had been a starter the year before.  When he rolled into practice my “jaw hit the floor”.  I pulled him aside and asked him if he was sure of his decision.  He smiled and said, “Yup”.  I then told him that I thought he should speak with Head Geneseo Football Coach Larry Johnsen “Man-to-Man” first.  He smiled again and said “I’ve already done that”.  Not by an email or text message but MAN-TO-MAN.  That had to be a hard thing to but it was the right thing to do.  The correct way to handle the situation.  Respecting all parties involved.  That situation alone shows you what kind of a person Tyler Gehl is.  He always makes a responsible decision after examining all of the facts.  That is a RARE quality for someone so young.  He is also doing a wonderful job of “Earning” his “Captainship”.  On a daily basis.  His organization and planning of the “Crop Dusting” poster was worthy of an A+.

Tyler has been at the front of the Maple Leaf XC attack all season long.  Tyler and his younger bother, Dylan, have finished as the Maple Leafs 1-2 Men in EVERY RACE to date.  All I can say is every time I see their wonderful parents, Barney and Maria, they both have HUGE SMILES on their faces.  They are certainly proud parents.  I love the saying “The apple doesn’t usually fall too far from the tree”.  They are both wonderful people who are raising four amazing children.  As I write this (9/27…had a few things come up on this end delaying me) the calendar is rapidly approaching October.  This weekend we travel to Freeport.  The following weekend we will be off to Metamora.  Then, we will enter “Championship Meet Season”.  All the best, Tyler.  As I have mentioned, you are a VERY SPECIAL young man.  Watching you mature over the last couple of years has been enjoyable.  You are the kind of young man that coach’s dream about having the opportunity to work with.  Our team is extremely lucky to have your leadership too.  The fact that you are such a great competitor makes a great situation even better.  Keep up the great job.  Hopefully, the 2022 Geneseo Maple Leaf XC Team will become a “Championship Team”.  The opportunity to win both the WB-6 Conference and the IHSA Regional Meets is REAL.  The goal is to line up healthy and see what happens.  Don’t forget to “Enjoy the Ride” and your interaction with “All the Beautiful People”.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and then backing up those dreams with the hard work that Excellence DEMANDS.  Lots of “Passion & Purpose”.  God Bless.

Here is what Tyler had to say about his Athletic History:  12th Grade:  “Currently running XC with some BIG GOALS”;  11th Grade:  “Cross Country varsity runner (state qualifying team) Most Inspirational XC, Most Inspirational Track, Track captain, JV state champion 4×400, JV state champion 4×800 too I think”….the Coaching Staff referred to the last “JV Invite which was hosted by UTHS as the “JV State Meet”.;  10th Grade:  “Cross Country varsity runner (state qualifying team) Most Inspirational XC.  Starter on Football Frosh team (Rover Safety on D and Wide Receiver on O”.);  9th Grade:  “Football (Rover Safety and Wide Receiver) then attempted Baseball season (would have played up with soph, but season cut by COVID”).8th Grade:  “XC sectional champion, XC conference champion, XC varsity runner, 27th at XC state, Club Baseball,  Ran Track, Went to state with 4×400, wrestled, Placed in Wrestling regional, Maybe fourth in Wrestling Sectionals? I can’t remember”.  7th Grade:  “XC top ten runner, Alternate at XC State, Wrestling, Club Baseball, Little League football (Chiefs)”:  Prior to 7th grade:  “Club Baseball was my main thing, Little league Football.”

Tyler is the proud son of Maria and Barney Gehl.  He is also the “Proud Baby Bro” to Kylee (Current Iowa State Senior) and “Proud Big Bro” to  Dylan (Current GHS 10th Grader) and Jacey (Current GMS 8th Grader.)

Here are Tyler’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “None”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Pizza”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Fight Club”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I don’t settle on a single genre or group but I really like Matchbox 20 right now”.;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Dan Patch (I don’t really admire any athletes to that degree”)….Here is what Google had to say about the Great Dan Patch:  “Dan Patch was a noted American Standardbred pacer. At a time when harness racing was one of the largest sports in the nation, Dan Patch was a major celebrity. He was undefeated in open competition, and was so dominant on the racetrack that other owners eventually refused to enter their horses against him.  Born: April 29, 1896 – Died: July 11, 1916“.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re always right.””;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I joined high school cross country because I had found success with running in middle school and there was an opportunity sophomore year to do both Football and Cross Country in the same year. Andrew Burke and Coach Ehlert both made sure I knew that I’d be welcome on the team”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “There is always more in you than you think”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Aidan Bries, Senior Will DeJohn, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Josiah King, Freshman Jaxson Sottos, Sophomore Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

LEAFS HONOR SENIORS

Pictured are this year’s Maple Leaf Senior Captains.  Front Row:  Josiah King, Connor Knowles,
Sam Mosbarger, & Gavin Allison.  Row 2:  Will DeJohn Nathan Venneberg, Tyler Gehl, & Caleb Durian

LEAFS 2ND IN GENESEO XC INVITATIONAL

On Saturday, September 17th, the Leafs hosted their own Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  The six team field included teams from:  Geneseo, Moline, Pleasant Valley, Rock Island, Sterling, and United Township.  The meet was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  The weatherman gave us tremendous racing conditions for the middle of September with a daytime high in the mid 80’s but race time temperatures in the low 70’s with minimal winds and a tolerable dew point.  The meet format is unique and is copied from a meet that ITCCCA Hall of fame Coach Dick Kloepfer used when he was leading the  Crystal Lake Central Tigers.  The meet format provides mandatory competition against each athlete’s grade level.  Individual medals were awarded to the top 20 individuals in each division.  Championship plaques were also awarded to each Team Class Winner.  Then, all of the team points were added up to determine an overall boys and girls team champion.  To expediate the duration of the meet, head Maple Leaf Coaches Todd Ehlert (Boys) and Kelley Timmerman (Girls) decided to combine the 9th & 10th and 11th & 12th grade races.   The girls started 3 minutes after the boys in both races.  Shazam Timing handled the finish line duties and did a tremendous job once again.  The number of participating teams has declined in recent years.  COVID-19 was the main reason.  When Illinois was limited to only dual meets during COVID-19 while the Iowa schools found new meets (no limitations on their side of the river.)

The Leafs have been awarded the Sectional Meet for the 2023 season (Next Year) so we are confident that a plethora of teams will be interested in joining the meet next year to familiarize themselves with the challenging Richmond Hill course. The meet format encourages team-member recruitment.  It is not uncommon for teams to be forced to use “Ghost Runners” when they didn’t send a full team (5 team member minimum.)  That was NOT the case for the 2022 Geneseo Maple Leafs.  Full teams “Toed da Line” in each of the four races.  The end result was a large number of team members were put into “Scoring” positions.  That experience should prove to be omnipotent in the future.  I should also add that the current Richmond Hill Course has been “In Action” since Head Coach Todd Ehlert became the Boys Head Coach in 2018. 

I will discuss each class separately.  The Freshman Boys contained the largest number of competitors on the day with 36 runners “Stopping da Clock”.  The Leafs only have five freshman boys so that meant that everyone would be “Scoring”.  Leading the way was Jaxson Sottos (4th Place in 18:00…good for 13th on the GHS All-Time Top 25 List and 5th on the Freshman Top 25 lists for Maple Leafs on the challenging Richmond Hill Course.)  Kaden Elmer sprinted home next (6th Place in 18:50…19th All-Time Individual and the 9th on the Freshman list.)  Aiden Bries was up next (7th Place in 18:54…good for 20^th on the All-Time Individual list and 10^th on the Freshman list.)  In case you aren’t counting, that’s three Leafs in the Top 7!  Grady Hull was the next Leaf to finish (16th Place in 20:38…23rd All-Time Individual and the 9th Fastest Freshman on the course.    Jaxson, Kaden, Aidan, and Grady all earned a highly prized Top 20 Finisher Medal.  Last, but not least was “Rookie” Calvin Bell who closed the scoring for the team (32nd Place in 27:10…which ranks him as the 25th on the GHS Freshman Top 25 List.  Great Job, Men!  The team placed second to the powerful Pleasant Valley squad.  PV scored 38 points with the Leafs close behind scoring 57 points.  Maple Leaf fans are VERY excited about what these young men will accomplish in the coming seasons.    

