Harrier Cross Country 2018

The Dodson-Whitewater Cross Country team is back for another year and this year the squad welcomes back five experienced runners, two of which are new to the team.

The team has lost Marty LoneBear and Jasper Doney to graduation, and sophomore Melony Fetter via transfer to Harlem.

The team welcomes back two-state performers in Caleb Ditmar and Corbin LoneBear.

"LoneBear and Ditmar both qualified for state last year and gave it all they had," said Assistant Coach Natacha Doney. "They are such natural athletes, as they make even the hardest runs look easy. They ran excellent times, and I am looking forward to pushing them even harder this season."

The team's third returning athlete is Ireland Best, who just missed qualifying for state last season. This year Best is on a mission, challenging herself daily, according to Coach Doney.

"Ireland entered this year with both short-term and long-term goals she is already crushing this season," Coach Doney said. "Additionally, there is a positive change in her attitude as she sees herself slowly overcoming barriers she experienced last year, and I can't wait to see where this new mindset takes her! It is already influencing the rest of the team."

This year the team welcomes senior Sam Main, a transfer student from Harlem, who has run cross country for a few years. Main's running has had the team in awe.

"Main, like LoneBear, has these long legs that he uses to stride out like nothing I've seen before," Coach Doney said. "He is talented in both sprints and long distances, and he inspires the other boys to push themselves through friendly competition each day. I'm excited to see what he will bring to the team!"

Coach Doney, who ran cross county in high school and continues to run competitively, said running is not for the uncommitted.

"Cross country is a tough sport," she said. "Very few people want to run three miles for competition, let alone for fun. You don't get better at it by only running on your good days. It requires everyday dedication and discipline, and it calls for athletes who are aware of these facts and still show up each day to run and give practice their all. With that being said, our team is small because I think only the strong-minded survive in a sport like cross country."

The team also welcomes Hannah Hanley, who starred as a distance runner in her years of track at Whitewater Middle School.

In order to stay in shape, the team has been busy even in the summer months. According to Coach Doney, the team has been participating in a variety of events, such as weightlifting, playing basketball, running, and horseback riding. Coach Doney has also been working, providing a good example for her team.

"I recently ran in several local fitness challenges, such as the Milk River Indian Days Ultimate Health Challenge, the Little Rockies Throwdown, and the Mosquito Run," Coach Doney said. "Being a runner helps me to coach because I have been in my athlete's shoes. I run with them every day. There isn't a work out so hard I would ask them to do that I wouldn't do myself."

Doney's high school story and history of running have also provided encouragement for the team, though they haven't seen her at her worst.

"They don't believe me when I tell them how unsuccessful  I was in high school cross country," Coach Doney said. "I was the asthmatic girl who always came in last--the girl who fought for her place at state. The fast times didn't come naturally to me; I had to work for them. (And I didn't receive them until after college!). Now that I have experienced what it's like to have a 19 minute three mile time and a 33 minute three mile time, I feel like I can relate to all of my athletes, and I can tell them that it's no lie that they just have to trust the process."

This season, the team will host a meet of their own on Friday, October 5. It is a meet that they host annually, but in years past the meet has been canceled due to weather or other unseen circumstances.

"Last year our meet was thwarted by the disruptive blizzard that came through, and the year before that, there was a flood warning!" Coach Doney said. "We are looking forward to hosting a meet this year (fingers crossed) as long as there isn't another random natural disaster."

She went on to describe what runners will experience if and when there is a Dodson-Whitewater Invitational.

"The course will be mostly flat with grassy terrain and some gravel. It will loop around the canals in Dodson to equal 1.5 miles, so varsity teams will run the course twice. There are lots of mosquitos, so bring your bug spray," Coach Doney said.

Dodson-Whitewater

2018 XC Schedule

DATE DAY EVENT SITE

Aug. 31 Friday Wolf Point Invitational Wolf Point

Sept. 8 Saturday Malta Invitational Malta

Sept. 22 Saturday Havre Invitational Havre

Sept. 26 Wednesday Hays Invitational Hays

Sept. 27 Thursday Frazer Invitational Frazer

Sept. 29 Saturday Glasgow Invitational Fort Peck

Oct. 5 Friday Dodson Invitational Dodson

Oct. 12 Friday Harlem Invitational Harlem

Oct. 20 Saturday State Meet Missoula