TMB FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS: CROSS COUNTRY
Most high school programs have their ups and downs, and not just when it comes to wins and losses. The TMB/WWG cross country program might not be on the list of top teams in the state, but there’s no doubt it is trending in the right direction.
Second-year head coach Billy Dean said building a cross country program is no easy task. Instead of trying to lure football or volleyball players to his teams, Dean takes a different approach to attracting kids to the program.
“I try to be social with them,” he said. “Kids who are committed to football and volleyball, I don’t want to go out there and take them away from other sports. The kids who I know who haven’t really been in a sport, I just go and have a little conversation with them.”
Dean encouraged a number of kids to run with the team this summer, with no expectations. Also, being a teacher at the elementary school, Dean seizes the opportunity to discuss cross country with the younger students.
“Toward the end of the school year, I’ve been talking with the sixthgraders,” he said. “I just tell them if they’re not super committed to football or volleyball, if they don’t know what they want to do, come run with us in the summer. See how you like it.”
That recruitment has paid off in the form of sixth seventh-graders on this year’s team. There are also five eighth-graders, four sophomores, five juniors and six seniors.
“I’m super thankful,” he said. “It’s been great to see our numbers keep growing.”
The Panthers already have one meet under their belt, as they competed in Cottonwood last Monday. Next up is their first and only home meet today (Sept. 10).
Early in the season, Dean said he is looking for his runners to compete hard, no matter their overall time.
“I feel like we competed the best we can, and now we take the information we have, move forward and see where we need to get better at,” Dean said.
Lainey Jackels, one of those eighthgraders, already PR’d this year, as did Noah Schmidt, a junior. Jackels is one of a number of Westbrook-Walnut Grove student-athletes, as that co-op has helped boost numbers. Seniors Miranda Mischke, Evelyn Rentschler and Jackson Jenniges also come over from WWG.
Other seniors are Payton Daniels, Weston Marten and Taylor Squires. Juniors include Owen Beier, Xander Brinkley, Tyson Petersen, Schmidt and Karson Schneider.
2026 TMB/WWG CROSS COUNTRY ROSTER
Seniors: Payton Daniels, Miranda Mischke, Evelyn Rentschler, Jackson Jenniges, Weston Marten, Taylor Squires.
Juniors: Owen Beier, Xander Brinkley, Tyson Petersen, Noah Schmidt, Karson Schneider Sophomores: Jaeda Nelson, Jayda Snyder, Zach Jones, Jaxter Pfarr Freshmen: Ellah Barker, Tinidi Knudson, Stella Munson, Trajan Swanjord, Sam Wiborg Eighth-graders: Allie Duscher, Lainey Jackels, Justin Hernandez Varela, Gatlin Struchen Seventh-graders: Josie Birman, Trenton Daniels, Keagan Jenniges, Vincent Munson, Colin Nelson, Max Swick