The Sophomore Boys put forth tremendous efforts as well.  Leading the way was the Leafs lone individual race winner on the day.  Dylan Gehl (2nd fastest time at ANY level on the day.) Dylan was timed in 17:05 (4th All-Time Individual and the good for 2nd on the Sophomore Top 25 List.)  Max Johnson was up next (7th Place in 18:49…18th All-Time Individual and 9th on the GHS Sophomore List for the course.  Rylan Lambert sprinted home next (13th Place in 20:04…good for the 12th fastest sophomore time in GHS History on the course.)  Jacob Taylor was the next man in (14th Place in 20:24….good for  the 13th fastest sophomore time in GHS History.)  Tabor Swanson finished next for the Leafs (19th Place in 21:22….good for 16th on the GHS Sophomore Individual list.)  Dylan, Max, Rylan, Jacob, & Taber all “Cracked” the Top 20 to earn medals.  Their FIVE was the most that any of the Maple Leaf  “Classes” acquired on the day.  Rounding out the team was Zach Meier (25^th Place in 23:40…good for 19^th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List);  Camden Baumgardner (27^th Place in 26:44…good for 20^th on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List);  Connor Douglas (28^th Place in 26:51…good for 21^st on the GHS Sophomore Top 25 List.)  Christian Haney “Gave it a Go” but was forced to forced to stop back in the triangle with difficulties.  Great Team Effort, Men.  The team placed second to Pleasant Valley.  PV scored 38 points with the Leafs a close second tallying 54 points.  Great Job, Men.  Maple Leaf Fans are literally DROOLING with anticipation in regards to what the coming years will bring.  The sky is the limit.  Dream Big and back it up with the hard work that excellence demands.

The Junior Boys race started at 9:45 a.m. sharp.  The Leafs sent five men to the starting line (the team only has 5 juniors) so every man would be “a scorer”.  Leading the team was Sam Mosbarger (7^th Place in 18:02…good for 14^th All-Time Individual and 7^th for a GHS Junior on the course.)  Next up was Cooper Schaad (11^th Place in 18:54…good for 20^th on the All-Time Individual List and 9^th on GHS Junior Top 25 List.)  Austin Hull was the next Maple Leaf across the finish line (18^th Place in 20:44…good for 20^th on the GHS Junior Top 25 List.)  Sam, Cooper, and Austin each earned a Top 25 Finisher Medals.  Great Job Men.  Rounding out the team were “Rookie” Tyson Duda (26^th Place in 25:08) and Ryley Rowold (27^th Place in 25:11.)  The Leafs placed 4^th as a team scoring 89 points.  Sterling won the division with a mere 33 points.  Great Job, Men.  It is exciting to ponder the future and envision each of you as next fall’s team captains.  Each of you is in an opportunistic position to be a “Difference Maker” and help to lead the team to unprecedented heights.  The best way to lead is via example.  Carpe Diem!

Last up were the Senior Boys.  The Leafs were led by the 2022 Homecoming King Tyler Gehl (2^nd Place in 17:59…he just missed his “PR” for the course (He had a BUSY week) but he did run the 4^th fastest time for a GHS Senior.  Up next was Josiah (Jo Jo) King (8^th Place in 19:33…good for 11^th on the GHS Senior List.)  Close behind were Sam McCleary (16^th Place in 21:49…good for 15^th on the GHS Senior List) and Caleb Durian (16^th Place in 22:53…good for 17^th on the GHS Senior List.)  Tyler, Josiah, Sam, and Caleb each earned a “High Prized” Top 20 Finisher Medal.  Great Job, Men.  Rounding out the team efforts were Nathan Venneberg (22^nd Place in 23:08…good for 18^th on the GHS Senior List);  Connor Knowles (23^rd Place in 23:10…good for 19^th on the GHS Senior Top 25 List);  Will DeJohn (25^th Place in 25:07…good for 22^nd on the GHS Senior Top 25 List.)  Fellow Senior Gavin Allison is still nursing a nasty toe issue that has kept him on the sidelines all season to date.  His journey back begins next week.  The team placed in a tie for 2^nd with UTHS with each team scoring 70 points.  Pleasant Valley won the division scoring 44 points.  Congratulations on the job each of you have done to date.  This is YOUR team and your actions speak louder than your words.  Your “Words”, of course, do matter too.  All the best during the remainder of this season and beyond.  Each of you is a VERY special dude.  The important meets lie in the “Championship Meet Season”.  Keep dreaming BIG and backing those dreams up with the dedication that excellence DEMANDS.

The Leafs placed second in both the combined boys team division and the combined boys and girls division.  Pleasant Valley won both divisions.  With the Leafs hosting the 2023 Sectional Meet, it is our hope that the competitive field will grow significantly by then.  Also, a special “Shout Out” goes to Shazam Timing for doing such a great job with the results.  Their 1 mile and 2 mile running clocks and splits (in the results) were AWESOME.  The Leafs will next be in action on Saturday, September 24^th when they compete in the Sterling Rock River Run Invitational.  We hope to see you there!

RICHMOND HILL TOP 25’s

RESULTS

“DREAMING BIG” 2022 STYLE

Pictured are most of the Boys Team riding on a Gehl Family Hay Rack.
Please notice the “DREAM BIG” Banner that Mr. Barney Gehl donated.  GREAT STUFF!

HOMECOMING WEEKEND

It was time for the annual “Homecoming” week to arrive.  It is always a lot of fun but is certainly a distraction to athletic events.  The school week offered different “Spirit Days” where students could “Dress Up”.  In addition, the “Pep Rally” was held on Thursday, September 15th, in the evening which included the “Team Dance Off” and naming of the Homecoming Court.  The Parade was held on Friday, September 16th.   Later that night, Geneseo hosted the Galesburg Silver Streaks in a big Western Big Six Conference game.  Then, on Saturday, the XC Leafs played host to their annual Geneseo Cross Country Invitational.  After the meet, the team honored it’s seniors with a “Signing” of the team posters.  Later that day, was the opportunity for a nice dinner and the homecoming dance.  The weekend also included the entry of the 2022 Geneseo High School Hall of Fame Class Induction.  All of the events were inspiring.  Oh, can I add that a member of out team was elected as the Homecoming KING.  🙂

HOMECOMING KING TYLER GEHL

Pictured is the GHS King and Queen traveling down State Street in the Homecoming Parade
Tyler Gehl & Aubrey VanKerrebroeck

Being elected Homecoming King by your peers is a HUGE HONOR.  Congratulations, Tyler!  We have already discover just how special you are.  It is heartwarming to see this same understanding demonstrated by your classmates by electing you.  I feel certain that “All the beautiful people” feel the same way. 

JACOB “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured is Sophomore Jacob Taylor who was selected as this week’s Bell Ringer Award Winner”

JACOB TAYLOR SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Jacob Taylor was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, September 4th through Saturday, September 10th.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the HUGE First to the Finish Invitational which was held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  On the day, 274 teams competed (boys and girls).  In addition, 2310 boys and 1750 girls crossed the finish line on the day.  That means that 4060 runners FINISHED their races.  There were well over 10,000 spectators in attendance during the course of the meet.  The Leafs raced in the 2A Boys Division.  Each team was limited to running only ten competitors.  Jacob ran a season best time of 19:38 and placed 325th overall.  He helped the Leafs place 25th out of 55 teams.  Jacob dropped his time from last year by OVER 5 MINUTES.  In the 2021 First to the Finish Invite, Jacob was timed in 25:04 and placed 791st.  His improvement is literally “Jaw-Dropping”.

Jacob has been “Tearing it Up” all season long.  His ascension as a distance runner began last spring during the GHS Track and Field Season.  Jacob spent the first 2/3 of the season as a sprinter.  He eventually expressed an interest to join the “Distance Crew”.  He not only joined that training group but ended up earning his VARSITY LETTER along the way via his performances in the 3200 Meter Run.  He followed that up with some moderate mileage during the summer.  Hopefully, the word “moderate” will never be applicable again.  The dude can run and we are VERY excited to see just how much more Jacob can improve.  It has been a LOT of fun watching his teammates look in disbelief early in the XC season, when he was either racing along side them or ahead of them.  I am referring to teammates that were MINUTES ahead of Jacob last fall. 

