1.
Team: Mountain Vista (CO)
Analysis: The program, which trains at nearly 6,000 feet elevation, has scooped up our No. 1 preseason ranking. The Highland Ranch, Colorado-based team, finished sixth at NXN a year ago, won an NXR Southwest Championship and earned a Class 5A title in Colorado. The team returns five of its top seven, including its top runner, Jenna Fitzsimmons. On paper, the team returns an average of 17:59 and a spread of just 75 seconds.
- - -
How long have you coached at your school?
12 years. Coach Selle (15th year) and I have been co-head coaching together at Vista since 2007.
What is your meet schedule this fall?
- Vista Nation 2-Mile Invitational-August 24th
- Liberty Bell-September 8th
- Dave Sanders Columbine Invitational-September 21st
- Contiental League Championships-October 10th
- Colorado State Championships- October 27th
- NXRSW-November 17th
How has summer training been different for your team in 2018 as opposed to year's past? Or what are the small differences in training that you've seen this offseason?
This years team has been very consistent over the summer. After loosing a great crop of senior boys and girls in the spring a lot of new faces have stepped up to create their own legacy in our programs history.
Which athletes do you see as the probable top five this season?
It is difficult to say for sure. We are fortunate to have a lot of depth this this season. The girls did not get hit as hard by graduation as the boys did last year. We return 13 girls from last years team that saw varsity competition at some point, and a handful of younger runners that look like they have a chance to be in our top 7 by the end of the season.
Who are your team captains or leaders? Based on your finish at state, region and NXN last year, how has your team continued to work toward new goals this fall?
With 120 student-athletes on the team (boys and girls) this will be our largest group out for XC ever. We do not have team captains, instead there is an unwritten expectation that everyone from our first athlete to our last positively contributes. The synergy amongst this years group has been really positive and they have worked hard to have a successful season in the fall.
Who are some new faces who will make an impact on your team this year? (i.e. freshmen, transfers, runners who have improved a lot)
We have 40 new freshman boys and girls on the team right now. Coach Selle and I are very excited to let them develop and see where their training takes them.
What are some principle workouts your team does during the season?
My good friend Coach John O'Malley at Sandburg High School in Illinois often says, "everything is always present." This is our basic philosophy on training. We do everything from short hill sprints to long runs throughout the course of the season, but place a different amount of emphasis on each type of training based on what point of the training cycle we are in.
What will be the biggest reason why your team is successful this season?
Staying consistent, each athlete doing their part for the team, and using cross country to help become the best versions of ourselves that we can be.
What will be the biggest obstacle or challenge facing your team this season?
Avoiding comparing ourselves to other teams and athletes. We will focus on being the best team Mountain Vista High School can be, and each athlete becoming the best version of themselves possible.
How has your team's culture changed in the 12 years since you began coaching at Mountain Vista?
Our culture has done a complete 180 in the last 12 years. In 2007 there was not a lot of commitment to the team, or to running. Now we are fortunate to have a large group that has created a positive team environmtent and is very committed to our sport.
What are your top three goals for the team this fall?
- 1. Consistently follow the process
- 2. Collectively be the best team we can be
- 3. Become the best versions of ourselves
- - -
Returning 5K Times Based On The 2017 Season
| 1 | Mountain Vista High School (CO) | |||
| 1) Jenna Fitzsimmons | 17:20.00 | |||
| 2) Caroline Eck | 17:49.00 | |||
| 3) Sarah O'Sullivan | 17:53.00 | |||
| 4) Madison Reed | 18:19.00 | |||
| 5) Makenna Anderson | 18:35.00 | |||
| Average Time: 17:59.20 Total Time: 1:29:56.00 1-5 Split: 1:15.00 | ||||
| 6) Jessica Barich | 19:16.00 | |||
| 7) Zoe Simmons | 19:28.00 | |||
Returning 1600m Times Based On The 2018 Season
| 1 | Mountain Vista High School (CO) | |||
| 1) Jenna Fitzsimmons | 4:54.22 | |||
| 2) Caroline Eck | 5:02.24 | |||
| 3) Sarah O'Sullivan | 5:03.22 | |||
| 4) Jessica Barich | 5:21.03 | |||
| 5) Madison Reed | 5:22.69 | |||
| Average Time: 5:08.68 Total Time: 25:43.40 1-5 Split: 28.47 | ||||
| 6) Makenna Anderson | 5:27.54 | |||
| 7) Zoe Simmons | 5:30.20 | |||
Returning 3200m Times Based On The 3200m Season
| 1 | Mountain Vista High School (CO) | |||
| 1) Jenna Fitzsimmons | 10:35.09 | |||
| 2) Caroline Eck | 10:55.19 | |||
| 3) Sarah O'Sullivan | 11:13.03 | |||
| 4) Madison Reed | 11:20.84 | |||
| 5) Makenna Anderson | 11:29.70 | |||
| Average Time: 11:06.77 Total Time: 55:33.85 1-5 Split: 54.61 | ||||
| 6) Zoe Simmons | 11:56.18 | |||
| 7) Paige Hunter | 12:00.55 | |||
- - -
| MILESPLIT50 TEAM RANKINGS COUNTDOWN | |
|---|---|
| Aug. 14 -- Cardinal Gibbons (NC) | |
| Aug. 14 -- Bozeman (MT) | |
| Aug. 14 -- Mountain View (ID) | |
| Aug. 14 -- Fort Wayne Carroll (IN) | |
| Aug. 14 -- Farmington (MN) | |
| Aug. 15 -- North Central (WA) | |
| Aug. 16 -- Saratoga Springs (NY) | |
| Aug. 17 -- Bishop Guertin (NH) | |
| Aug. 18 -- Muskego (WI) | |
| Aug. 19 -- Blacksburg (VA) | |
| Aug. 20 -- Pine Crest (FL) | |
| Aug. 21 -- Buchanan (CA) | |
| Aug. 22 -- Liverpool (NY) | |
| Aug. 23 -- Battle Mountain (CO) | |
| Aug. 24 -- Yorkville (IL) | |
| Aug. 25 -- Edina (MN) | |
| Aug. 26 -- Lone Peak (UT) | |
| Aug. 27 -- Claremont (CA) | |
| Aug. 28 -- Centerville (OH) | |
| Aug. 29 -- Jesuit (OR) | |
| Aug. 30 -- Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) | |
| Aug. 30 -- Naperville North (IL) | |
| Aug. 30 -- Great Oak (CA) | |
| Aug. 30 -- Wayzata (MN) | |
| Aug. 30 -- Mountain Vista (CO) | |
| Aug. 31 |