Holy Innocents's celebrating their trophy. Photo by Bill Ponder
Path to the Podium: Holy Innocents' Boys, by Andy Christie
Looking at State Results is interesting enough, for us fans of high school cross country. However, finding out what it took for teams to reach that point makes those places and point totals that much more fascinating.
Making the podium (top 4) as a team and earning a State trophy is the goal for many teams when they start preparing for XC after Track ends. Whether it is the thrill of a program making it for the first time, the pride of keeping a tradition alive, or the exhilaration of a return to the top after an absence, climbing the stairs to the podium is the dream of harriers hoping to end their season on a high note.
We've asked coaches to reflect on what it took to get their team to the podium at the 2021 Georgia State Cross Country Meet. Next up is Coach Dunn Neugebauer of Holy Innocents', to talk about his boys taking runner up in class 1A Private.
XC 2020
Senior William Welden left his mark in the Golden Bear program, continuing to improve in each season and each race, and - along with then sophomore Joe Sapone - led the Bears to their second straight second-place finish and third year on the podium
It was Wesleyan that denied the Bears the final upwards step, though Welden, Sapone, and Ryan Kelley began their postseason work by running PRs at the Inaugural Hillgrove 3,200.
Still, after the Bears stepped off the podium with silver around their necks, more than one was heard to say, "We want rings! Next year! Let's do this!"
Winter 2021
Add Brandon Sertl and Parker Miles to the list of names of who began stepping up between cross country and track. Battling the erratic Georgia winters, all took to the roads, the rivers, and their various routes in getting set for what was to be a good track season.
And track was good to the boys, as the Bears found another spot on the podium with a fourth-place finish. Sapone won the 3,200 - his final lap continued to launch him into Georgia running stardom. He later teamed with Welden, Kelley, and Miles to win the 4 X 800-meter run.
With medals around necks and worn-out steps to the podium, the Bear boys remained out of hibernation as they went into the summer.
Summer 2021
Private school kids travel EVERYWHERE in the months of June and July, so the Bears tried a different approach rather trying to corral their kids for the meetings at the river. It's called Strava and Co-head coaches Stephen Jayaraj and Dunn Neugebauer tracked their runners - no matter where they were - electronically.
What were the setbacks? The heat - though every team deals with that. Whitefield Academy was another, as they were immediately known as a team to beat. Still, after the above-mentioned athletes along with Doug Peterson put in busy summers, the Bears roared into the season, hoping to take the final step.
XC 2021
A regular season trip to Huntsville saw Sapone become famous in Alabama as well. Breaking the school record there, he went on to win Wingfoot and, as a result, Coach Jayaraj and Coach Dunn's emails started filling up with college recruiting hopefuls.
The Bears went into state with momentum, taking the region title on a tough Wesleyan course by a good margin. Still, the thought, once again, was that HI would be the Bridesmaids. The times backed that up. Still, that's why you play the games, right?
And the state game was played, though unfortunately, the Bears found themselves adorned with silver once again. Still, it must be noted that they were simply beaten by a better team, as the Bears were indeed good, but the Whitefield Wolfpack was better.
"Sometimes you simply shake the other team's hands, and you move forward," Coach Dunn said at the podium. "We tip our hats."