Let’s take a look at Jacob’s season to date.  He “Opened” at the “Rust Buster” where he ran 12:50 for the challenging Richmond Hill 3k course which was good for 12th man on the team.  Next up was a trip to Hampton’s Empire Park where he ran 19:55 and was the team’s 11th man.  The Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational was up next where he he was unable to race due to illness.  Then he “Toed da Line” at Lake Story Park in Galesburg in the F/S Division.  He raced to 29th place and was 6th man on the Maple Leafs Championship F/S Team.  He was the 9th fastest Maple Leaf on the day (including the Varsity Race.)  I am typing this on Wednesday, September 21st so I’ll mention his race on Saturday, September 17th in the Geneseo XC Invite.  Jacob ran the challenging Richmond Hill 3-Mile Course in 20:24 which was good for 14th in the Sophomore Race (earning him a Top 20 Finisher Medal.)  He was the 11th fastest Leaf on the day. 

Watching Jacob discover both “Passion and Purpose” has been a LOT of fun.  It is also extremely inspiring to his teammates.  He has been “Raising the Bar” not only in competition but also in practice.  I am pretty sure that the fact that he increased his longest run EVER to TEN MILES on Sunday, September 4th (the beginning of the week he was selected as the “Bell Ringer”) wasn’t just a coincidence.  Keep up the great job, Jacob.  It is going to be a lot of fun watching you chase your potential in the coming seasons.  There are NO limits on how much you can improve.  You have learned the correlation between hard work and results first hand.  You have also learned how to tell “The Little Man” to SHUT UP and GO AWAY.  All the best with the remainder of this season and beyond.  One of the critical “Pieces to the Puzzle” for you to add to your arsenal is to get serious about your “Off-Season” training.  I LOVE the saying “Off-Season Miles bring In-Season Smiles”.  Keep Dreaming Big and backing it up with the commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  God Bless!

Here is what Jacob had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “I competed in both Cross Country and Track and field during my Freshman year. In track and field I was a sprinter for a little over 2/3 of the season before my dad convinced me to ask to be switched into the distance group.  Once I made the switch I was able to earn enough points in the 3200 Meter Run to win my first VARSITY LETTER.”;  8th Grade:  “I played on the Golf Team.  I can vaguely remember having an amazing drive once in awhile.  Enough to make me coming back.  It’s hard to make that little ball go where you want it to go.  Sometimes, it seems like it has a brain of its own”;  7th Grade:  “I played on the Golf Team in the Fall and joined the Track team in the Spring.  I was preparing compete in both the Long and High Jumps in addition to being a sprinter.  Sadly, COVID-19 shut everything down the day before our first scheduled meet.”  Prior to 7th Grade:  “Nada”.

Jacob is the proud son of Melinda and Thomas Taylor.  He is also the “Proud Baby Bro” to Madeline (Current Geneseo Senior) and “Proud Big Bro” to  Ella (Current Geneseo 7th Grader.)

Here are Jacob’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Yaakob and J-Man”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Los Agaves Chicken Street Tacos”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Top Gun:  Maverick”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Ozzy Osbourne”  Here is what Google had to say about Ozzie John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970’s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname “Prince of Darkness”.;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “My Father, Thomas Taylor” (Tom was a tremendous runner for the Rock Island Rocks while in high school.  I remember him well.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  ”It doesn’t hurt much more to go a little faster” – Dylan Gehl ;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “My father ran Cross Country and Track and Field all throughout his high school years and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Work the best you can without injuring yourself.  Try to get better each week and always remember the 11th Commandment (Thou Shalt Not Walk)”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Aidan Bries, Freshman Kaden Elmer, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Sophomore Max Johnson, Senior Josiah King, Sophomore Rylan Lambert, Freshman Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

1972 OLYMPIC MARATHON CHAMPION
FRANK SHORTER

Pictured is 24 year-old Frank Shorter in the final strides of his Olympic Marathon Gold.
He accomplished his feat on September 10th, 1972.

SOPHOMORE DYLAN GEHL LEADS LEAFS AT
THE FIRST TO THE FINISH INVITATIONAL

On Saturday, September 10th, the Leafs traveled to Peoria to compete in the 34th Annual “First to the Finish” Cross Country Invitational.  The meet was formally named the Peoria Woodruff Invitational.  The meet is held at Peoria’s Historic Detweiller Park.  Detweiller is also the host site for the IHSA STATE FINALS the first Saturday in November.  Detwiller also hosts numerous other large XC Invitationals during the season.  The First to the Finish Invite is one of the largest high school invitationals in the entire country.  On the day, 274 teams competed (boys and girls).  In addition, 2310 boys and 1750 girls crossed the finish line on the day.  That means that 4060 runners FINISHED their races.  There were well over 10,000 spectators in attendance during the course of the meet. 

Before venturing into the meet action let’s look at a bit of history that relates to this weekend.  Seven years ago (2015), while traveling to this meet on Interstate 74, the bus driver of the boys team suffered a medical emergency.  He passed out while the bus remained on cruise control (70 MPH.)  One of the coaches noticed that the bus was moving to the left and looked at the bus driver.  Upon realizing that he was suffering a medical emergency, he quickly grabbed the steering wheel.  However, the bus had already entered the median (almost tipped over) and popped out into oncoming traffic on the WRONG side of the Interstate.  By the Grace of God and a Miracle, everything turned out well.  The driver was Air-Lifted to Peoria and survived.  I thank God every day that no one was injured.  Even the bus suffered no damage.

Up next is the tragic anniversary of the September 11th attacks, commonly know as 9/11, which occurred 21 years ago.  Four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by the militant Islamic extremist network al-Qaeda against the United States of America.  2,996 lives were lost.  Many additional lives have ended prematurely, due to the carcinogenic chemicals that both first responders and victims were exposed to.  Never forget the day and what happened.

Lastly, Fifty years ago TO THE DAY, Frank Charles Shorter from the USA won the Gold Medal in the Marathon during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.  He had also placed 5th in the 10K (In an American Record) and also won the Silver Medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games Marathon.  His inspiring runs helped to ignite the “Running Boom” in the United States.  He took the lead in the 72 games at 15K (9.3 miles) and opened up a minute lead.  It was a courageous race tactic that is seldom successful in such long races.

Back to the race.  The Leafs toed “da Line” along with 55 other 2A boys teams.  The field was limited to each team’s Top 10 runners. The Leafs were missing two of their top runners (Senior Tyler Gehl…ACT Testing Date) and Junior Sam Mosbarger…bronchitis.)  Both men are expected to back in the Maple Leafs’ line-up next Saturday.  The end result was a Maple Leaf Line-up that consisted of ONE Senior, ONE Junior, FOUR Sophomores, and FOUR Freshmen.  A “TON” of youngsters gained a “Plethora” of “Big Meet” Experience.  That is a “Huge” win for the future. 

Sophomore Dylan Gehl ran the race of his life to “Crack the Top 50” and earn a Highly Prized Top 50 Finisher Medal.  It was Geneseo’s lone medal on the day (Girls included) and shows just how tough they are to get.  Dylan was timed in 16:22 and placed 45th overall.  It was also the 16th Fastest Time in G.H.S. History for a Sophomore on the Detweiller Course.  The Detweiller Top 25’s are the closest thing we have to school record listings.  Most of the courses we race over have changed significantly over the years leaving only this one standing the “Test of Time”.  Geneseo has a “Rich Tradition” in distance running and is on display in the “Detweiller Top 25’s”.  Joining in on the fun was Freshman Jaxson Sottos who placed 137th and was timed in 17:24.  His time was the 22nd Fastest Time in G.H.S. History for a Freshman at Detweiller.  Congratulations to both Dylan and Jaxson for “Making Some History”.

Not far behind were Junior Cooper Schaad (151st Place…timed in 17:32), Sophomore Max Johnson (171st Place…timed in 17:45), Freshman Kaden Elmer (200th Place…timed in 18:03), Freshman Aidan Bries (234th Place…timed in 18:23), Senior Josiah King (294th Place…timed in 19:12), Sophomore Rylan Lambert (301st Place..timed in 19:19), Sophomore Jacob Taylor (325th Place…timed in 19:38), and Freshman Grady Hull (373rd Place…timed in 20:19.)  Nine of the Ten Leafs recorded “Season Best” times.  That is an AWESOME JOB MEN!  Way to ROLL.  The Leafs ended up placing a solid 25th in the 55 team field.  Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert chose not to race anyone in the Open Race which didn’t start until 12:30 p.m. and is always dominated by 3A Powers (The Largest Schools.)  I applaud his decision.  The end result is the guys who raced ran extremely well and our team is still “Flying Under the Radar” in regards to “State Rankings”.  That is a GOOD thing. 

