Narveson shares recipe for successful season

Improvement. From last year to this year and from the beginning of this season to the end of this season. The athletes wanting to hang out together outside of practice and meets and the younger athletes feeling comfortable around our older athletes (one complete team).”

Head Coach Brad Narveson

Top runner Gavin Stauffer returns for the Park High cross country team this fall, but he’ll have lots of new company on the courses this season.

Joining junior Stauffer on this year’s team are returning junior Brandon Carver (52^nd in last season’s section meet), senior captain Jack Weir, sophomore Eli Firchau and a host of newcomers. Firchau (17:51) was 47^th in the conference finals last season, Carver (18:04) was 53^rd and Weir (18:10) was 60^th.

Stauffer’s top time of 16:50, set in 2021, ranks 14^th on the all-time best performance list for 5,000 meters. He was 26^th in last season’s section meet in a time of 17:24.9. Five of the six Park finishers in last season’s varsity section meet, seniors Nicholas McDonald (32^nd), Tyler Krogman (35^th), Henry Schluetter (37^th), Bronson Stachowiak and Mason Allen have all departed.

Park’s boys were eighth in both the Suburban East Conference and Section 3AAA championship meets last fall.

Missing from the girls team is Lydia Best, who was Park’s sole female runner last season. But help is on the way as eight new runners join the girls team this fall. There are 16 boys on this year’s team.

“We’re excited that our numbers have gone up,” said co-head coach Brad Narveson.

On the boys’ side, Naveson sees this year’s team strengths as leadership from the team’s seniors and captains, along with a good work ethic and attitude. Not listing it as a concern, but Narveson would like to see the team’s numbers climb a bit.

“Our goals for the team are to make it to sections and have a really good race at sections,” said Weir. “I think our team goal this year is to get five to seven guys up there that are all really close together and that can all race well. Ultimately at the end of the season our goal is to have a really good race at NXR and possibly make it to state.”

Stauffer’s personal goals include breaking 16 minutes for the 5,000 meters, which would place him in Park’s top three fastest cross country runners.

“Another goal I have would be to build the team up more and create more of a community,” Staffer said. “Talk to everyone, make everyone feel comfortable here and don’t make fun of anyone, obviously.”

Asked what would make for a successful season, Narveson said, “Improvement. From last year to this year and from the beginning of this season to the end of this season. The athletes wanting to hang out together outside of practice and meets and the younger athletes feeling comfortable around our older athletes (one complete team).”

Park opens the season Thursday morning at Lake Elmo, competing against Chaska, Como Park, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Harding, Humbolt and Johnson and Washingtom Technology Magnet. The Wolfpack then host their only home meet, hosting East Ridge, Cretin-Derham Hall, Trinity School and River Ridge at Cottage Grove Middle School/Grey Cloud Elementary starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31.