SFCC Cross Country team season preview

The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Roadrunners Cross Country team has been busy preparing for the upcoming season. Head Coach Brad Hagedorn likes what he has seen from his team so far in practice.

"Our men's team is competitive," said Hagedorn. "We have a few more sophomores who know what the season looks like and what it takes to be good. Two of our returning sophomores from last year's team are Josh Schaffart and Justin Horn. We added Jess Cornick, a sophomore transfer from Iowa. Those guys all have a year of experience. They know what it takes. They have practiced well. Duncan Wilkinson is a freshman who has also been impressive."

Coach Hagedorn expects this year's team to be led by its sophomore class.

SFCC will face its traditionally tough schedule which will begin at Southwest Baptist University on Friday, September 6. The following week SFCC will travel to Missouri Southern on Friday, September 13. The Roadrunners will follow that trip up with a trip to the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival in Arkansas on Friday, September 27. SFCC will also travel to Indian Hills on Friday, October 11. SFCC will travel to the Region 16 Championships on Friday, October 25. The NJCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships will be contested on Saturday, November 9.

Coach Hagedorn has some goals in mind that he would like to see his men's team accomplish this season.

"We want to win the Region," said Hagedorn. "We want to place high in all regular season meets. We want to be better than we were last year in terms of team average across the board on the same courses. We want to place higher than we did a year ago. I would also like to see our team improve at Nationals this year."

Hagedorn says there are keys accomplishing those goals.

"We have to stay healthy and be able to consistently train," said Hagedorn. "I think with Assistant Coach Kellin Loch supervising them, they will be trained well and have the opportunity to do well."

David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics