Greg Lee: NC’s impressive cross country streak could continue

Former Mead cross country coach Pat Tyson had it right when talking about records.

No record lasts forever – even the record nine straight state championships his teams put together.

North Central proved that last Saturday in Pasco, capturing a 10th consecutive title.

The question is – when will NC’s streak be snapped?

There have been times the past decade when some thought NC’s streak would end. By the end of each season, though, the sum always is greater than the parts.

No NC team had the pressure on it like the 2015 team. Sure, NC had pressure last year when it was attempting to tie Mead’s nine straight.

But this year the tension was amped up. NC had a couple of proven state runners out of the 10 or so fighting for varsity spots.

Senior Justin Janke was the top returner, and we knew he’d be one of the top runners in the state regardless of classification. As it turned out, nobody was better.

Then as what happens with teams, NC had some adversity. Coach Jon Knight’s son, Hank, fractured his ankle two weeks before state. He had to be replaced. Then another runner, Ben Miller, came up injured.

At NC, it’s a next-man-up mentality. Still, for Ryan Frostad, to have your first crack at varsity come at state, talk about pressure.

The Indians performed quite well. Sam Sjoberg had easily his best race of the season, finishing sixth.

So Janke graduates. I asked him who would be the guy or guys to step up and lead the team next fall.

I also asked if he thought NC could continue the streak next year.

“It’s up to them,” Janke said. “You have a group of seven guys with the same ideals and the same goals and the will to strive with each other then, yes, it will definitely happen again.”

As for Jon Knight, he’d be just fine if people ignored the streak and didn’t keep track of it. He thinks it puts undo pressure on the next team.

“The streak’s nice and all but it really is almost a burden to hang on a group of guys – some of these guys were in diapers when it all started,” Knight said.

He’s got a point. In some years, none of the runners have been on a state title-winning team. So to be expected to continue the tradition in many ways is unfair.

But that’s the beauty and the curse of the tradition established by NC.

What about next year?

Knight said the recipe could be different next year. It could be a win-by-committee approach.

“There probably won’t be a true Justin-type front runner. But we could easily have a really good pack of five, six, seven guys that could place between 10th and 20th in this meet,” Knight said. “That would be enough to win it.”

Rogers represented

I was glad to see Roberto Lopez of Rogers qualify for state. He didn’t earn a medal. Just the top 16 finishes do.

He finished 30th in a time of 16 minutes, 8 seconds – a little more than a minute behind Janke.

Being at state was a victory for Lopez and his school. He was the first Pirate to qualify for state in 11 years, reports Rogers coach Ken Bell.

“He never ran cross country until his sophomore year,” Bell said. “He was injured last season. It’s a great story. He has a single mom who works two jobs to support three kids.”

And there’s more.

“Roberto is an honors student taking four AP (advance college placement) classes, works five hours a day at McDonald’s and still is one of the best runners in town,” Bell said.