By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director

Over the last several seasons, the Hutchinson Community College men's cross country team has received most of the preseason chatter heading into a new season.

As the 2021 season begins on Friday with the annual Terry Masterson Twilight Classic at Fun Valley, the Blue Dragon women have high hopes for a strong season.

"We are a really close team," returning first-team All-American Louise Cocking said. "We set team goals and we want a regional title and a Top 3 at nationals. I think we can do it."

"The sophomores will be steady for us," added seventh-year head coach Justin Riggs. "We will look to see what freshmen will come out of the woodwork and step up for us."

Cocking, along with fellow sophomores Noelle Hidalgo, Izzy Wheeler and Jurney Yung return from last year's team that finished seventh in the NJCAA National Championships last November. Riggs adds four in-state freshmen to create depth the Blue Dragon women's team hasn't had recently.

Cocking (Derbyshire, UK) finished fifth in the 2020 NJCAA Championships to become the Blue Dragons first first-team NJCAA All-American since Elissa Peterman in 1999. She ran a career-best 5K time of 19:05.94 at nationals, which is the third-fastest 5K time in Blue Dragon history.

The Blue Dragon women are as healthy as they have been since early last season. Cocking battled through injuries all throughout the spring track season. Injuries slowed down Wheeler after a strong start.

Hidalgo (Hooker, OK) showed steady improvement throughout her freshman season. She ran a season's best 5K cross country time of 21:04.11 in a 45th-place finish at nationals. Hidalgo knocked about a minute off that 5K time in the spring track season.

Wheeler (Belleville, KS) ran a best 5K time of 20:22.8 at the Rogers/Muthama Classic last season in Hutch's first 5K race. Yung (Andale) also rank her season-low time of 21:51.4 at nationals.

"We don't have that 1-2 this year after we lost Sheila (Too)," Riggs said. "We do have a lot better depth and I'm excited about that."

Riggs has been very happy with freshmen Anastasia Meyer (Andale), Aidyn White (Buhler), Sydney Grauer (Marysville) and Michele Gage (Andale) through the preseason workouts.

"The freshmen have all ran pretty close to each other so far," Riggs said. "Anastasia's been strong as far and Aidyn was our No. 2 finisher at our time trial. I'm excited about the freshmen. They are getting adjusted to the training. It will be interesting to see how they develop."

MEN'S PREVIEW
The 2021 Blue Dragon men will have a much different look with only five runners on the roster this season.

Sophomores Andrew Holt (Lago Vista, Texas) and Aaron Geissinger (Abilene) are the only returning runners from last season's fifth-place NJCAA Championship team.

Riggs adds freshmen Camilo Leos-Tarun (Winfield), Collin Oswalt (Hutchinson Central Christian) and Carsyn Turpin (Shawnee/Mill Valley).

"This is going to be a turnover year," Riggs said. "We are small on numbers, but I know I can count on all five of those runners. As long as we stay healthy and stay committed to what we are going, we will have a respectable season."

Holt finished 37th at the 2020 NJCAA Championships with a time of 27:14.08. His best 8K time was 27:05.44 in a ninth-place showing at the Red Devil Relays.

Geissinger was 80th at nationals last season in a time of 28:34.40. His low 8K time was 28:25.70 at the Region VI Championship.

MASTERSON TWILIGHT CLASSIC
The 2021 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic will have the largest field in the six-year history of the event with 22 men's teams and 21 women's teams in the field.

The field includes 11 Jayhawk Conference teams, 12 overall junior college teams, eight NAIA teams and NCAA Division II teams Washburn University and Newman University.

The women's race will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the men's race is scheduled for 6:20 p.m. Times were moved up to avoid potential wet weather.

Hutchinson's Andrew Kibet in the Masterson Twilight men's course record holder. Kibet won the 2018 Masterson with a time of 19:32.70. Barton's Mirena Goncalves set the women's record in 2017 of 18:07.31.

Cloud County is the defending women's champion. Allen's men won the 2020 Masterson title, but the Red Devils are not in the 2021 field.