Two things have been consistent for North Callaway cross country the previous three years: runners improving and Pressley Schmauch going to state.
The junior appeared at her third state meet …
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Two things have been consistent for North Callaway cross country the previous three years: runners improving and Pressley Schmauch going to state.
The junior appeared at her third state meet during the Class 3 meet on Saturday at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, finishing 70th out of 161 runners in the girls 5K with a time of 21:58.4.
Head coach Kathleen Jeffries said Schmauch’s time was about 20 seconds off her season-best, but still better than what was expected in the cold, windy and muddy conditions.
“Overall, we were all happy with the way she ran,” Jeffries said. “You never know what conditions like that are going to result. I think she was a little nervous going into it because it was so cold and so windy, but she did a phenomenal job.”
Schmauch’s 46th-place time from state a year ago was about a minute faster than this year’s and six minutes slower than her 22nd-place medal mark in 2020. The fact that Schmauch was able to finish close to her season-best in the given conditions shows her consistency as a runner, Jeffries said.
Her consistency has carried Schmauch through varying weather conditions, which is guaranteed to happen during any cross country season that takes place over several months, Jeffries said.
“It’s a true testament to how well-trained a runner is when they are able to just dial in what they know how to do and do that regardless of the weather,” Jeffries said. “I’ve been at state meets when it’s been very hot, state meets where it’s been cold, rainy and muddy like (Saturday), and if your runner is trained properly, they can usually overcome most things thrown at them.”
Schmauch wants to be an all-state runner again so she will have to go to state a fourth year — a feat that has been accomplished once in the previous 11 years by Kaleigh Moore from 2017-20. Jeffries said Schmauch will have to continue her training in the summer if she wants to reach the ballpark times her coaches have for her based on Saturday’s race, which was won by Southern Boone’s Alexandra Volkart with a time of 18:40.3 and the top 25 was rounded out by Arcadia Valley’s Emma Dettmer’s time of 20:30.4
“It’s definitely a doable goal for her,” Jeffries said. “We’re going to have to look at how she trains in the summer because that is key to making it to state. I guarantee you those runners who individually qualified trained in the summer. So that’s key for them coming into the season and having a great season as best as they could have.”
Schmauch has been the lone North Callaway runner at the state meet for the past two years now so Jeffries would like to see more Thunderbirds join her next year. She believes that can be done because she has seen improvement from everybody on the boys and girls sides.
“You want to see kids come into the season and do better,” Jeffries said. “You want to see students come into the season and feel happy about being part of the team. That’s your top two goals. Of course, the medals, the awards and the plaques, that’s all icing on the cake, but if you have a solid group of men and women who make running fun, I think you’ve succeeded. We have that.”
