Cross Country: Boys All

Team Info

Coach: Gary Lee

The cross country places an emphasis on positive energy and ensuring that each student-athlete honors the tradition of Blake cross country that emphasizes ‘student’ in the phrase student-athlete as well as always understanding we represent our school, family, and themselves at each practice and athletic event.

Our philosophy is threefold:

*One team of all abilities working together to achieve our team and individual goals

*Have fun while supporting teammates in workouts and events, as well as providing positive support for our competitors

*Continue to build on our past success, keeping the tradition of excellence moving forward

We have a tradition of excellence including:

*Nine straight years of at least one All State athlete (in all but two of those years we had at least two All State athletes)

*Nine straight years of placing in the top three at our Conference meet (each team has won at least one title in that period)

*Four of the last five years (five of last seven) at least one of our teams has qualified for State (boys were state champions in 2008, girls placed in top four, three times)

*Nine straight years of at least one All State Academic athlete

2011 Outlook

Both teams are ranked in the pre-season polls (out of 168 teams):

Girls: 4th

Boys: 12th

We return three All State performers Brandon Clark (senior, ranked number 1 in the state in the individual poll), Jordan Chancellor (freshman ranked number 4 in the state in the individual poll), and Clare Flanagan (Sophomore ranked number 8 in the state in the individual poll).

The girls team returns seven All Conference runners from the last two seasons including senior Alison McManus, senior Hudson Van Slooten, junior Aliya Feroe, sophomore Alex Lovaas, sophomore Clare Flanagan, freshman Jordan Chancellor, and freshman Carolyn Nye. The varsity team includes returning letter winners senior Michelle Meyer, senior Emily Longley, senior Ariel O' Neill, junior Alexandra Jordan, junior Victoria Johnson, sophomore Maddy Watchmaker, and sophomore Margaret Graham.

The boys team returns five All Conference runners from last season including senior Owen Duncan, senior Matt McFarland (qualified for State last year as an individual), senior Brandon Clark (fourth in state in last year), junior Thomas McManus, and junior Zach Edinburgh. The varsity team includes returning letter winners junior Danny Smith, junior Alex Herkert, junior Joe Gould, sophomore Danny Levin, and sophomore Quinn Coyle.

The team will continue to run at the top cross country events in Minnesota including the Griak Invitational, Redbird Invitational, St. Olaf Invitational, and the Swain Invitational.