Qualifying approach differs for coaches

Qualifying, more than winning, is the goal at regional cross country meets today and Friday. At least that’s the approach taken by longtime Liberty coach Gary Weston.

“It’s not that important to win regional,” he said. “We’ll be training through this week. The big thing is to make sure you qualify for state.”

Others, such as The Classical Academy’s Alan Versaw, want to push their kids hard the final two weeks, including Friday’s 3A regional in Limon.

Both Versaw and Weston — who has led the Liberty boys team to top-five finishes in 16 of the past 20 years — have succeeded with their approaches to regional competition.

Liberty’s boys and girls run today at Monument Valley Park, with the first race at 2:30 p.m. involving Class 5A boys, followed by 4A boys, 5A girls and 4A girls.

Another 4A regional is 4 p.m. Friday at Fountain-Fort Carson.

The top 15 individuals not on a qualifying team — approximately four to six teams qualify for state, depending on the number of schools participating in a regional — advance to the state meet Oct. 27 at El Pomar Sports Complex.

“We don’t want to put a lot of pressure on them this race,” Weston said.

“We want them finishing regional and thinking they can go faster than they just ran. We don’t want an all-out effort.”

Both of Liberty’s teams won the 4A Colorado Springs Metro League races last week. Individual champions were Jamie Welch of Woodland Park and Wes Rickman of Falcon.

Woodland Park’s boys and girls finished runners-up last week. Shawn Dubbs and Chris Blackburn lead the Panthers. Other top girls last week were Sierra’s Samantha Thompson (second) and Fountain-Fort Carson’s Natalie Holt (fifth).

Liberty’s depth could be the deciding factor. Amy Kress, Kaylen Slack, Lauren Theune and Jenn Pulscher were in the top seven in the league race.

Tim Hamilton and Chris Claflin paced the Liberty boys.

Rock Canyon will provide top competition today.

“Rock Canyon is very good and Woodland Park will be close,” Weston said. “Cheyenne Mountain didn’t run everybody at CSML so they’ll be tough.”

The Classical Academy is led by Kaitlin Hanenburg, who placed second last year at state.

“I feel very good about Kaitlin’s chances at regional and state,” Versaw said.

“I understand the theory about trying to save your best race for state, but you have to run pretty hard at regional just to qualify. I feel you have to take your chances on running hard these last two races of the year.”

Hanenburg’s only loss this year is to Air Academy junior Allie McLaughlin, who didn’t race in the Metro meet.

McLaughlin is scheduled to run today. She will be tested by 5A Metro champ Jen Bremser of Sand Creek, Lynnea Sjoerdsma of Doherty, Meg Rudy of Palmer and Maddie Kruger of Lewis-Palmer.

Dusty Solis of Coronado was the boys 5A Metro champion. The Cougars and Rampart swept the top seven spots as the Rams edged Coronado by a point for the title.

Brennan Jarvis, Jeff Cook and Nick Saulnier lead the Rams while Alex Vaske and Andrew Lesser are strong for Coronado.

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