Terry Olson has a flock of Wadena-Deer Creek letterwinners back in the fold for the 2009-10 cross country season.
The Wolverines have two senior lettermen on the boys' team in Tony Ross and Jacob Snyder. Zach Bernu is the team's lone junior harrier and Olson likes his leadership skills. Bernu, along with sophomore Neil Janson, are expected to form the backbone of this year's team. Both athletes trained hard during the summer and opened the season Monday with personal bests at the Morris Invitational.
The Wolverines will also put sophomore Forrest McQuisten, freshmen Shane Motschenbacher and Joey Pate and seventh-grader Brody Wangsness on the course. Motschenbacher is a returning letterman while Pate, McQuisten and Wangsness are all first-year harriers.
State qualifying senior Hannah Toedter leads the WDC girls' team. Toedter placed 53rd in the Class A state meet last November in Northfield. The two-time all-conference pick will be joined by senior letterwinner Mary McGrane, junior letterwinner Kelsey Browne, sophomore letterwinners Lauren Girard and Bailee Schissel, freshman letterwinner Lindsey Eliason and seventh-grade newcomer Emma Schmitz. Browne, a two-time all-conference choice and former state qualifier, is working through injury problems. Schissel has also been injured.
Olson is not expecting to see his team's full potential until the middle of the season.
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"These kids work hard," Olson said. "To me, that's the most important attribute."
The Wolverines will host their annual invitational Tuesday at White Tail Run Golf Course. The meet is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
