March 29, 2024

Weeks guides small, talented NHS boys’ team

New head coach Steve Weeks has six returning runners on a seven-man squad for the 2015 Newton High boys’ cross country program. Weeks has coached the Newton middle school cross country team the past two years.

“For such small numbers, we have great talent on the team. Our goals will be to finish in the top half of teams in every race we compete in, and be competitive and finish in the top half of our conference meet,” Weeks said.

Weeks, a Newton High 2004 graduate, ran for the Cardinal cross country and track teams for four years. He is a 2008 graduate of the University of Iowa.

Returning for the Cardinals are senior Zach Theis, junior Noah Sander and sophomores Jack Callaghan, Blake Robson, Dylan Main and Ross Hull. They are joined by freshman Adam Hunter.

Newton will be competing in Class 3A for cross country this year, moving down from 4A.

Callaghan is the top runner returning as he was 31st at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet and 50th at the 4A district meet in 18 minutes, 44 seconds for the 5K race.

Main ran 37th at the LHC meet and 58th at districts.

Theis finished 60th in the conference meet and 39th at the district meet. Sander, Hull and Robson ran strong for the junior varsity a year ago. Hunter was one of the top runners for the middle school team last year.

“This year, our strength will be our work ethic,” Weeks said. “Every runner is needed, and if their efforts are lacking then we as a whole team will feel it.

“We have had some great practices with improvements already seen. Our greatest concern is that with such small numbers, a bad race or injury can really hurt our score in a competition. It will be our focus to run smart and stay healthy.”

Newton heads to Ames on Thursday for the Gilbert Invitational on the Iowa State cross country course. It hosts the annual NHS Cardinal Invitational Sept. 22.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com