The Leafs will next be in action on Saturday, September 17th when they host their own Invitational.  That weekend will also be “Homecoming”.  In addition, it is also the Geneseo Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.  All of it should be a LOT OF FUN.  Keep up the great job, Men.  You are in a great position to have a “Historic Season”.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing up those Dreams with the dedication that excellence DEMANDS.

DETWEILLER TOP 25’s

RESULTS

DYLAN RINGS THE BELL

Pictured above is Sophomore Dylan Gehl who was selected at this week’s “Bell Ringer”

DYLAN GEHL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Dylan Gehl was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Tuesday, August 30th through Saturday, September 3rd.  During that time, the Leafs participated in the Galesburg Invitational at Lake Storey Park.  The boys field included teams from eighteen schools with several of our IHSA Sectional’s traditional “Power Houses” in the meet.  Dylan “Toed da Line” at 11:00 a.m. along with all of his freshmen and sophomore teammates.  Head Maple Leaf Coach Todd Ehlert elected to run all of the GHS freshmen and sophomores in the F/S Race” and all of the junior and senior teammates in the “Varsity Race”.  I applaud the move.  Dylan took over the lead in the second mile and never looked back (well, maybe a peak or two.)  He ended up winning the whole thing.  He was timed in 16:55 and ended up winning by 13 seconds.  His win helped to inspire his teammates who were also “Running Wild” behind him. The Leafs ended up “Packing” all five of their “Scorers” into the Top 20 (Jaxson Sottos (5th), Kaden Elmer (7th), Max Johnson (8th), and Aidan Bries (19th.)  The Leafs ended up winning the team  title in the process.  Their winning point total of a mere 40 bested the second place squad from Normal West by 45 points.  It was a GREAT DAY in the future of the Geneseo Maple Leafs.

Dylan has been “On Fire” all season long.  He opened his competitive racing with a second place in the Leafs’ “Rust Buster” where he was timed in 11:00 for the challenging 3K course.  He then placed 9th in the Moline WB-6 Season Opener Invite at Hampton’s Empire Park where he was timed in 17:07.  Next up was a 5th place finish at the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invite where he “Stopped the Clock” in 17:32.  I am writing this on Sunday, September 11th and he “Threw Down” another HUGE performance yesterday at Detweiller Park in Peoria where he “ROARED” to a time of 16:22 (33 Second Personal Best.)  I have overhead a few comments about how much “God-Given Talent” he possesses.  EVERYONE has “God-Given Talent”.  Some have more that others for sure.  What makes Dylan so special, in my opinion, is the hunger that he has.  He is a highly dedicated young man who “Brings it” each and every day.  He possesses a healthy dose of both “Passion and Purpose”.  Along the way, he has been “Re-Writing” some history in regards to the Geneseo Top 25 Lists for each course he has raced upon.  I have been involved in this sport as either an athlete or coach for a VERY long time (Since 1972 as a 7th grader) and the qualities that Dylan possesses are Extremely Rare.  The fact that he is ONLY a Sophomore makes everything I have mentioned all the more remarkable.  Keep “Dreaming Big,” Dylan and then backing it all up with commitment that excellence DEMANDS.  Hopefully, you will be “Dancing at Detweiller” when November rolls around (AKA….in the STATE FINALS.)  All the best during the rest of this season on beyond.  It is also wonderful watching you share “some of this journey” with your beloved brother, Tyler.  The best way to lead is via example and the Gehl Bro’s do it on a Daily Basis.  God Bless.  It is a true honor to be able to serve as one of your coaches.

Here is what Dylan had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “I competed in Cross Country and Track during Freshman year. During Cross Country, I ran with my brother Tyler throughout the season and was on varsity from the start which was awesome. I finished with the third most points on the team and a Cross Country state PR of 16:59! It was a fun and exciting first season. For Track, I went 10:28 in the 3200 before I had appendicitis which was the top time on the team. This was my first real Track season. In the mile I went sub 5 at 4:57. I was proud of both of these accomplishments, as they surpassed my goals for the season. I won several races in Track.”  8th Grade:  “In 8th grade I got second place in Cross Country Sectionals to Aaron Conderman (he is already close to running sub 16 in Cross Country this year). It was a close race, and it was my PR being somewhere around 11:15. This year was made up of almost solely duel meets, and I had fun. There was no state for this year, and the coaches never informed me or the rest of the team about the unofficial state meet so I did not run at it although I would have if I had known about it.  Track for this year was almost non existent for me because of tendonitis.”  7th Grade:  “I did Cross Country, Wrestling, and Track . In Cross Country, I was 2nd best on the team after Cooper. The only thing making me better at practices was trying to keep up with him. We both ended up going to state and I beat him at state with a PR of 11:33. I never imagined I would have gone to state this year. It was a lot of fun. Wrestling is not my forte but I still had the most points on the team in my grade. I wrestled in the 85 weight class. Track was non existent this year because of COVID.”  Prior to 7th Grade:  “I did Soccer, Football, and Baseball. I ran in the Jordan Rahn once which was my only exposure to racing other than watching my brother run and running the school mile as well as the pacer test competitively.”

Dylan is the proud son of Maria and Barney.  He is also the proud “Baby Bro” to Kylee (21…Iowa State Senior) and Tyler (17-Current Geneseo Senior.)  He is also the “Proud Big Bro” to Jacey (13-Current Geneseo 7th Grader.)

Here are Dylan’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Big Horse”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Chocolate ice cream”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Lord of the Rings”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “The Beatles”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Frank Shorter”.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  Van Neistat quoting Mike Tyson said, “Discipline is doing something that you hate as if you love it. Yes, it sucks running but you gotta do it anyway, just like brushing your teeth.” ;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “My brother was in it before me and I have always enjoyed running. I knew I had potential when I completely wiped the floor in the school pacer test and mile.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Go faster than you can or should during a race and hold on”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Calvin Bell, Senior Will DeJohn, Junior Tyson Duda, Senior Tyler Gehl, Junior Ausitn Hull, Sophomore Max Johnson, Junior Cooper Schaad, and Freshman Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

F/S TEAM CHAMPIONS

Pictured are the F/S Team Champions along with Head Maple Leaf XC Coach Todd Ehlert.
Also included are Varsity Runners Tyler Gehl & Cooper Schaad who earned individual awards.

LEAFS RUN STRONG AT THE
45th ANNUAL GALESBURG SILVER STREAK XC INV.

On Saturday, September 3rd, the Leafs traveled to Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park to participate in the 45th Annual Galessburg Silver Streak Cross Country Invitational.  The sixteen team field included entries from:  Abingdon-Avon, Alleman, Annawan-Wethersfield, Dunlap, East Peoria, Fort Madison, Galesburg, Geneseo, Knoxville, Metamora, Morton, Normal West, Peoria Notre Dame, ROWVA/Williamsfield, Sterling, and United Township (UTHS.)  The weatherman provided a typical early September day.  The daytime high was 88˚ along with a Dew Point of 70˚ which resulted in a “Feels Like” Heat Index of close to 100˚,  The bottom line is “IT IS WHAT IT IS” and everyone had the same conditions to compete in.  On the line were team trophies to the Top 3 finishing teams in both the Varsity and F/S Races.  Individual finisher medals were awarded to the Top 30 finishers in the Varsity Race and the Top 20 finishers in the F/S Race.

