Men's Cross Country | 09/10/20 | 6:50 PM
HELENA, Mont. -- In years past, rarely was it considered more than circumstance that a sport held the moniker of "first to compete."
This season, during a year that's challenged each and every one of us in different ways amid a global pandemic, it's with a feeling of gratitude and a heap of excitement that the Carroll College Fighting Saints cross country team hold that honor.
The harriers take to Havre on Friday to run in the Frontier Conference Preview at Prairie Farms Golf Course. The event is the first any Saints team has competed in since March 9.
The lead-up and logistics of athletics amid COVID-19 have been challenging, but the Saints are keeping a wider perspective when it comes to retaining a sense of normalcy with competition.
"We're definitely feeling a lot of gratitude," Saints coach Shannon Flynn said. "It does feel a little strange because it doesn't feel like everything is up and going. It doesn't feel real because it's been so long since we've competed. I think because of that, the athletes are feeling really excited. I know I'm looking forward to it. I know there will be a little rust to shake off."
Flynn will send a limited squad to the Hi-Line in hopes of hitting personal records on a day expected to be warm with pleasant running conditions. Seven Saints men and eight women will travel to Havre.
All Frontier Conference teams, save the University of Providence, will be racing on Friday. It will be the first of four races that will pit the Frontier teams against each other. By the Frontier Conference Championship in November, there will be few mysteries between the teams.
"We'll know what everybody does," Flynn said. "There won't be any surprises by the end of the season. Our conference should be really competitive on the women's side. On the men's side I think it's a little bit less known what it will look like. I think teams should be pretty evenly matched."
First, the Saints have to figure themselves out.
Flynn begins her second season at the helm and the 2019 Frontier Conference Coach of the Year is looking to learn a lot about her team in the early meets.
The men return junior Spencer Swaim, who became the Frontier Conference's Runner of the Week once last season, and sophomores Joe O'Sullivan and Anthony Langton for their sophomore campaigns.
"Spencer has looked really good during the summer and he's healthy," Flynn said. "We're excited about that."
The rest of the men's roster is made up of freshmen: Connor Bawden, Jonah Fisher, James Normandeau, Connor O'Hara, Zach Rector, Kaiden Romney and Clayton Ryerson.
With so many freshmen adjusting from high school mileage up to the demands of an 8K collegiate race, Flynn expects an adjustment period.
"They're really driven and enjoy being around each other," Flynn said of the men's team. "The freshmen have never raced that distance before. We don't know where they'll be out of the gates."
The women's team returns their top five runners from last season, led by All-American sophomore Reghan Worley and all-conference honoree Kendyl Pierson. Natalie Yocum, Katelyn McKay and Elly Machado rounded out the Saints' top five a season ago, a group that finished 19th at nationals.
Flynn is especially excited to see how the experienced group does with an extended layoff period after the outdoor track and field season was canceled this past spring.
"We took time off after we learned outdoor was done," Flynn said. "They're strong and they're feeling that. They know they're stronger and tougher than they were last year. They have that confidence."
The rest of the roster includes sophomore London Lambrecht and freshmen McKenna Bomengen, Blake Chennai, Kali Cook, Finleigh Levinson, Nicole Morgen, Alivia Mulligan, Emma Patek, Ashley Rose and Dylan Stearns.
"We filled in with some really good pieces with our freshmen group," Flynn said. "Definitely still trying to shake out where they'll fall. We have a lot of freshmen girls that came in at a similar level. Maybe they break into that Top 5, but definitely will add some depth at 6 and 7 that we just didn't have last year."
Follow Carroll Athletics on Twitter and Facebook for updates from Friday's races. And check CarrollAthletics.com for a recap after the race.
NOTES: Local health departments have discouraged spectators from attending Friday's race.
