WHO TO WATCH FOR IN IOWA HS XC, 2011
Click Here to see "Who to watch for in Iowa, Girls 2011
IOWATFXC.COM has picked, and sent questionnaires to, five girls and five boys who we believe will be among the top XC runners in the state in 2011. This article presents our boys’ picks and their interviews (from those received to date; others will be added as received). Future articles will present other top runners in the state as they emerge during the 2011 season.
BOYS:
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COLE DECKER, DOWLING CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
(have not yet received completed questionnaire; will add questionnaire if/when received)
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MATT BUTLER, BETTENDORF HIGH SCHOOL
(have not yet received completed questionnaire; will add questionnaire if/when received)
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CONNER SMOCK, MOUNT VERNON – LISBON HIGH SCHOOL
(have not yet received completed questionnaire; will add questionnaire if/when received)
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DANIEL HUFF, WAVERLY – SHELL ROCK HIGH SCHOOL
Athlete Name: Daniel Huff
School: Waverly – Shell Rock High School
Year of Graduation: 2012
Best times in a 4k/5k race, and in which meet: My best time in a 5k race is 15:46. I ran that at West Delaware last year.
Tell us how your summer training is going? My summer training has gone great, I have been running faster and farther than I ever have in the past and I feel like I am in the best shape I have ever been in.
What are your goals for the upcoming season? My goals for the upcoming season are to go undefeated and win the state title!
How long have you been running, and how did you get started? I have been running for 6 years. I started running in junior high and I was good at the distance races so I started to get more into it. I really started to get serious about it my sophomore year.
Will you be competing out of state this XC season; during the season or after? I plan on running Footlocker and Nike after the season gets over and hope to qualify for nationals.
What is your favorite course to run ? My favorite course to run is probably the course at Cedar Falls. That race always has good competition and its got some decent hills but not enough hills to make you hate it.
What is the toughest course to run? The toughest course I have run on is the Minnesota course. I ran on it at the Roy Griak meet last year and it was very hilly and really muddy.
What was your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career? My favorite race of high school cross country so far was probably when I raced Conner Smock last season at West Delaware. We didn't really run together the first two and a half miles of the race, but we were even with about 600 meters to go and had a crazy battle to the finish. I ended up losing by less than half of a second but it was a great race. It was also kind of the start to a really fun rivalry.
Favorite cross country memory? My favorite memory so far is probably when I won the conference meet last year and finished about 45 seconds ahead of the second place guy. I ran one of the best races of my life.
When you are not running, what is your favorite thing to do? When I am not running I am usually hanging out with my family and friends, listening or playing music, and during the fall I love watching college football.
Favorite quote? My favorite quote is what our track team used this last spring. "Be uncommon, Become Legendary."
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KEITH BYERS, SPIRIT LAKE HIGH SCHOOL
(have not yet received completed questionnaire; will add questionnaire if/when received)
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