The Varsity Boys race started at 9:40 sharp.  Head Maple Leaf Boys XC Coach Todd Ehlert decided to race only his Juniors and Seniors in the unlimited Varsity Race.  All of the Freshmen and Sophomores would race in the F/S later in the meet. I applaud that decision.  Of course there are always two sides to a coin but the Pros out way the Cons significantly.  Ultimately, putting more guys into “Scoring” positions makes this move brilliant.  To “Spice it Up”, he challenged each group to a “Dual Meet” score (Varsity vs. F/S) with a “Traveling Trophy” to be awarded later next week.  The same plan will be in effect for the Sterling Rock River Run Invitational and the Metamora Running Red Invitational.  Leading the way were Senior Tyler Gehl (13th place in 17:09…good for 9th All-Time and 4th for a GHS Runner on the Course) and Junior Cooper Schaad (23rd Place in 17:49…good for 7th for a GHS Junior on the Course.)  Both Tyler and Cooper earned one of the highly coveted individual medals that were awarded to the top 30 Finishers in the Varsity Race.  Up next were: Junior Sam Mosbarger (53rd Place in 19:00…good for 13th for a GHS Junior on the course), Senior Josiah King (75th Place in 20:02…good for 22nd for a GHS Senior on the course), Junior Austin Hull (82nd Place in 20:20…good for 19th for a GHS Junior on the course), Senior Sam McCleary (90th Place in 20:45…good for 25th for a GHS Senior on the Course), Senior Caleb Durian (105th Place in 21:59), Senior Connor Knowles (112th Place in 22:22), Senior Nathan Venneberg (114th Place in 22:45), Junior Tyson Duda (129th Place in 25:00), Junior Ryley Rowald (130th Place in 25:14), and Senior Will DeJohn  (134th Place in 26:34.)  When the points were counted the Leafs had finished in 8th place.  That is pretty impressive considering that four of our team’s usual Top 7 ran in the F/S Race.  Way to race, Men.  It should also be pointed out that there is some illness going around the school and several team members “Have It”.

The F/S boys were in the last race of the day.  The temperature and dew point had risen all meet long.  The starter’s gun “Fired” at 11:00 am sharp.  The Leafs took control of the race early and won the F/S Team Title by 45 Points.  Individual Medals were presented to the Top 20 Finishers.  Leading the way were Sophomore Dylan Gehl (1st Place in 16:55….6th Fastest Leaf EVER on the course and a New Sophomore GHS Record on the course.  Not far behind were:  Freshman Jaxson Sottos (5^th Place in 18:01….good for 19^th All-Time and 3^rd for a GHS Freshman on the course), Freshman Kaden Elmer (7th Place in 18:24…good for 7th on the GHS List), Sophomore Max Johnson (8th Place in 18:25…good for 14th on the GHS Sophomore List), and Freshman Aidan Bries (19th Place in 18:59…good for 11th on the GHS Freshmen List.)  All five of these Leafs earned Top 20 Finisher Medals.  Not far behind were Sophomore Jacob Taylor (29th in 19:53…good for 19th on the GHS Sophomore List), Sophomore Rylan Lambert (41st Place in 20:36…good for 23rd on the GHS Sophomore List), Freshman Grady Hull (49th Place in 21:10…good for 22nd on the GHS Freshmen List), Sophomore Taber Swanson (58th Place in 21:31), Sophomore Zach Meier (77th Place in 22:59), and Freshman Calvin Bell (108th Place in 25:08.)

The “Dual Meet” between the Varsity and F/S ended up going to the F/S squad.  The score was 23 to 34.  Illness certainly affected the outcome.  There are two remaining meets where the teams will “Square Off” again.  The next opportunity will be at the Sterling Rock River Run Invitational on Saturday, September 24th.  The final time will be at the Metamora Running Red Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, October 8th.  Keep up the good work, Men.  This team is ready to accomplish some great things in the coming weeks.  When “Passion & Purpose” meet Opportunity, great things await.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing up those dreams with the hard work that excellence demands.

LAKE STOREY TOP 25’s

RESULTS

GRADY “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured above is Freshman Grady Hull who was selected at this week’s “Bell Ringer”

GRADY HULL SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Freshman Grady Hull was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

We usually select only one “Bell Ringer” each week.  However, since we had two meets this week we decided to award a “Bell Ringer” for each meet.  The time frame for this “Bell Ringer” was from the Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational held on Monday, August 29th.  The meet was held at Kewanee’s Midland Golf Course (AKA…Kewanee Dunes.)  Grady Hull was selected following his strong performance.  Grady’s time for challenging course was 20:09 as he took off over ONE MINUUTE from his season best time of 21:11 which was run at Hampton’s Empire Park during Moline’s Western Big 6 Season Opener Invite.  Grady has continued to improve his team standing each and every week.  He was 14th man in the “Rust Buster”.  He followed that up with another 14th man in the WB-6 Season Opener Inv. with more more teammates racing.  Then, during the “Titan Invitational” he “ROARED”  to Number 10 Man on the Leafs talented Squad and ended up placing 21st Overall in the race.  He barely missed an individual medal (awarded to the top 20.)  Great Job Grady.

I have noticed that Grady is usually in the lead pack of every training run at some point.  He has a plethora of competitive desire and it is going to be a LOT of fun watching him continue to improve during his high school career.  That fact that he is only a Freshman makes it all the better.  He is a “Key Member” of the Leaf’s “Four Horsemen”.  That group includes fellow Freshmen Jaxson Sottos, Kaleb Elmer, and Aidan Bries.  To state the the future looks bright for the Leafs is a gross understatement.  Grady’s first love is wrestling and he is out for cross country partly because he likes to run and mostly to condition for upcoming wrestling season.  The bottom line is there are NO BAD reasons for joining this team and it is our sincere hope that he will develop a similar desire towards his running career.  All the Best Grady during the rest of this season and beyond.  You are a Very Special young man that appears to have figured out just how omnipotent both passion and purpose are.  In addition, the correlation between hard work and desire results.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing those dreams up with the hard work and dedication that excellence demands.   

Here is what Grady had to say about his Athletic History:  09 Grade: “I was able to get the bell ringer on my cross country team so far. I really hope I can accomplish more this year with my wrestling team and cross country team”.  08 Grade: “I was top 10 on my cross country team but I was not able to meet my goal of qualifying for state.  In wrestling, I wrestled a great seasons and made it to state with a heck of a match against a kid that I wrestled a lot and you started to gain on me but I beat him in the last couple seconds”. 07 Grade: “In 7th grade I didn’t do much because of covid-19.  I was home schooled and didn’t really get to wrestle much but when I did run that year I was top 10 and I ran with an awesome team.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to state again”.  Prior to 7th grade: “I don’t remember too much from that time period.  COVID-19 was just starting and I was getting in to wrestling more and more I started wrestling in fourth grade at that point I was just doing it because I was pressured by my dad and now I love wrestling and it is like by far my favorite  sport. I ran a lot when I was younger I was able to win the firecracker run for my age group and that was pretty darn cool and i guess that’s about it”.

Grady is the proud son of Tricia and Matt Hull.  He is also the proud Proud “Big Bro” to Dawson (7th grader), Ivery (2nd grader), and Hazle (first grader.)

Here are Grady”s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “G-Money”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Tacos”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Top Gun – Maverick”;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Country”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “Jordan Burroughs”  Here is what a Google Search tells us about Jordan:  “Jordan Ernest Burroughs (born July 8, 1988) is an American freestyle wrestler and former folkstyle wrestler who currently competes at 79 kilograms, and previously competed at 74 kilos.  In freestyle, he was the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, is the reigning and a five-time World Champion (eight-time medalist), three-time Pan American Games Gold medalist, four-time Pan American champion and four-time US Open National Champion, making the US World or Olympic Team in ten occasions.  In folkstyle, Burroughs was a two-time NCAA Division 1 Champion for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy (equivalent to the Heisman Trophy) in 2012.  Burroughs is widely known for his double leg takedown and is considered one of the greatest American freestyle wrestlers of all time”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “To get better you have to step out of your comfort zone, you can’t do the same things you’ve always done and improve. Jordan Burroughs“;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I enjoy running and conditioning for wrestling”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Just keep at it and don’t give up you will get there eventually if you keep at it.”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Aidan Bries, Freshman Kaden Elmer, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Sophomore Max Johnson, Junior Sam Mosbarger, Junior Cooper Schaad, and Freshman Jaxson Sottos.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT 

LEAFS WIN A-W TITAN XC INVITE

Pictured are most of the guys after the awards ceremony

LEAFS REWRITE TITAN INVITATIONAL TOP 25’s

On Monday, August 29, the Leaf traveled to Kewanee’s Midland Golf Club (aka…Kewanee Dunes) to participate in the annual Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Cross County Invitational.  The meet is primarily a Class 1A meet.  We are lucky that they have included both the Galesburg Silver Streaks and the Geneseo Maple Leafs who are both Class 2A in cross country (based on school enrollments.)   The field included teams from Aledo (Mercer County), Annawan-Wethersfield, Galesburg, Geneseo, Princeville, Orion, Sherrard, Stark County, ROWVA (Galva), Ridgewood, Rock Island (Alleman.)  The teams were treated to race on a great golf course that offered perfect footing.  The course was mostly flat with a few rolling hills.  The weather man provided a typical late August day in “The Land of Lincoln”.  The daytime high of 86˚ was topped by a high dew point and a “Feels Like Temperature of 96˚)  The Lady Leafs was scheduled got 4:00 pm with the boys following at 4:40 pm.  There was only one race for each gender.  On the line were plaques to the Top 3 finishing teams and individual finisher medals to the Top 20 in each race.  

