The sky's the limit

Sports Editor

They've both been there before -- it's nothing new for these two.

They've put themselves in position to run alongside the best in the state.

All that's left is turning in the performance.

Spencer seniors Ashley Loerts and Taylor Chapman will complete their cross country careers on the biggest stage for the state's top distance runners today at the 2008 Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships today in Fort Dodge.

Both seem poised to turn in career-best performances.

"The key is the start. You have to get out. You can't get caught up in wash and waste a lot of energy trying to move up in the pack," said Spencer boys head coach Jared Davis.

Loerts turned in her fourth straight all-district performance last week, making it a clean sweep of state meet appearances.

"It's an honor to be a 4-time qualifier. It just shows people that you can do the same if you work hard," Loerts said. "All the miles you put in during the summer establishes your base."

She turned in her top state time last season as a junior, but it turned out to be the lowest finish of her career in what proved to be a loaded class. Loerts placed 31st as a freshman, 25th as sophomore and 35th as a junior.

"Not only do you have to run hard and prepare to get there, you also have to stay healthy," said Spencer girls coach Kurt Bauermeister. "There's so many other factors besides just being a really good runner. For her to be healthy, for her to be competitive enough and to have run well enough to make it four times is an outstanding accomplishment.

"It's due to her hard work ethic," Bauermeister added. "She's very competitive, she works hard. She definitely deserves the trip."

Loerts turned in a fifth-place performance at the Tigers 3A district meet in Algona behind champion Maddie Thiessen. The Le Mars runner will provide a strong measuring stick and a running partner for Loerts.

"It will be good to run with Maddie Thiessen, and the Estherville girls will be there, too," Loerts said. "I just want to do my best, try my hardest and finish strong."

Loerts enters the state meet having posted the 25th best time among 3A runner with a 16:02 performance at the district meet.

Bauermeister, Loerts' coach who has seen every stride she's taken on the course over the last four years, believes his top runner is more than capable of exceeding her own expectations.

"I'd like to see a top 15 finish out of her. I think she's good enough to be on the medals stand with a top 10 finish," Bauermeister said. "She's got to believe in herself. She's got to get out and compete with the rest of the kids. If she does that, I think she'll find herself there."

Chapman, also, is a multi-time state qualifier. The 6-foot-5, 3-sport athlete qualified as an individual for the first time last season after competing on Spencer's first of two straight state qualifying teams in '06.

"We put in a lot of hard work, so it's good to see it all pay off," Chapman said. "I had a lot of injuries this summer, but I usually get out a couple times a week and get in a good over-distance run."

A factor in each and every race he's competed in over the past two seasons, Chapman will carry extremely high expectations into the race after finishing 14th in '07.

"It was disappointing last year not getting in the top 10, which is all-state. My goal is to make all-state this year," Chapman said.

Those top 10 aspirations might be a moot point for Chapman.

He enters the state meet after posting the eighth-best time at districts. He finished in a dead heat with Algona duo Chad Rutledge and Ryan McMahon, finishing third within one second of the Bulldogs.

McMahon, a sophomore, placed third in his first crack at state last year. Rutledge, a junior, was ninth. Both figure to be in the mix for the state title. Chapman could be right there as well.

"I've really challenged him mentally this week to go down and compete with the top runners in the state. I really feel he can do it," said Davis.

Laying down that career-best run he's been after may not only put him comfortably in range of his top-10 goal, it may give him an opportunity to beat everyone to the line.

"That's what we hope. It's tough at this level because everyone is so good down there. There's about 20 guys that could finish anywhere from first to 20th," Davis commented. "If everything falls into place and goes his way, it's a definite possibility. It all has to come together, and whoever it comes together for will be the one to pull it out."

Chapman and Loerts take to the course for the running of the 2008 Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships starting at noon. The 3A girls race will start at noon, followed by the 3A boys race at 12:30.