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August 24. 2010 2:09PM

Coach Jason Bohl is optimistic the Blue Dragon girls cross country team can defend their state title from last season.

“Our top five runners are back,” he said. They are sophomore Lindsey Bohl, who was third at state last year; junior Erin Nolz, sixth at state; sophomore Taylor Tillma, 23rd; and Shelby Ellefson, 65th at state. Other returning letter winners are senior Shannan Ellefson and eighth grader Lydia Olson.

“We’ve got some good kids who are coming up, too,” Bohl said.

Erin Nolz said the key to success is dedication and teamwork. “You’ve got to be willing to work,” she said. And even though runners compete individually, “how well you do as an individual helps out the whole team,” she said.

The girls team graduated two seniors from last year’s team, but Nolz said there is enough talent on this year’s squad to do well. “We’re pretty excited for the girls,” he said.

Blue Dragon boys
The top returner for the Blue Dragons boys cross country team is junior Andrew Oveson, who placed 35th at the state meet last year. Other returning letter winners are senior Tanner Donelan and sophomore Thomas Howe.

This year’s boys team will be pretty young, Coach Bohl said, “but hopefully by the end of the year we can be in contention in the conference and hopefully qualify the team for the state meet.

“We’re young, but we’ve got some talent there that could possibly do that, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Garretson 2010 cross country schedule

Aug. 27 at Madison Invitational 2 p.m.
Aug. 31 at McCook Central-Montrose Invite 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 7 Jesse James Invitational 4 p.m.
Sept. 11 at Meet of Champions (Sioux Falls) 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 16 at Sioux Falls Christian Invitational 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 22 at Dell Rapids Invitational 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 at West Central Invitational 4 p.m.
Oct. 1 at Lennox Invitational 4 p.m.
Oct. 7 Big East Conference (Garretson) 4 p.m.
Oct. 14 Region 3A (Dell Rapids) 4 p.m.
Oct. 23 State Meet (Huron) 1:30 p.m.