Mercer County’s has two strong runners (Seniors Derek Coulter and Lucas Arnold) who charged into the lead as soon as the Starter’s Pistol “Cracked”.  They took the lead early and ended up running away from the rest of the field to finish first and second.  incidentally, Mercer County is coached by former Maple Leaf Standout Runner Pete Nelson.  His girls team qualified for the state meet for the first time in school history last fall.  They will be strong again.  This year the boys team is hoping to accomplish the same feat..  All the best “Nellie”. 

Back to the race.  The Leafs were led by the “Dynamic Duo” of Sophomore Dylan Gehl (4^th Place in 17:32) and his Senior brother Tyler Gehl (5^th Place in 17:38.)  Dylan’s time was the 4^th fastest for a Geneseo Maple Leaf EVER on the course.  It was also a New Sophomore School Record (He also owns the Freshmen Record.)  Tyler’s time was the 5^th fastest EVER for a G.H.S. athlete and was the 2^nd fastest for a Senior.  Not far behind them was Junior Sam Mosbarger (7^th Place in 18:00.)  Sam’s time now ranks 7^th for a GHS Athlete and was the 3^rd fastest time for a GHS Junior in School History.  Rounding out our team’s Top 5 were:  Junior Cooper Schaad (9^th Place in 18:20….good for 9^th All-Time & 4^th for a GHS Junior) and Sophomore Max Johnson (10^th Place in 18:29….good for 10^th All-Time & 4^th for a GHS Sophomore.)  By the way, in case you’ve lost count, that was FIVE Maple Leafs finishing in the Top 10.  What a great start to the meet.

Not far behind was Freshman Kaden Elmer (12^th Place in 18:36…..good for 11^th All-Time  & 2^nd for a GHS Freshman.)  Up next was Freshman Aidan Bries (16^th Place in 19:06….good for 14^th All-Time and 3^rd for a GHS Freshman.  Freshman Jaxson Sottos sprinted home next (17^th Place in 19:27….good for 15 All-Time & 4^th for a GHS Freshman.)  Senior Josiah King was up next (18^th Place in 19:36….good for 18^th All-Time & 9^th for a GHS Senior.)  Individual medals were awarded to the Top 20 Finishers.  Thus, the Leafs had NINE Men earn one of those “Highly Prized” Awards.  That ties the GHS School Record for the most medasl ever won in this meet.  That feat was also accomplished by the 2018 squad (course shortened to 2 miles that year due to extreme heat) and last year’s team.  GREAT JOB, MEN!

Up next was Freshman Grady Hull who ran the race of his life to barely miss an individual award (21^st Place in 20:09…good for 19^th All-Time and 5^th for a GHS Freshman.)  Junior Austin Hull (35^th Place in 21:13…good for 23^rd All-Time & 8^th for a GHS Junior), Senior Nathan Venneberg (42^nd Place in 22:25…good for the 11^th  for GHS Senior), Sophomore Mason Anderson (43^rd Place in 22:34…good for 12^th on the GHS Sophomore List), Senior Caleb Durian (53^rd Place in 23:40…good for 14^th on the GHS Senior List), Sophomore Zach Meier (54^th Place in 23:49…good for 13^th on the GHS Sophomore List), Senior Connor Knowles (63^rd Place in 26:14…good for 16^th on the GHS Senior List), Senior Will DeJohn (69^th Place in 28:36…good for 17^th on the GHS Senior List), Sophomore Camden Bamugardner (70^th Place in 28:40…good for 15^th on the GHS Sophomore List), and Junior Ryley Rowald (72^nd Place in 30:02…good for 14^th on the GHS Junior List.)  Senior Sam McCleary started the race and was forced to drop out due to severe abdominal discomfort.  There are certainly a few “Bugs” working their way through the school. 

When the team scores were counted, the Leafs found themselves on top.  Their winning team total was a mere 35 points.  Mercer County placed second with 56 points while Rock Island Alleman placed 3^rd with 63 points.  The top 3 teams won team plaques.  Seven teams fielded at least 5 runners to record an official team score.  The Leafs will next be in action on Saturday, September 3^rd when the compete in the Galesburg Silver Streak XC Invitational.  The meet will be held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park.  Keep up the good work, Men.  This team has a plethora of potential.  The way to make dreams come true is to provide a healthy dose of both “Passion & Purpose” on a daily basis.  Keep “DREAMING BIG”.

KEWANEE DUNES TOP 25’s

RESULTS

JAXSON “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured above is Freshman Jaxson Sottos who was selected at this week’s “Bell Ringer”

JAXSON SOTTOS SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Freshman Jaxson Sottos was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday.

The time frame for this week’s “Bell Ringer” was from Sunday, August 21st through Saturday, August 27th.  During that time the Leafs participated in Moline’s Western Big Six Season Opener Invitational.  The meet was held at Hampton’s beautiful Empire Park which sits right on the shore of the Mississippi River.  The boys field included teams from ten schools and saw 128 runners complete the course.  There was only one boys race which started at 5:15 pm directly following the girls race.

Jaxson had quite a race to put it mildly.  He placed 30th overall in the race and was the Maple Leafs’ 4th Man.  He was also just the 3rd Freshmen in the entire race to finish.  He was timed in 18:06 which set a Freshmen School Record for Geneseo Runners on the Empire Park Course.  His time was also the 7th fastest EVER for a Maple Leaf of ANY Grade Level.  The previous Freshman Record was held by current Maple Leaf Senior Gavin Allison.  Gavin’s time of 20:37 was set in 2019.  Jaxson dropped the previous record by 2:31 seconds.  His fellow classmates Kaden Elmer (18:20) and Aidan Bries (18:59) also bested Gavin’s time.  The future certainly looks bright.  In fact, seven of the first eight Maple Leafs in the race were Non-Seniors.

Jaxson also had a big race in the Leaf’s season opening “Rust Buster” which was held on Tuesday, August 16th at Geneseo’s rugged Richmond Hill Park.  Jaxson placed 5th overall in the race in a time of 11:26.  His time was the 10th fastest EVER for a Maple Leaf and established a new Freshmen School Record.  The previous record was held by Justin Johnson who was timed in 11:28 over the 3,000 Meter Course.

To say that Jaxson is off to a great start this season would be a HUGE understatement.  He is a true pleasure to coach.  He seems to possess a healthy dose of both Passion and Purpose.  He NEVER complains and simply LOVES to run.  He appears to enjoy both the training and racing opportunities equally.  Throw in the plethora of talent on the Maple Leafs’ roster and you can expect to see the Leafs making some “Noise” at the State Level during Jaxson’s four years at G..H.S.. in both Cross Country and Track and Field.  All the best, Jaxson.  Keeping paying the price that excellence demands.  Also, don’t forget to enjoy the journey that you take with your teammates.  Don’t be afraid to “Dream Big”. 

Here is what Jaxson had to say about his Athletic History:  9th Grade:  “Well, so far I’ve done pretty well on the Cross Country team. I set a freshman record in the Rust Buster which was amazing. And I set a Freshman record for the Western Big 6 Opener which was also super cool.”;  8th Grade:  “Cross Country I was 4th on the team. My best 2 mile time was 12:48 which at the time I thought was super good. I placed 10th at the Pioneer Pacer Invite and got a medal. Our team almost made State at Sectionals but we got 4th and only top 3 teams went to State. Then in Track I was 2nd for the mile on the team. My best mile was 5:23. I made Sectionals and placed 5th and got a shiny green ribbon.”;  7th Grade:  “Back in 7th grade, I wasn’t that good at Cross Country. I was 12th on the team. My fastest time then was 14:23. Then in Track I got last for the mile every race. My fastest mile in 7th grade was 6:55. I decided from then on that I wanted too be good at running so that summer I started running 3 miles every day.”;  Prior to 7th Grade:  “Well k-4 I would switch out every spring between Rec Baseball and Soccer. Then in 5th and 6th I played Basketball and Golf and I almost chose Golf over Cross Country.”

