FMHS gearing up for 2024 x-country season

ONE SPEED

She runs at practice like she does at a meet. It’s very hard to get her to run a controlled practice. If we say to take it easy, she’ll go ‘awwww’ because she knows one speed and it’s fast. She’s a true gem. No chip on her shoulder, so kind. She goes to the line, the gun goes off, and it’s on.””

Brian Mendez, FMHS head cross-country coach

FORT MADISON – Coming off last year’s cross country season, the Fort Madison Hounds and Lady Hounds are poised to be in the “running” at most events this year and a shot at the state meet in Fort Dodge.
The Lady Hounds are anchored by junior Avery Rump who has qualified for state in 3A the past two years. Rump captured fourth place last year as a sophomore with a personal best 18:54, and head coach Brian Mendez said she is locked in again this coming season.
“She’s Avery. She has one speed. It’s fast and she loves to compete and she loves to be up front. We look for her to be a state qualifier and a conference champion and see what goes from there,” Mendez said.
“She has drive. She runs at practice like she does at a meet. It’s very hard to get her to run a controlled practice. If we say to take it easy, she’ll go ‘awwww’ because she knows one speed and it’s fast. She’s a true gem. No chip on her shoulder, so kind. She goes to the line, the gun goes off, and it’s on.”
Addison Rump will also score regularly for the Lady Hounds. The twin just missed qualifying last year with a 19th-place finish at the Pella qualifier. The top 15 make the cut with five at-large placements based on team qualifiers. Rump also finished sixth at the Southeast Conference meet at Rodeo Park.
The other Lady Hound to make it to the state meet last year was Paetyn Weigand, who graduated this spring.
“Seeing her qualify for state last year was big for me. She got cheated out of a year when she got injured and we lost her for a year,” Mendez said.
The Lady Hounds will also benefit from the possible addition of Mara Smith, who emerged this spring during track as a force in the open 800 and on middle distance relays. Smith also plays volleyball, but Mendez said she’s going to try to compete in both this fall.
“I don’t think it’s a secret. But we may share her this year with volleyball and that certainly changes things,” Mendez said. "She's such a strong athlete. That really changes things."
Holy Trinity Catholic’s Ellie Hellman will also be part of the squad this year as the schools have a co-op agreement for the sport. Mendez said her, along with McKayla Schinstock, give the Lady Hounds a very strong top five going into the season.
Mendez said he’d like to see a healthier number at the junior varsity level, but he said both boys’ and girls’ squads should be competitive this year.
”It would be nice to have a deeper jayvee squad, but our varsity squads are very strong. And we’re going to prove that here in a couple weeks,” he said.
The boys have a contingency that has been running together for close to five years led by senior Jacob Shottenkirk, who finished 34th at last year’s boys' 3A state meet, his second consecutive trip to the meet. His 16:49 was a minute-and-a-half off the pace.
Shottenkirk will run with a bevy of juniors, including Nolan Guzman, Mason McLey, and Riley Tripp, who helped the Hounds shock the field and qualify as a team in 2022. Calvin Johnson  and Payton Lambert will again run for Fort Madison in their senior campaigns.
Mendez said everyone is healthy right now, but he always has to pinch himself going into the season.
“They’re all back with a couple strong seniors. Payton is back and we’ve never had him healthy, but he feels as good as he ever has,” Mendez said.
“Jake always peaks at the right time and that junior class of Nolan, Mason, Riley are fast. We feel really good about being healthy,” he said.
The veteran coach said he sees a season where the top boys runner on the squad will be different from race to race.
“Jacob surprises us. Kids can peak at the right time and he’s one that does that. But I think those boys will trade jabs all season long. I don’t think our No. 1 runner will be the same two weeks in a row. “
He said underclassmen Jacob Walker and Noah Schinstock are coming in to varsity competition for the first year and without any timed challenges yet, they could fight for a a spot in the top five. Senior Calvin Johnson is also going to challenge for a top five spot.
“If he’s our sixth runner, we’re in pretty good shape,” Mendez said.
This year’s state meet is a week later than past years with 3A running at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge on Nov. 1.