LAKE CHARLES - New additions blending with returning standouts, and her athletes' outstanding work ethic in summer and preseason, have Northwestern State cross country coach Haley Blount excited about the 2009 season beginning Friday at McNeese State.
Friday evening, the Demons and Lady Demons will join teams from Louisiana-Lafayette, Nicholls State, Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana along with the host team in a relay competition. The meet begins at 6 with entries of four-person relay units covering six miles, with each runner going for one and a half miles.
It's the first of three competitions before Northwestern hosts the NSU Invitational on Monday, Sept. 28. Next Saturday, NSU goes to Louisiana Tech, followed by a Sept. 19 visit to Louisiana-Monroe.
"I am absolutely thrilled with how hard our team has worked all summer on their own, and together over the past two weeks," said Blount. "Our athletes were on Facebook comparing times and discussing their training all summer long, and the enthusiasm was great to watch. There is nothing but positive energy all around our program.
"We'll get our first outside competition at McNeese in a relay format, which is different than any of the other meets, and it will be good to see other teams and see how we do, especially the freshmen," she said. "I feel really good about this season."
Freshman Kyle Lessig will lead off the Demons' top entry Friday, followed by juniors Dusty Dischler and Cameron Mehl, with freshman Josh Crandell. The second entry leads off with junior Nathanial McReynolds, followed by freshman Chris Lanier, sophomore Breshon Williams and freshman Nick Darby.
Kyle and Josh are both very, very, very competitive," said Blount. "I think we'll get out to a good start, compete well in the middle and have a chance to run down anybody close on the final relay. On the second team, Nick is on there with three 800 meter runners, who are happy for this meet all they have to run is a mile and a half, so I'm eager to see how they compete."
For the Lady Demons, freshman Karensa Ellis will lead the first unit, followed by sophomore Lawana Perkins, freshman Allison Fontenot and junior Andrea Warren. Veteran Courtney Hershberger heads the second team, followed by freshman Kirstie Jones, junior Redd Williams and sophomore Carmen Wallace.
Blount was very impressed with a Monday training session by her athletes.
"We had a 20-minute tempo run for the guys, a 15-minute tempo run for the girls, and the goal was to see how many miles they could get in. Dusty, Cameron and Nathanial all came in through three miles faster than they have ever been in their lives, and this is week two of training. It's great for them to see the work they put in this summer is paying off, and to realize we are going to be competitive this fall.
"For the women, Karensa came through the two-mile mark two seconds off her best two-mile time ever. She didn't realize it at the time, and that shows that they are working so hard, pushing through the pain and it is paying off."
Friday evening, the Demons and Lady Demons will join teams from Louisiana-Lafayette, Nicholls State, Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana along with the host team in a relay competition. The meet begins at 6 with entries of four-person relay units covering six miles, with each runner going for one and a half miles.
It's the first of three competitions before Northwestern hosts the NSU Invitational on Monday, Sept. 28. Next Saturday, NSU goes to Louisiana Tech, followed by a Sept. 19 visit to Louisiana-Monroe.
"I am absolutely thrilled with how hard our team has worked all summer on their own, and together over the past two weeks," said Blount. "Our athletes were on Facebook comparing times and discussing their training all summer long, and the enthusiasm was great to watch. There is nothing but positive energy all around our program.
"We'll get our first outside competition at McNeese in a relay format, which is different than any of the other meets, and it will be good to see other teams and see how we do, especially the freshmen," she said. "I feel really good about this season."
Freshman Kyle Lessig will lead off the Demons' top entry Friday, followed by juniors Dusty Dischler and Cameron Mehl, with freshman Josh Crandell. The second entry leads off with junior Nathanial McReynolds, followed by freshman Chris Lanier, sophomore Breshon Williams and freshman Nick Darby.
Kyle and Josh are both very, very, very competitive," said Blount. "I think we'll get out to a good start, compete well in the middle and have a chance to run down anybody close on the final relay. On the second team, Nick is on there with three 800 meter runners, who are happy for this meet all they have to run is a mile and a half, so I'm eager to see how they compete."
For the Lady Demons, freshman Karensa Ellis will lead the first unit, followed by sophomore Lawana Perkins, freshman Allison Fontenot and junior Andrea Warren. Veteran Courtney Hershberger heads the second team, followed by freshman Kirstie Jones, junior Redd Williams and sophomore Carmen Wallace.
Blount was very impressed with a Monday training session by her athletes.
"We had a 20-minute tempo run for the guys, a 15-minute tempo run for the girls, and the goal was to see how many miles they could get in. Dusty, Cameron and Nathanial all came in through three miles faster than they have ever been in their lives, and this is week two of training. It's great for them to see the work they put in this summer is paying off, and to realize we are going to be competitive this fall.
"For the women, Karensa came through the two-mile mark two seconds off her best two-mile time ever. She didn't realize it at the time, and that shows that they are working so hard, pushing through the pain and it is paying off."