Jaxson is the proud son of Monica and Zachary Sottos.  He is also the proud “Baby Bro” to Alex Sottos (Age: 23), Max Sottos (Age: 19), and Grace Sottos (Age 15 – 11th Grade.)  He also the Proud “Big Bro” to Phoenix Sottos (Age: 11 –  6th Grade) and  Hendrix Sottos (Age: 9 – 4th Grade.)

Here are Jaxson’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “JJ”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Toasted peanut butter sandwich”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Lone Survivor;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “Rap and Country.  Zac Brown band”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “David Goggins”….Here is what a Google Search had to say about David:  “David Goggins is an American ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete, public speaker, and author. He is a retired United States Navy SEAL and former United States Air Force Tactical Air Control Party member who served in the Iraq War. His memoir, Can’t Hurt Me, was released in 2019”.;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Don’t stop when you’re tired. Stop when you’re done.” – David Goggins;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “At my elementary school we had a track that we would run around and we would count the amount of laps that we did and so I did it every day and for 2 straight years got the most laps ran out of the school. Then I saw my brother, Max, run XC in middle school and I decided I wanted to do XC.”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “There are no easy shortcuts either. You just gotta work hard for it”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Kaden Elmer, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, and Sophomore Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

HARDWARE AWARD WINNERS

Pictured are Tyler and Dylan Gehl who both earned Top 20 Finisher Medals

LEAFS 4TH IN “WB-6 SEASON OPENER” INVITE

On Monday, August 22nd, the Leafs traveled to Hampton’s Empire Park to participate in the annual “Western Big 6 Season Opener Invitational”.  The meet contained all eight of the WB-6 Members (Alleman, Galesburg, Geneseo, Moline, Quincy, Rock Island, Sterling, UTHS) along with Davenport Central and Riverdale.  The Leafs haven’t participated in the meet since 2019 due to COVID-19 cancelling the meet in 2020 and last year’s meet was postponed due to poor weather conditions.  The make-up date was in conflict with last year’s Annawan-Wethersfield “Titan Invitational”.  Thus, for only the second time in school history (2019 was the first) the Leafs “Toed da Line” for the meet.

The weatherman provided an amazingly nice day for late August in Illinois.  The daytime high was 80˚ and there was minimal wind from the north at 5 mph.  I’m not saying it didn’t get a bit warm for the athletes during the race but it could have been a LOT worse.  Empire Park is located in Hampton, Illinois and sits right next to the Mississippi River.  The course runs right along the river for half a mile on each of the three one-mile loops.  The panoramic views were simply spectacular.  Empire Park will be the hosting the Western Big Six Conference Meet later in the season which made this meet all the more valuable to gain experience on the course.  Moline High School hosted the meet and did a great job.  Hats off to Coach Taylor and his crew.

On to the racing.  There was only one race for the Girls (which started at 4:30 p.m.) and one for the Boys (which started at 5:15 p.m.)  The boys team completed their pre-race preparations while the girls race was contested.  The boys did a great job of both supporting our girls team and also preparing to race themselves.  Great job of leadership, Senior Captains.  Once the “Starter’s Pistol Cracked”, the boys took off chasing the plethora of potential that the 2022 season has to offer.  The Leafs did a great job of executing Head Boys Coach Todd Ehlert’s race strategy of “Move at the Mile”.  It was a lot of fun watching team members passing large numbers of runners during the final two miles of the race.  Highly prized Individual Medals were awarded to the Top 15 Runners Finishers.  Senior Tyler Gehl (9th Place) and his Sophomore brother Dylan (10th Place) each moved up nicely to earn their “Hardware”.  Tyler and Dylan were both “Clocked” in 17:07.  Not far behind was Junior Sam Mosbarger who sprinted home in 21st Place.  He was timed  in 17:25.  Joining the Maple Leaf Top 5 were Freshmen Jaxson Sottos (30th Place in 18:06) and Kaden Elmer (32nd Place in 18:20.)  The Leafs totaled 102 points to place 4th in the the 10 team field.  Rounding out the Maple Leaf Top 7 were Junior Cooper Schaad (36th Place in 18:30) and Sophomore Max Johnson (37th Place in 18:31.)

Not far behind were:  Freshman Aidan Bries (46th Place in 18:59, Senior Sam McCleary (61st Place in 19:46), Senior Josiah King (63rd Place in 19:54), Sophomore Jacob Taylor (64th Place in 19:55), Junior Austin Hull (82nd Place in 20:45), Freshman Grady Hull (89th Place in 21:11), Sophomore Taber Swanson (93rd Place in 21:40), Senior Nathan Venneberg (105th Place in 22:35), Sophomore Mason Anderson (108th Place in 23:07), Senior Caleb Durian (110th Place in 23:12), Sophomore Camden Baumgardner (121st Place in 25:51), and Senior Will DeJohn (126th Place in 28:42.)

One Maple Leaf only ran the first two laps (working his way up to racing three miles) and six Maple Leafs were held out of the meet for various reasons.  The team will next be in action on Monday, August 29th, when they will compete in the Annawan-Wethersfield “Titan Invitational” which will be held at Kewanee Dunes Golf Course.  Then, on Saturday, September 2nd, the Leafs will “Mix it up” with a talented field of teams in the Galesburg Silver Streak Invitational which will be held at Galesburg’s Lake Storey Park. 

EMPIRE PARK HISTORY

RESULTS

MAX “RINGS THE BELL”

Pictured above is Sophomore Max Johnson who was selected at this week’s “Bell Ringer”

MAX JOHNSON SELECTED
AS “BELL RINGER AWARD WINNER”

Sophomore Max Johnson was selected as this week’s “Bell Ringer Award Winner”.  The award was created by Head Maple Leaf Cross Country Coach Todd Ehlert with a little help from “da committee”.  The “Bell Ringer Award” honors a team member selected by a committee consisting of the senior captains and the coaching staff   Each member of the committee nominates two athletes.  The committee then discusses each nominee until a winner is selected.  A team member can be nominated every week but is eligible to win only once.  Considerations for nomination include both practice and competitive performances.  Possessing high levels of both Passion and Purpose are Omnipotent.  The award winner is selected every Tuesday once the competitive portion of the season has begun.

The time frame for this week’s “Bel Ringer” was from Monday, August 8th (the first day of practice) through the “Rust Buster” Time Trial which was held on Tuesday, August 16th.  The “Rust Buster” was held at Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Park.  The athletes competed over the middle school 3K course.  The competition included a high school race (girls and boys) and a middle school race (ditto.)  In both races, the girls chose to race “Head-to-Head” against the boys so they all started together.

Max turned a “Jaw-Dropping” performance in the Maple Leaf’s season opener on Tuesday, August 16th in the 37th annual “Rust Buster”.  He went out hard and kicked it in for fourth place OVERALL in the race.  His time of 11:22 over the challenging Richmond Hill Park was the 9th fastest individual time EVER on the new 3K course (debuted in 2018.)  His time was also good for the 14th fastest performance by any grade level.  He is also the now the 5th fastest Sophomore.  Way to Go, Max!

Sometimes, when I get excited I have called Max “Sam”.  I have no idea why that came out but that is now his “Nickname” until a better one arises.  He, along with his teammates, tend to get me pretty excited most of the time.  This team is possesses a plethora of potential.  It is also “Loaded” with a ton of great guys.  The kind of guys that make coming to practice each day one of the highlights of my day.  I know Coach Ehlert feels the same way.  It is going to be a LOT of fun to watch this team develop over the course of this season and see how far they can “Raise the Bar”. 

Max put in a solid summer of “Base Work” and is certainly reaping the benefits of that off-season dedication.  The only way to truly tap into one’s true potential is to make the commitment to go “All In” and train during the off-season.  In addition, that includes making good decisions on a daily basis.  Meaning that nutrition, hydration, and adequate sleeping needs are just a few of the “Boxes” that need to be checked with regularity.  Watching all of that hard work pay HUGE dividends is very exciting to put it mildly.  This summer was the first time that Max has trained in the off-season and if our team is every going to reach its true potential, we will need everyone to “Jump on Board” and follow the lead of Max and additional teammates who have made the same commitment.

