March 29, 2024

Tigerhawks regroup after roster hit by graduation

COLFAX — As a sophomore, Dakota Hostetter was the youngest runner on a senior-dominated state meet qualifying cross country team.

This season, just one year later, Hostetter returns as the elder as the Colfax-Mingo girls’ cross country team looks to rebuild after losing most of its 2014 roster to graduation.

The good news for fifth-year coach Zach Tomas is the returner he does have in uniform in 2015 has been to two straight state meets as an individual qualifier.

And Hostetter will look to return to Fort Dodge a third time this fall.

“I don’t think the move to three miles will hurt her,” Tomas said. “She probably won’t like the extra half mile, but I think it will be to her advantage. She’s a consistent runner and I think she’ll relish in more of a leadership role this season.”

Hostetter is the only Tigerhawk on the girls’ team to have any high school running experience. And she’ll be sharing her time with the volleyball program and is playing fall soccer right now, too.

Morgan McKinney is a sophomore who did not run last year, and the rest of the roster is comprised of three freshmen — Ilia Hostetter, Payton Rhone and Colleen Craig.

Tomas also may have the services of Kylie Wellington, a freshman who has not yet joined the team after running in eighth grade last season.

Either way, Hostetter will be asked to carry the load until the youngsters get experience under their belts.

“Ilia had a great middle school career and should transition nicely to the varsity squad,” Tomas said. Payton has a wonderful attitude and she has yet to scratch the surface on what she can accomplish.

“Colleen has had a very successful career so far. If she gets some confidence in running three miles, she will do some amazing things.”

Tomas said the boys team has the chance to be the best in his time as head coach.

The Tigerhawks return three juniors in Cameron Warner, Will Dunsbergen and KC Huffman and sophomore Jacob Frier and freshman Nic Duffy gives the squad a five-man roster.

Warner is back as the No. 1 runner after just missing out on state last year.

This will be his first full year on varsity, and with a full year of training and now 15 state qualifying spots up for grabs, Tomas feels Warner should have a strong shot at the state meet.

Dunsbergen is the boys captain and someone who Tomas feels can have a breakout year. Huffman had a breakout season last year and logged a lot of miles over the summer.

Frier, according to Tomas, ran several 5K runs this summer and is already three or four minutes faster than he was at any point as a freshman.

Duffy is a runner who Tomas feels can be one of the team’s best by season’s end after he gets more experience with the 5K distance.

“This is a fun group of boys to coach, and I think we could have a breakout season as a team,” Tomas said. “We could have a different order at every meet.”

Dakota Hostetter placed 13th at state during her freshman season and was 22nd overall as a sophomore.

The Tigerhawk girls placed 15th at the state meet last year but lost seniors Kennedi Hostetter, Ivy Moore, Bailey Pease, Sara Lahart and Cassie Craig to graduation.
McKinzie Tjaden, who will be a senior in 2015, also is not participating because of health reasons.

The Tigerhawks open the season at Pekin’s Wildwood Park on Sept. 3 and run at Johnston on Sept. 10.

Colfax-Mingo competes in its first South Iowa Cedar League meet at Sigourney on Oct. 15. The Tigerhawks previously competed in the larger Heart of Iowa Conference.