Cross Country runners make tracks to state

With the Wyoming State Cross-Country Tournament just around the corner, two runners from both ends of the high school spectrum are hoping to secure Top 10 finishes.

Senior Cameron Collamer and freshman Katie Loose are some of the top performers for the Saratoga High School Cross-Country Team. During their three-mile invitational runs, Collamer has primarily secured times with less than 20 minutes, while Loose has usually finished under 25 minutes in the girls’ races.

Collamer, who has run cross-country since he was a freshman, said he was excited for his last race with his high school’s cross-country team. The tournament takes place Saturday in Sheridan.

“I’m excited to see how much four years of hard work has gotten me, and excited to see how our boys’ team does,” Collamer said. “Hunter, Andrew, Ben and others have really come together and become tighter as a team.”

Loose said she is geared up for her first high school state tournament, and recalls the John Martin Invite in Fort Collins, Colo. as her favorite meet of the year. At that meet she secured a time of 23:19.

“I’m excited for my first race, and to see where I fall in the placing and what I have to get after for next year,” Loose said. “I thought the Fort Collins meet this year was my favorite, with its fast course and lots of people, and it was fun to race there. Running in middle school made it a lot easier to go into it this year. The practices are harder in high school, but I like high school races better because there are a lot more people to compete against.”

Collamer said his favorite meet was the Saratoga Invitational in September, in which he placed seventh with a time of 18:39.43. He said he hopes to at least make the Top 5 this year.

“Its gotten a lot easier to dig down and push myself a lot farther than I thought I could, and I’ve developed that mental toughness,” Collamer said. “With placing fifth last year at state, I’ve kind of set the bar for myself. Hopefully I can move up a couple more and catch a couple of kids who beat me last year.”

Others going to state include Ben Falk, Andrew Janecek-Oiler, Cruz Escobedo, Aaron Kerbs, Milo Hunter, Braxton Schwartzkopf and Hunter Mason. As a senior, Collamer expressed sadness that this was his last year to be spent with friends on the high school cross-country team.

“I’m going to miss everyone out here improving for themselves, but at the same time pushing for their team,” he said. “I’ll miss practices where we have a lot of fun, and are relaxed in an enjoyable environment to be around. I enjoyed being able to learn.”

Loose said she plans to run for the next three years, and hopes that as a first-time freshman, she can at least make the Top 10.

“I would like to get Top 10, I think that would be a good goal to set,” she said.

While speaking with Loose, who still has more years left with the team, Collamer reminisced about his first year as a freshman and later growth as a runner.

“As a freshman the seniors looked out for me, and then later I was able to show the newbies the ropes,” Collamer said. “It has been a great ride, and I’ll definitely miss how close we really got together as a team.”