19-Color The Sentinel 19
August 15, 2013
2013 PREVIEW
FALLSPORTS
Runners hungry for good finish Thornton cross-country boys looking for better ending than previous year By Scott Stocker
sports@ourcoloradonews.com Thornton’s Sean Paiz and Joshua Joseph will be seeking a much better finish to the 2013 cross-country season than they experienced last year, as will coach Jason O’Shea. Thornton went into the Class 5A state meet with expectations of a least a topfive finish. But when the action was complete over the Norris-Penrose Event Center course, the Trojans had to settle for 10th place. Paiz, a senior, finished a disappointing 25th with a much slower time than his season best, running 17-minutes, :20.5 seconds. Joseph, a junior, was 31st, running :17:28.8. “Last year at state we didn’t strike as a team,” said Paiz, Thornton’s captain. “We just broke under the pressure. It’s going to be a lot different this year. We’ve worked hard to get back into shape, and we’ve got four back from our state team, and a fifth who qualified but didn’t compete at state. We only lost two seniors, and we do have some injuries to overcome. We’re working hard to get back in shape.” Paiz was the No. 1 runner for Thornton last year, a move up from his sophomore season that he said was huge. “It was a big change for me,” Paiz said. “I had to lead, and that jump in the lineup was something to look forward to. I feel very confident in my ability, and I think as a team, we are going to be alright. It certainly ended up being a learning experience for all of us. Overall, I think we have a great group of guys, and we know what to do. Now, just do it.” Joseph is also looking for much better results all the way around. “At state, it appeared we were ready, but as it turned out, not ready,” he said. “We went into state like it was any other meet, but that’s not state. We just didn’t do what we were expected to do. I think we have a
One of the many top cross country runners to compete for Thornton High School this fall is junior-to-be Joshua Jospeh. Photos by Pam Wagner good opportunity this season to be one of the best teams. “Last year was my first time in a state situation, and I guess I really didn’t know how to prepare,” Joseph sai. “This year I’ll be ready to push all the way. The key is to be more than just ready. This year I want to get right with myself and do what has to be done.” Those certainly are the thoughts of O’Shea. “We’ve got five of our top seven boys from the team back, and they’ve put in a lot of work this summer,” O’Shea said. “We look to be a lot better than last year. State was a disappointment for us. We took third at the Nike in Arizona recently, and that’s a blessing. “But last year, a couple of the kids just didn’t do as well as we expected,” O’Shea said. “We hope to do a lot better at the big meets this season as we have depth and we have experience. We have a lot of juniors and seniors to give ourselves good competition. I think we should make state again, this time putting in a better performance.” Mountain Vista won the boys Runners continues on Page 20
Senior-to-be Sean Paiz will compete for Thornton High School in Cross Country this fall.
23 Community papers and websites.
,000 400 readers. .com
6950 N. Broadway 303.426.5881 www.mickeystopsirloin.com Hand-cut steaks daily | Homemade Mexican | Italian cuisine | Banquet room available for groups
WHAT WILL YOU DO IN ARVADA TODAY?
7305 Grandview Ave., Olde Town Arvada 720-898-3380 www.VisitArvada.org
Family owned for over 50 years
arvadavisitorscenter @visitarvada
LY T H NIGCIALS! SP4E- 10 pm
Monday: BBQ Steak & Rib Platter $14.95 Tuesday: Steak Marsala w/Lasagna $14.95 Wednesday: Carne Asada $14.95 Thursday & Sunday: Steak & Shrimp $14.95 Friday & Saturday: Filet & Scallops $17.95 All served with your choice of soup or salad, and a side
3400 Industrial Lane Unit 10A Broomfield CO. 80020