Nolan Waltz of the Three Lakes-Phelps varsity cross country team earned a top-10 finish in the 5,000-meter WIAA Division 3 Boys Championship Race last Saturday with a 16:27 finishing time, the fastest result of any sophomore in a field of more than 150 total participants.
His eighth-place finish was 32 seconds faster than last season when, as a freshman, he finished the state meet in 22nd place with the best recorded time of first-year runners.
On a chilly day at the Ridges Golf course in Wisconsin Rapids, Waltz was the lone member of the Bluejays who qualified for the event this year, but he did not come to the race alone. He was cheered on by head coach Laurie Levandoski and assistant coach Nathan Koch.
Two of his teammates, Cohen Welsh and Wyatt Gebele, also provided support from the gallery of many thousands of spectators who crisscrossed through the golf course to view their favorite runners.
In total, nearly 1,000 high school athletes participated in six different races throughout the day. According to event organizers, this was the 112th boys state championship tournament and the 50th annual girls championship event since formal records have been established.
Levandoski said that it is an honor to get a single opportunity to participate in a state championship race and says she is proud of the results that Waltz has produced in two years.
“This is a demanding sport that requires a deep mental and physical commitment, and Nolan has demonstrated again today that he has the level of personal investment to succeed,” she said.
According to Waltz, the pressure was higher this year versus last year at the championship event.
“There seems to be greater expectations on return visits to this race,” he said, “but it helps that the course has stayed the same and I now have a lot more 5K racing experience.”
“For me, the first couple of miles is a battle of finding room with so many runners in such a tight area. By the third mile, you just have to barrel through it regardless of how you feel or of your position in the race. The overall environment here is amazing though, with so much noise and excitement from so many people who are literally everywhere.”
One familiar element to Waltz was sharing the starting line with conference competitor, senior Taylor Karcz of Crandon High School. The two have raced together at several events during the past two years, often finishing in the top two spots at the end of each race.
“Taylor is a great runner and we always wish the best for each other at major events. He got off to a good start today and finished in second place,” said Waltz.
A major difference for Waltz in the state championship race this year was the absence of teammate Ethan Potrykus. Both athletes were state qualifiers last year. However, Potrykus could not compete at sectionals due to a travel conflict, leaving him out of the state race.
“Ethan definitely brings energy and fun to every race,” Waltz said, “and he helped distract me at times last year, which is a good thing, because I do not want to overthink the race. It would have been great to have him here again.”
Waltz ran one of his best times of the season in his championship race, averaging 5:18 per mile in the course stretching just more than three total miles. The crowded field was difficult to escape because of the high quality of participants, leaving only a two-minute total gap between the first 60 runners.
In the end, senior Declan Gregg of Aquinas High School pulled out the victory with a time of 15:52.
As for Waltz, he says that he is hopeful for another chance to compete with the best cross country runners in the state. His effort to return will be ongoing as he continues his training program, which includes an expected return to the Bluejays track team this spring.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here