Generally, Douglas High cross country coach Keith Cole enters every season trying to ease his team into the needed distance workouts.
Not so this year.
With a stable of two- and three-year veterans coming in with 200 to 300 miles under their belts in offseason work alone, Cole and first-year boys' coach Jay Frey are looking to change things up a bit.
"We've actually had to adjust our workout schedules because we have kids coming in with such mileage underneath them," Cole said. "When you have kids coming in with that type of base, it really makes our job a lot easier."
Aside from the volume of work his returning group put in over the summer, Cole said the quality of talent coming back is like he hasn't seen during his eight-year tenure at Douglas.
"The kids are really excited," Cole said. "We have a lot of good returners, a lot of good kids out. I think it's going to be a really good season."
To put things in perspective, the Douglas girls' team placed fourth at the Northern 4A Regional Championships last year, sending its two top runners onto the state championship, while the boys placed fifth.
Because the state championships were in the south last year, only the top two teams from the Northern 4A advanced to Las Vegas.
With state in the north this year, four teams will qualify.
"With the number of kids we have back from last year, I think we have a pretty good shot of qualifying both for state," Cole said. "That is a driving motivator for them. With the people we have coming back, it'll put us in good position.
"It just goes to show that if you are out here for four years, good things will start to happen."
Leading the way will be senior Whitney Lindsey and junior Taylor Biaggi.
The duo has qualified for state in each of the last two seasons with Lindsey placing fifth and Biaggi placing eighth last year. Both were named to the All-State team.
"It's really going to be exciting to see Whitney finish out her career here and to see Taylor continue hers," Cole said. "They've been to state every year they've been out with us.
"I've never had that happen before. Taylor has a chance to end up going all four years. It's been awesome to see their improvement."
Lindsey, who ran more than 300 miles over the summer, recently placed second in her age group at the San Francisco half-marathon. Biaggi ran more than 200 over the summer.
Outside of the top two, Cole said there will be some strong competition for the remaining varsity spots at each race.
He noted veterans Amber Emerson, Anna Chiapella, Sarah Allen, Cassie Hood, Sara Mangiaracina as the top candidates for the remainder of the varsity roster.
"There is a couple of girls that we just don't know quite what to expect yet," Cole said. "We haven't had as much time to see them, but there are a couple of newbies that could be fighting for a spot at the varsity level."
He pointed out Christa Castro and Katie Campos in particular.
On the boys' side, Douglas loses only Spencer Lewis from its top five.
"We have a solid core of guys," Frey said. "That fifth spot will be open to competition."
Cole said that losing Lewis to graduation is tough, but he's been impressed at how the rest of the team has responded.
"There are a couple guys that have really stepped up to fill his shoes," Cole said. "Derrick Jenkins has put in a lot of work, nearly 350 miles, and he is looking good."
Corey Trujillo, and Seth White each put in 300 miles over the summer as well and David Williams put in more than 200.
After the top four, the roster is wide open with a number of returners and newcomers working their way into the mix.
"Scott Lococo was our top freshman last year and we expect big things from him," Cole said. "Eddie Kollar, BJ Hubbard, Troy Shields and Pat Theilan are all running well. It could be a battle all season for that 5, 6 and 7 spot."
Michael Cross and Cole Sonnemann lead the newcomers.
"I've been very impressed with how those two have been running so far," Cole said. "I'm excited to see how both of them do this season."
Douglas opens the year at home Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. with its annual class race at Lampe Park, which pits all the freshmen against each other in the first heat, all the sophomores in the second and so on in a three-mile race.
"It should be a really, really fun season," Cole said. "It takes a different group of people that want to come out and do cross country.
"Anyone who wants to come out and do 10 miles a day, you have to really want to do it. All these kids do."
