http://www.thedailycamera.com/bdc/cu_cross_country/article/0,1713,BDC_2450_2387977,00.html
Talented sophs, freshmen set standard for fourth-ranked men
By Michael Sandrock, For the Camera
October 30, 2003
Dathan Ritzenhein is just 20 years old, but he is called "pappy," or "paps" by the
other members of the University of Colorado cross county team. That is because even
though he is only a redshirt sophomore, Ritzenhein is still older than the other top
runners on a very young, and very talented, CU team.
Colorado, ranked No. 4 in the nation, competes in the Big 12 Championships Friday
afternoon in Austin, Texas. The CU women are ranked No. 9. Both teams are the
defending conference champs. Two weeks later comes the NCAA regional qualifying race
in Riverdale, Utah, followed by the NCAA championships in Waterloo, Iowa, on Nov. 24.
Joining Ritzenhein at Big 12s will be sophomores Brett Schoolmeester, Billy Nelson and
Casey Burchill, as well as freshman Brent Vaughn, the three-time Colorado prep champ
from Smoky Hill high school. The sixth and seventh Buff runners are redshirt juniors
Jon Severy and Jared Scott, both products of Colorado high schools.
"It is indeed a young team, but most of them are experienced through one year here, or
from national competition on the high school level," head coach Mark Wetmore said
Tuesday, before putting his team through its last hard workout before the conference
championships. "So we are comfortable going into the championship season with a high
percentage of young runners, and we are also very excited about the next few years."
Without last year's stars Jorge and Edwardo Torres, Ritzenhein has emerged as the
leader of the men's team for several reasons, Wetmore said. "Ritz" is a little bit
older than the freshmen and true sophomores, he has the most experience on the CU
team, and he is the Buffs' best runner.
"Last year we had some older guys," said Ritzenhein, "and this year we are all young.
We ran well (Oct. 12) at pre-nationals (winning the team title). I raced most of the
guys from the conference at pre-nationals and am confident for Big 12s. If the team
does not win we will really be disappointed."
Fans following the Colorado squad this season might be surprised at how well freshman
Vaughn has been running. Wetmore, however, said, "I expected that out of Brent. His
training has been very sound since he arrived. So I am not surprised, but I am very
happy."
Said Vaughn, who ended his prep career by clocking 8 minutes, 45 seconds for 3,200
meters, the fastest time in state history: "We have a lot of talent on this team."
Indeed, in addition to Ritzenhein, one of the best U.S. high school runners ever, the
second and third runners for CU this fall are Nelson and Schoolmeester, who placed 1-2
in the U.S. junior cross country national championships last spring. Then comes
another sophomore, Casey Burchill, a walk-on from Clovis, Calif., who made the varsity
team last fall.
In addition to talent, the youngsters have meshed well this season. According to
Wetmore, the runners are all good friends, and, the coach said, "they share the same
goals and spend a ton of time together on and off the track. They have very big
futures both as individuals and as a group."
"The sophomores are tight from last year," said Schoolmeester, "and Brent has fit
right in. I knew him quite well in high school; he's a good guy. There is a lot of
synergy in our group. We have the talent; none of our guys is not capable of being
All-Americans. We are good this year, but wait until you see our team in two years. We
have nowhere to go but up."
Ritzenhein has bigger goals than earning All-American status. After placing fourth in
the NCAA championships his freshman year, he was forced to sit out last fall with an
injury. After resuming training at the end of the summer, his win at pre-nationals
shows he is ready to contend for a top spot once again at the NCAA championships.
First, however come the Big 12 Championships. CU is the only conference team ranked
among the nation's top 10, and Wetmore said his team would have to make a "big
tactical mistake" to lose. CU is tapering â or resting up â a bit less than other
years because the race is on a Friday, not Saturday as in the past. "But we will be
appropriately rested for this," said Wetmore.
Colorado is also the favorite to take the conference crown on the women's side,
although the Buffs will face ranked teams in Nebraska, Missouri and Baylor. CU's
Natalie Florence and Renee Metivier will be going for the individual win and will
likely be challenged by Amanda Bales from Missouri.
Making her CU debut will be redshirt freshman Laura Zeigle, a 10-time Utah high school
state champion. Her sister, Jackie, will also be racing.
HARKRADER CONSIDERING CU: Bradley Harkrader of Thornton High School has been named USA
Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the Colorado 5A cross country title
Saturday in Colorado Springs.
Harkrader â who is considering attending Colorado next fall â ran 14:49.4 for the
5K course, the fastest time ever run in Colorado high school competition. That time
broke the previous state best of 14:54.7 set in 1993 at the Pueblo Invitational by
former CU NCAA champion Adam Goucher. On Saturday, Harkrader beat pre-race favorite
Ryan Deak, a senior from Smoky Hill who is also considering CU, and Pearl Street Mile
high school division winner and Denver West sophomore Mohamud Ige (third in 15:25.3).
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"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."
Patrick Henry
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