Hawks continue to build with young athletes

HOUSTON — For programs like the Houston Hawks cross-country team, the battle begins long before the athletes take a step onto the running trail. The competition begins when the small team from the small school works to fill out its roster.

Houston running coach Pat Egelus admits its tough to compete against other fall sports, football and volleyball, but Egelus and the Hawks continue to build the program slowly, but surely.

The Hawks have a dozen runners on the roster this year, a group that Egelus is excited about.

A pair of seniors, Drew Drake and Jamison Richey, lead the Houston boys. Egelus is also seeing good things from sophomore Kruz Kleewein and Ahanu Kinney, a transfer from Guam.

On the girls’ side, freshman Kimber Trolinger, a first-year runner, has impressed Egelus.

“She showed up Aug. 1, and she’s been the fastest girl so far,” Egelus said.

Freshman Ashley Apangolook is also a young runner on the squad.

Egelus is also coaching the Houston Middle School cross-country running team and is working to get middle school students interested in running before they hit high school.

“We’ve got a couple eight graders with real promise,” Egelus said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.