Grafton cross country runners show promise

Grafton High School cross country co-coach Celia Shaughnessy is thrilled that 40 runners are in the program this year.

“We are pleased that we have several freshmen this year for the boys and girls teams with both enthusiastic and strong runners,” she said.

The boy Black Hawks have high hopes with a group of returners and youths who “are already adding value and energy to the team,” Shaughnessy said.

Gabe Mietkowski, who was 16th in last season’s Division 2 Portage Sectional, and Keegan Vaculik (38th) are back, as are Trevor Nauta and Tyler Swenson.

Some of last year’s top runners — Lance Greicar, Chris Kalies, Maddox Durst and Sam Thompson — graduated.

In the West Allis Central Bulldog Invite last Thursday, the Hawks finished 13th with 332 points.

Nauta was 55th in 19 minutes, 36 seconds. Vaculik was 64th in 19:51. Vikram Bangalore was 67th in 19:57. Tyler Swenson was 68th in 20:02, and Braden Meyer was 90th in 21:08.

Mietkowski was on vacation and missed the meet.

North Shore Conference rival Cedarburg won the 17-team meet with 58 points. Franklin was second with 117, followed by Waukesha North’s 122. Another NSC member, West Bend East, was 11th with 289 points.

Hawk girls hope to have at least five

The Hawk girls didn’t field a full team last season until the sectional due to injuries. Maddy Wille (30th at last season’s sectional) and Rachel Swenson graduated.

This year, they don’t have any seniors on the team, “but we have a strong group of juniors providing leadership both on and off the course. We also anticipate having a (full) varsity team this year,” Shaughnessy said.

Ava McLaughlin, who was 28th in last year’s sectional, is back but still recovering from an injury from track season.

At the Bulldog Invite, they were one runner short of a full team. Evelyn Schmidt and Claire Wille were out due to injury, but Shaughnessy expects them back this week.

Freshman Callie Faust had “an outstanding run,” Shaughnessy said, finishing third of 90 runners in 20:49.

New Berlin Eisenhower’s Faith Wehrman won in 19:26, followed by Franklin’s Emilee Moen in 20:06.

For the rest of the Hawks, junior Josie Gehrke was 45th in 24:03, freshman Mia McKinnis was 49th in 24:12 and sophomore Josstyn Durst was 70th in 25:40.

Shaughnessy, who is again coaching with Ryan Brogelman, has both teams’ sights set high.

“Our goal always is to qualify for state. Shorter term, we want Grafton to be one of the top finishers at conference and sectionals,” she said. “With our focus on a good running training program, strength, flexibility and a bit of fun, we genuinely believe we will meet our goals.”

The Hawks run in the Matt Hadler Invitational at Rotary Park in Menomonee Falls on Saturday, Sept. 10.