As the first Comet freshman to qualify for the state cross-country race, Carlos Meraz didn’t have experience or a model to lean on for inspiration.
But that didn’t stop him from making West Liberty proud.
At the Class 2A state race at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Meraz placed 77th and clocked out at 17:51.1 — his third-fastest time of the season.
“Coach (Nick) Frenz and I were extremely proud of Carlos this year,” said Comet co-head coach Tim Foley. “Carlos ran really well on a challenging, honest course. He approached the race with a good mindset and raced well. It was a great experience to get him up there as a ninth-grader. He is hungry to return and hopefully have a team with him.”
Meraz came out of the gates hot with a 5:12.7 first-mile split which had him in 43rd place in the early portions of the competition. He kept at it with a 5:53.8 second-mile split. Meraz crossed the finish line with a 6:44.6 third-mile split.
Lakeside Golf Course provides a unique challenge for its runners. In addition to some hills halfway through the race, the route does not repeat. This challenges runners mentally by playing with their sense of time.
Add on the pressure and intensity of the state meet environment and it is an appropriate site for the best runners in the state to battle for supremacy.
“The course at Fort Dodge is challenging, but honest,” Foley said. “You have to be good on the hills from 1.5 miles to 2.5 miles. You also have to deal with the emotions of being at state.
“It can be a challenge because it is a course that does not repeat itself. Most of the courses we run throughout the year are two- or three-lap courses that repeat sections. Fort Dodge is one long route around the golf course without repeating sections. It can seem long because of that lack of repetition.”
In the end, Emerson Vokes of Grundy Center took home the 2A boys’ crown with his winning time of 15:37.5 which was 17.8 seconds clear of second place.
Oelwein narrowly captured the team title with 113 team points, just beating out Mid-Prairie with 128 team points.
Meraz, Comets made 2024 memorable
Foley and Frenz knew they had a special talent on their hands after Meraz’s junior high career ended. And it was not long into his ninth-grade campaign that they all could picture Fort Dodge in their future.
“We knew he had a chance after his eighth-grade year last year, but he exceeded our expectations with his (freshman) season,” Foley said.
The only difference between junior high and high school cross-country races is the added distance. Middle school races are two miles long while high school races are three miles long.
Learning how to pace oneself and deal with the extra 5,280 feet is a big factor in the transition.
“He learned how to run each time he went out on the course. Once he learned that he could go faster and still maintain in miles two and three, he kept making progress,” Foley said.
Meraz’s first race of the season, the Bob Brown Cross-Country Classic, ended after 18:47.02.
In each of the next three meets, he dropped time. Meraz won the Midland meet with a time of 18:09.40 on Sept. 16 and posted a 17:40.40 time at the Solon Invitational on Sept. 23.
“When Carlos ran under 18:00 at Solon, we knew he had a chance to get to State,” Foley said.
Meraz was slowly but steadily adding to his knowledge bank. That may have been the most difficult part of the entire process as his work ethic and dedication to the sport were unflappable.
“We never had to worry about his effort in practice. He trains hard and sometimes we have to remind him that rest is important,” Foley said. “He is relentless in wanting to get better.”
After a few meets without hitting a PR, and times reaching back into the 18-minute range, everything changed at the most critical time.
Meraz dominated at the Monticello state qualifying meet, setting a new PR of 17:19.20, and qualified for the state meet as an individual.
“He worked hard throughout the season and had big goals coming into the year. He was always striving to get to State,” Foley said. “He went out in the state qualifying meet as the No. 19 seed and finished No. 11. He ran a smart race and we were extremely happy for him.”
It wasn’t just Meraz who experienced success this season. Overall, it was one of the best seasons for West Liberty cross-country in recent memory.
The Comet boys won the Midland meet and placed fourth at the Bill Bails Invitational on Sept. 30. The girls’ team took second place at the Bill Bails Invitational as well and set personal records up and down the roster.
But some of the most exciting moments came off of the grassy paths. Inside the school and within the team, there was excitement growing for cross-country which can be difficult to achieve.
“Coach Frenz and I emphasized a team and family atmosphere that focuses on effort and attitude,” Foley said. “We were happy that the boys kept recruiting more friends to join the team. Each week, it seemed like I was adding new names to the roster.
“I think the overall team atmosphere helped make everyone feel a part of the team and want to experience cross-country. This is not always an easy sell. We run, each day. The boys and girls encouraged each other and made it a place that people wanted to be for a few hours after school.”
Cross-country is also a sport where success doesn’t necessitate coming in first place. Up and down the lineup, runners go out and try to make the next race their best one yet.
“You get what you put into cross-country,” Foley said. “Everyone competes on race day and you can see your improvement. You can also see where maybe you fell short that day. It is an honest sport where time doesn’t lie.”
The exciting part for the team is that the future is bright. All but one runner, senior Vanessa Burk, will have the opportunity to return in 2025.
Foley hopes the work and training the runners put in this year remains and builds a strong foundation for the years to come.
“(Training started this year) with some of our returners who came to summer running each morning at 8 a.m. That is something we hope will continue into next year. Our core returners (Carlos, Jonathan Juarez, Addison Guerra, Madelyn Deahr, Wesley Heath and Maddex Maurer) came regularly during the summer and they each had big improvements this year.
“With two sophomores, two juniors and three freshmen running at the state qualifying meet, we are poised to hopefully see a lot of improvement on the boys’ side… Our hope is that the girls team continues to grow. I think Madelyn and Addison could contend for state qualifying next year and maybe get a full time together. I also think the other girls have a chance to drop time and give us a competitive team.”
After Meraz qualified for state this season, his teammates have that model to follow. With great support from the community and confident runners within the program, the goal for 2025 is clear.
“There has never been a (West Liberty) team to qualify for State. That is a goal for our program on both the boys’ and girls’ sides,” Foley said. “We had tremendous support from parents and the school all year. We are excited to hopefully make West Liberty into a cross-country school.”