Keep up the good work, Max.  This is just the beginning for you.  Our team is has a lot of talent and keeping your “Top 7” spot isn’t guaranteed.  You need to keep focusing on “Controlling the Controllables”.  That means control what you can control.  You are a VERY special young man with an “infectious” smile.  You help to bring something good to our team on a daily basis.  All the best with this season and beyond.  Keep “Dreaming Big” and backing up those dreams with the hard work that excellence demands to make those dreams come to fruition. 

Here is what Max had to say about his Athletic History:  Freshman Year:  My freshman year, I ran Cross Country and earned my Varsity Letter and ended up with a season best time of 19:38 (which he ran in his final meet of his season at the Sterling 09/J.V. Invite).  I was battling an injury and almost didn’t race.  Coach Freddy saw me talking to my father right before the race was going to start.  He asked my dad what he thought I should do….my dad smiled and said that he hoped I would race.  I sure am glad that I did.  In the Spring, I joined the Track and Field team where I ran both the 400 meter dash (59.12 season best) and 800 meter run (2:17.26 season best) both in open races and in relays.  I also earned my Varsity Letter;  8th Grade:  I ran Cross Country and cracked the Top 7 and raced at Sectionals.  In the spring, I ran Track & Field for the first time and was a sprinter.  I raced anywhere from 100 Meters up to the 400 Meters.  I also ran the sprint relays;  7th Grade:  I ran Cross Country in the fall for the first time and cracked the Top 7.  It was FUN!;  6th Grade and Under:  I played Baseball from Kindergarten through Third Grade.  I played every position.  My favorite was Shortstop.  I LOVE Baseball and am a HUGE Chicago Cubs Fan.  I also played Soccer both in Kindergarten and First Grade.  Coach Freddy asked me about positions…I don’t have a clue.  I remember having a lot of energy and was all over the field. 

Max is the proud son of Stephanie and Bob Johnson.  He is also the proud “Big Bro” to Micah (Current Geneseo Middle School 8th Grader.) 

Here are Max’s answers to his “Bell Ringer Award” Questions:  NICKNAME:  “Sam….Coach Freddy sometimes calls me that by mistake and it’s starting to stick”;  FAVORITE FOOD:  “Spaghetti”;  FAVORITE MOVIE:  “Forrest Gump;  FAVORITE MUSIC (Genre or Group):  “I LOVE ROCK”;  ATHLETIC HERO”  “No one comes to my mind”;  FAVORITE QUOTE:  “Get Comfortable being Uncomfortable”;  WHY DID YOU JOIN THE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM:  “I enjoy running and had friends joining the team”;  WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SPORT:  “Do NOT underestimate the importance of stretching.  You never know how important it is until it’s too late.  I was battling shin splints and “I-T-Band Syndrome” with both legs last year until I learned how to properly stretch”.

Other team members who were nominated and discussed for this week’s “Bell Ringer Award” were:  Freshman Calvin Bell, Freshman Aidan Bries, Freshman Kaden Elmer, Sophomore Dylan Gehl, Senior Tyler Gehl, Senior Sam McCleary, Junior Sam Mosbarger, Freshman Jaxson Sottos, and Sophomore Jacob Taylor.

SNL’S COW BELL SKIT

RECORD ASSAULTS

Pictured are Dylan Gehl, Tyler Gehl, Max Johnson, Sam Mosbarger, Kaden Elmer, and Jaxson Sottos.
Each man “Cracked the Top 5 List (at least) their grade level.

2022 “RUST BUSTER”

On Tuesday, August 16th, the Leafs hosted their 37th annual season opener.  The meet has gone by a couple of names.  It was called the “Alumni-Open” for most of its duration.  During that time period, the race utilized a handicap system that allowed for the high school teams and middle school teams to race against each other.  Community members along with family members of teammates were also allowed to compete in the race.  In the fall of 2018 when Coach Ehlert took over the boys program, the meet’s name was changed to the “Rust Buster” and due to IHSA rules, the high school teams could only race each other.  The middle school teams had to do the same.  Community and Family Members were no longer allowed to compete.  Under the new rules, if they were allowed to compete, the high school teams risked being declared ineligible for Post Season Competition.  That was a risk that was simply to great to take.

Both Head Coaches of the High School Teams (Coach Todd Ehlert:  Geneseo Boys) and (Kelley Timmerman:  Geneseo Girls) decided this year to not use any handicap at all and just race head-to-head.  Thus, at 6:00 p.m. all competing team members took off from the starting line for the 3000 meter race over the challenging Richmond Hill Course.  The athletes raced under near perfect weather conditions.  The race-time temperature of 80˚ and there was virtually zero wind.  The course was also dry and hard which equals FAST.  The “New Course” has been run since the fall of 2018.  Thus, this is the 5th year that we have raced over it.

A large number of the boys team have put in solid summers of training.  That hard work was on display when the starter’s pistol “cracked” (actually, we forgot the gun so athletes took off when on Coach Ehlert’s Whistle)  The boys team grabbed the first 15 places in the race.  Leading the way was Sophmore Dylan Gehl who barely missed the course record of 14:45 held by Maple Leaf Senior Gavin Allison who was unable to race due to a toe injury.  Dylan missed the course record by a mere one second.  His time of 14:46 was a Geneseo High School Sophomore School Record.  A lot of great performances were turned in by the team.  Rounding out the Top Six Finishers were:  2.)  Senior Tyler Gehl  (11:00 and good for 5th All-Time Individual & 3rd Fastest Senior in School History);  3.)  Junior Sam Mosbarger  (11:07 and good for 6th All-Time Individual  & 4th Fastest Junior in School History);  4.)  Sophomore Max Johnson (11:22 and good for 9th All-Time Individual & 5th Fastest Sophomore in School History);  5.)  Freshman Jaxson Sottos (11:26 and good for 10th All-Time & a NEW FRESHMAN SCHOOL RECORD;  6.)  Freshman Kaden Elmer  (11:27 good for 11th All-Time & the 2nd Fastest Freshman in School History.  All Six of these men broke into Top Five Divisions in the History of the Meet.  GREAT JOB, MEN.

Not far behind were 7.)  Junior Cooper Schaad (11:47…just missed his P.R. of 11:35 which sits 13 All-Time….and 8th Fastest Junior in School History;  8.)  Freshman Aidan Bries (12:10 good for 21st All-Time & the 7th Fastest Freshman in School History;  9.)  Senior Josiah King (12:34 good for 23rd All-Time & 1th 10th Fastest Senior in School History);  10.)  Senior Sam McCleary (12:38 good for 24th All-time & the 11th Fastest Senior in School History;  11.)  Sophomore Rylan Lambert (12:49 good for the 13th Fastest Sophomore in School History;  14.)  Sophomore Jacob Taylor (12:50 good for the 14th Fastest Sophomore in School History;  13.)  Junior Austin Hull (13:05 good for the 16th Fastest Junior in School History);  14.)  Freshman Grady Hull (13:09 good for the 10th Fastest Freshman in School History);  15.)  Mason Anderson (13:48 good for the 19th Fastest Freshman in School History.)

Also running great and rounding out the team were 19.)  Senior Caleb Durian (14:11 good for the 20th Fastest Senior in School History);  26.)  Nathan Venneberg (15:14 good for the 25th Fastest Senior in School History);  28.)  Ryley Rowold (15:21);  30.)  Camden Baumgardner (16:11 good for the 25th Fastest Sophomore in School History);  35.)  Connor Douglas  (17:16);  and 38.)  Calvin Bell (17:43.)

Team members who were unable to participate were Gavin Allison (injury), Alex Davis (Just Joined), Will DeJohn (Illness), and Taber Swason (Conflict.)  Hopefully, most of these men will be back in action soon.

There was an “Award Ceremony” after the race.  Each athlete won a “T-Shirt” (all athletes brought one do donate to the race for prizes.)  In addition, an informational parent meeting was held after the race.  Each athlete was asked to bring three canned good that will donated to the Geneseo Food Pantry.  Congratulations to everyone who participated in the meet.  We wish each athlete and team a successful cross-country season.

The Leafs will next be in action on Monday, August 22nd when the team travels to Hampton’s Empire Park to participate in Moline’s Western Big Six Season Opener.  Alleman, Galesburg, Geneseo, Moline, Quincy, Rock Island, Sterling, UTHS, will be joined by 1A State Powerhouse Riverdale.  We hope to see you there.

RUST BUSTER HISTORY

RESULTS