FHS set for new journey in x-country

Life without Zoe.

It's finally a reality for Flathead High School cross country coach Paul Jorgensen and the Bravettes.

Zoe Nelson, who dominated the fall sport to the tune of four Class AA state individual championships and helped the Bravettes win four straight team titles, has moved on to the University of Oregon.

Nelson, according to Jorgensen is the only Class AA athlete to win four individual cross country titles. However she's the fifth prep athlete, all classes, to do that in Montana.

"Life goes on," said Jorgensen, who is entering his 33rd season as FHS coach.

"We'll reload, but we'll miss her. No doubt about that. It's pretty tough to lose a runner of her caliber."

Flathead has had its share of outstanding runners over the years, but none as dominating as Nelson.

Leading the charge for the FHS girls this season will be junior Shannon Ross.

"She's worked very hard this summer," said Jorgensen.

"She has high goals. She has (the) potential (to do very well). A nice smooth runner; (she has) a good base."

Ross was Flathead's No. 3 placer at state last year, finishing seventh.

Carly Brown finished fifth and is now running at Northwestern University.

Joining Ross on the varsity will be seniors Riata Booky and Liz Myers; juniors Elysia Andrews and Andrea Yager; sophomore Tara Klien and freshman Heidi Windauer.

Windauer also competes in soccer.

Klien finished 27th at state last year, the team's No. 5 runner, while Booky was 32nd and Myers 37th.

"It's possible, but it's going to be hard," said Jorgensen of winning a fifth straight AA title.

"Billings Senior is the team to beat this year. I think with this group, even though I have some returning runners, it will take time to mold the team."

FHS also won four straight titles back in the 1980s, but never five in a row.

Seniors Elliot Welder, a state runner-up last year, and Jon Fairweather, ninth, will lead a veteran FHS boys squad.

Welder finished 37th at state in 2003.

Also back are senior Sean Clark, juniors Seth Grossman and Carly Nystuen and sophomores Justin Barth and Seth Svennungsen.

Grossman placed 12th at state, Barth 24th, and Clark 28th to round out the top five for FHS.

Svennungsen was 36th.

"Worked hard, ran a lot this summer," said Jorgensen of Welder.

"Generally, all my boys are in very good shape. They did quite a bit of running this summer."

Jorgensen said he had more athletes training in the offseason than in any other previous year.

"First day of summer practice, 29 kids showed up," he said.

"We usually averaged 20 every time we ran."

Jorgensen said Flathead's title on the boys side may have surprised some people last year, but certainly not him.

"I thought we had a chance," he said.

"We have a good nucleus back, but our competition is Bozeman. They have a very fine group of runners. It definitely won't be a cake walk. We take nothing for granted."

Under Jorgensen, the Bravettes have won 13 of their 15 total AA titles and the Braves have claimed all 10.

Taking over the lead as perhaps the top runner in the state for girls this year will be Brooke Andrus of Bigfork.

The senior is the defending Class A champ. She posted the seventh fastest time at the state meet in Helena, all classes, a year ago.

Andrus and Nelson went head-to-head in a few cross country outings last fall and this past spring in track.

"I'm sure she's not looking at anything less," said Bigfork coach Sue Loeffler of Andrus going for an undefeated season.

"I think she wants to concentrate on getting her times down. She wants to go on and run. The better her times, the better shot she has at going places."

Loeffler says Andrus is motivated, driven and just plain loves to run.

"That's why she is as good as she is," said Loeffler.

"You don't have to worry about her. You actually have to slow her down to make sure she doesn't do too much."

Andrus finished in the top 15 at state her freshman and sophomore seasons. Last spring she set school records in track at Bigfork in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Over the summer, Andrus trained with Kaci Calaway, who is currently running at the University of Montana.

"It helped them both," said Loeffler.

"It's not easy to train by yourself."

Bigfork's girls finished 12th at state last year. The Valkyries won three straight Class A titles prior to that.

Ronan, which won the conference and finished second at state in 2004, should be a threat on the girls side.

Polson's boys and girls were fourth place finishers at state.

This year's state meet is Oct. 22 in Missoula.