Craig Daily Press

Photo by David Pressgrove

The Moffat County cross-country team. Front row, from left: Kevin Murray, Britteny Ivers, Mady Jourgensen, Nike Cleverly, Callie Papoulas, Justine Hathhorn, Taylor Crisp and Colt Criswell; second row, from left: Maggie Tucci, Janna Thompson, Alicia Nelson, Elaine DuBois, Caitlin Conci, Katie Ronis and Laura Zirkle; back row, from left: Charlie Griffiths, Jarred Blevins, Jesse Breslin, Corey Wojtkiewicz, Mike McNicol, Josh Classen and Dallas Richardson.

Mike McNicol

Moffat County — If history dictates anything, the Moffat County High School cross-country team will experience some success.

But this year, the question might be how soon the Bulldogs experience that success.

“We’re very young,” head coach Todd Trapp said. “A lot of these runners have been successful at the middle school level, and they’re used to having success. I think they believe and have confidence it will happen here, too.”

The girls team returns three of its top seven runners from last year’s team, which finished one spot away from qualifying for state. The top 40 percent of teams from Moffat’s league qualify for the state meet.

Junior Alicia Nelson returns after finishing in the top 10 at the state meet last year.

Add in Laura Zirkle, Elaine DuBois and Madysen Jourgensen and Trapp feels he has the base of a team that could qualify for the state tournament.

“I would say our goal should be to qualify for state,” Trapp said, adding he’s expecting six freshmen to help fill out the team. “We haven’t sat down and put goals together, but when we do I would think that would be it.”

On the boys side, Trapp said he expects Mike McNicol to lead a young but talented team.

Despite the inexperience on the boys side, Trapp said he expects contributions from Josh Classen, Corey Wojtkiewicz and Colt Criswell.

To help aid in getting the boys team up to speed, Trapp added another meet on the schedule to help runners get used to competing in a 5K race.

“The group of guys has potential to be successful, but it’s going to take a lot of work this year,” Trapp said. “We are young, and these kids haven’t been running very long.

“They’ll gain experience through every meet and just get better and better.”

While the team might be inexperienced and take some time to start producing results, Trapp said the goal for both teams is the same.

“For the boys, it’s the same goal for the girls — qualify for state,” Trapp said. “We want to be in that top 40 percent in our league.”