By Taylor Hale
PORTAGE COUNTY — The SPASH boys cross country team took home the state title in a split high school cross-country season on May 8 in Janesville. The team missed their fall season due to COVID and brought home their 11th state title for the Panthers since 2013.
“The team put a lot of time into this, they set their minds to this goal back in 2019 when they came up 12 points short against a very good Middleton team, they had their minds set back then they would win a title,” Coach Kevin Hopp said in an interview with the Gazette. “Those guys that we’re coming back wanted to train in the spring, then that went away with COVID-19, then they trained over the summer. And then that season for 2020 got canceled. They had all that happen and they still stuck to it and trained over the winter in the hopes there was going to be a spring season.”
The team of 16-18-year-old athletes was led by Jake Bourget, SPASH, with a time of 15 minutes, 38.6 seconds. Other seniors at the meet include Josh Bourget and Ba’nk Bodor.
The team was escorted back to SPASH from Plover in celebration of their win by area fire trucks.
“I told the guys and the parents that I haven’t smiled that much in a long time. With the year we had and some of the disappointments that came our way, it was fun to enjoy that with these guys,” Hopp said. “I think they will have a memory for a lifetime on this one.”
Team Scores
Stevens Point 32, Sun Prairie 69, Green Bay Preble 91, Middleton 95, Manitowoc Lincoln 115, Stoughton 150, New Glarus/Monticello 174, Fond du Lac 196
SPASH Athletes
Jake Bourget 15:38.6; Bode Erickson 15:48.6; Eric Boettcher 16:14.5; Ba’nk Bodor 16:22.5; James Jacobs 16:24.7; Zach Scharbarth 16:57.5; Josh Bourget 17:05.6.