Johnston Girls' Cross Country Focuses on Improvement

The Johnston girls' cross country team loves to compete, but it's the thrill of improvement that is the squad's true passion.

Last season the girls finished 14th out of 15 teams at the state meet. This season the focus is to train hard and know they left it all on the course, hopefully while placing higher than a year ago.

"Obviously, we'd love to make it to state, but now we're just focusing on training hard so wherever we do end the season we just want to be happy with how we ran as a team," said senior Taylor Mithelman. "We just want to know when we finish the season that we pushed ourselves as hard as we could."

Interim head coach Chris Siewert said as long as the girls improve on their personal best times, success will have been had.

"I'd like to make it to state and compete," Siewert said. "And if we could make the top 10, that's phenomenal. If we could just finish better than last year, that's phenomenal. If we finish where we were last year, but all have better times, that just means the competition has gotten better."

Siewert said the talent pool of this year's Johnston cross country squad is vast. He's not the only Central Iowa Metropolitan League coach to say this.

With four of seven girls returning from last year's state meet team, the Dragons think they have what it takes to get to the next level.

"I think our sport, in general, has really gained in popularity," Siewert said. "We've been blessed with some of the finest athletes in the nation here. So everybody's good, but when we're all good, we're all on the same level. So to get to that next level you got to look for that little extra stuff there."

Senior Maddie Kleve and junior Bailey Eppert boast the two best scores from last year's state meet. Siewert says they complement each other well.

"Bailey Eppert is a true competitior of the sport," Siewert said. "She's out there, she gives 100 percent every workout. She's just kind of a machine.

"And Maddie Kleve is just a mentally tough young lady. She is so strong-willed, her training is phenomenal, as well. But her mental toughness is one of the toughest I've seen in my career."

Siewert has also garnered praise from his athletes on a stellar year. 

"Siewert's doing a great job," said sophomore Kenzie Foldes. "And we're all having a great time."

The girls will participate in the regional tournament on Oct. 20 at Marshalltown Community College. The state meet will be Oct. 29.