NOOKSACK VALLEY

PIONEERS

Coach: Collin Buckley

Last year: Finished 11th at the NWC Championships. Finished ninth at the 1A tri-district meet and had one runner advance to state. Had Mitch Beard place sixth at the 1A State Championships.

Runners to watch: Stephen Dietz (sr.), Brett Johnson (sr.), Landon Olenslager (sr.), Taylor Gardner (so.), Conner Jones (fr.), Zach Harvey (fr.)

Outlook: Nooksack Valley loses its only state participant from last year with the graduation of Beard, but Dietz has quickly turned himself into a strong runner in his first year doing any sort of running. Gardner has been battling injuries, but he figures to compete among the Pioneers' top three when healthy, and a pair of freshmen are showing early potential for a team that should be strong at pack running. "We would really like to get through to state as a team," Buckley said in a phone interview. "District, we weren't even a blip last year. We've been a powerful force in 1A before. If we can get some confidence, I know we can get back and do it again this year."

Reach DAVID RASBACH at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2271.