By John Raffel
It’s never easy to be a defending state cross country champion. But Kenzie Weiler and Austin Sargent of Cedar Springs have held their own very well.
They were both state champions of Division 2 in 2013. Sargent won in 15:42.7 last season, the year after former Red Hawks runner Connor Mora took the title in 15:04. Weiler took first in the girls race at 17:55.1, nipping Jackie Bredenberg of Detroit Country Day by 0.8 of a second.
Bredenberg and other top runners that pushed Weiler last season were back for the 2014 race.
Cedar Springs won the regionals, led by Weiler with a time of 18:15.36. She had a 17:59 at the Portage Invitational. Her best time came in her freshman season of 17:27. Sargent had a winning time in the boys race of 15:46.20.
Going into the regionals, Weiler noted that her times haven’t really reflected significant improvement this season.
“I feel that my mental abilities before races has improved a little bit,” Weiler said.
Going into the tail end of the season, Weiler noted that her efforts were focusing more on places than on times. But going into the state meet, she had won all of her races. She was second in her conference race and third at another invitational.
“My strength has been going out strong,” Weiler said. “Really pressing the second mile this year has been my goal.”
It’s also been a fun season for Weiler in terms of running as a team.
“We’ve done very well,” she said. “We were second in our conference (OK Bronze) this year, but it was really close to first.”
Weiler plans on running at the next level and will be visiting schools in November. She has narrowed it to three schools: Michigan State, Michigan and Syracuse.
Weiler started running in seventh grade but even participated in some respect before that. Her parents are middle school cross country and track coaches. During offseason, Weiler usually averages quite a few miles. As a freshman, she was running 30 miles a week. But now, it’s gone upwards to almost 50.
Sargent is also a senior and said prior to the regionals that his times have been almost identical to last season.
“I haven’t really improved,” he said. “It’s been a little frustrating. I think the best is yet to come. I still am running top times for my division and conference.”
He’s won all but two of his races.
Sargent’s best race was on his home course with a 15:41 at a conference jamboree. He was hoping to improve on that before the season ended.
“I usually have trouble my second mile,” he said. “I usually go out on a five-minute pace. My second-mile is 5:10, 5:15. I need to get that down to the 5:00 and carry it into my last mile.”
Sargent indicated that his strength has been closing out races at a fast pace.
He’s been averaging 35 to 50 miles per week. During the season, it’s been 35 to 40. He started track in seventh grade and cross country in eighth grade.
Looking at a college future, Sargent is considering Central and Eastern Michigan and Michigan State.
Being a defending state champion has made it a challenging season.
“But it also gives you more determination to do it again,” he said.
Cedar Springs was second in the conference this year, a strong improvement from last season.
“It was a bunch of guys that wanted to improve every day,” Sargent said