Vikings Display Running Depth in Season Debut

The unofficial start of the 2010 high school cross country season was all about opportunity for Geneva's girls and boys teams.

Competing without top runners Kelly Whitley and Kevin McDowell, who are preparing to participate in the International Triathlon Union Junior World Championships Sept. 12 in Budapest, Hungary, the Vikings showed off their significant depth during Saturday's St. Charles East/Jeff Leavey Invitational.

Girls

Seniors Tess Ehrhardt, Liza Tauscher and Rachel Hammond, all contributing members on the Vikings' Class 3A state championship teams from 2007 and 2008, recorded top-10 finishes during the 3-mile race at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.

Ehrhardt led the way with a second-place time of 18:03.3 that even caught her a little by surprise.

"My goal was to get under 19 minutes," said Ehrhardt. "I definitely beat that, so that feels good. I'm very happy, and I'm even happier for my team because we all did so well."

Most teams would be satisfied with a fifth-place state team finish, something the Vikings accomplished a year ago.

But that's certainly not the case with this experienced group.

"We were kind of disappointed last year just because the two years before we had done so well," said Ehrhardt. "We really want to come together for our senior year."

Tauscher was fifth in a time of 18:18.3.

"We got off to a real strong start," she said. "We've been working so hard this summer because we really want to have a strong season."

Hammond placed ninth at 18:20.8.

Once Whitley joins her teammates later in September, the Vikings will shoot for something special.

 "We've got five girls vying to run at state for the fourth time," said Geneva coach Bob Thomson.

Geneva finished third in the team standings with 123 points.

Boys

Admittedly nervous prior to his first-ever cross country race, Geneva senior Bill Koskiewicz didn't let a few jitters get in the way of a magnificent debut performance.

Koskiewicz was the Vikings' top finisher, placing 18th in a time of 15:55.9 as the team recorded a sixth-place showing (180 points).

"It was nerve-wracking," said Koskiewicz. "The level of competition is very high but the adrenaline kind of got me through it, pushing me the whole way."

Thomson liked what he saw from his rookie harrier.

"Billy ran track last year," said the coach. "He's a great kid—very likable. Maybe he'll be another Chris Higgins (earned all-state honors during his senior season in 2008 as a first-time cross country runner).

"We'll take those seniors and then we'll be frustrated that we didn't have them before."

Connor Bartel (21st), Peter Archibald (31st), Ryan Ahern (40th), Ryan Fromm (70th), Kristoffer Larsen (101st) and Chris Swanson (117th) completed the Vikings' lineup.