Replacing an All-American is tough no matter what the
circumstance may be. But the task facing the men’s cross
country team this season is especially difficult.
2004 All-American Jon Rankin provided men’s cross country
with its bright spots in an otherwise mediocre season a year
ago.
His record-setting senior year came while his athletic yet
inexperienced teammates were trying to find themselves during an
up-and-down season.
But as the calendar changes and the Bruins begin the season,
they must find someone to fill the void left by Rankin’s
graduation. If the team hopes to improve on 2004’s results,
coach Eric Peterson will need a group of athletes to take their
running to the next level.
Peterson believes he has just that with his group of runners,
citing the emergence of junior Austin Ramos and sophomore Mike
Haddan.
Both illustrated flashes of brilliance in the past, but are
expected to go from solid contributors to team leaders.
“You never exactly replace someone like Jon Rankin,”
Peterson said. “His leadership skills and clutch performances
are truly unique. But I know that guys like Ramos and Haddan are on
the cusp of great things for this program, and we hope this will be
their year.”
The Sundodger Invitational saw Ramos and Haddan start the season
on a positive note.
Ramos won the men’s 8000m invitational with a time of
24:00, the fourth-fastest time in the invitational’s history.
He led the Bruin men’s squad to a third-place finish in the
team standings.
The Bruins had three other runners in the top 25 ““ Haddan
(17th, 24:33), sophomore Kyle Shackleton (21st, 24:42) and freshman
Laef Barnes (23rd, 24:45).
“This was Austin’s first collegiate cross country
victory,” Peterson said. “He ran extremely well. At
around the four-mile mark, he opened up a 30m gap and from there,
won the race in dominating fashion. Austin is going to be one of
the top runners in the conference this season.”
The meet also marked the collegiate debut of Barnes, a freshman
from Washington who was ranked number three in the United States in
high school cross country and track.
Although Barnes is in his first year with the program, his vast
potential will be a key component to how far the Bruins can go this
season.
“We have one of the most gifted athletes in the whole
country in Laef Barnes,” Peterson said. “He possesses
talent that doesn’t come around that often, and we’re
going to be working hard to develop it.”
In addition to Haddan and Ramos, returning to this year’s
team as established runners are junior Micky Cobrin and senior
Martell Munguia.
“The team has matured quite well over the last couple of
years,” Peterson said. “I don’t think
there’s going to be a problem with depth because everybody
has shown that they are comfortable in whatever role they
fill.”
Preparations for the season were made during the team’s
annual conditioning trip to Mammoth Falls. The road trip has become
a staple for men’s and women’s cross country, as
Peterson has taken his players in each of his 13 seasons as
coach.
The runners’ time is spent training on uphill scenic
routes in order to build their red blood cell counts.
While the trip is primarily used as a conditioning process, it
also creates camaraderie as the Bruins start the season off with
few distractions around them.
“I was pleased with the time we spent up in Mammoth
Falls,” Peterson said.
“Getting away from campus and focusing on our team goals
is a productive way to start the year fresh and get ready for the
demands of a long season.”