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Grain Valley, MO —
Grain Valley High School cross country coach Mike Painting is going out with a bang.
Painting, who started the Eagles cross country program six years ago with just two boys on the team, is taking three boys and three girls to the Class 3 state meet this weekend in Jefferson City.
At Saturday’s district meet at Raymore-Peculiar High School, Cameron Tecce came in ninth (18:19.6) followed by junior Chris Hughes (11th, 18:29) and sophomore Tim Hinton (13th, 18:36.7). Sophomore Kayla Sanning (ninth, 20:56.4), freshman Hannah Coons (10th, 20:57.9) and senior Kelsey Schrader (15th, 21:25.5) advanced for the girls.
“I thought we had a good shot at taking both teams to state,” said Painting, who is retiring following 26 years as a teacher and coach. “I was a nervous wreck at the finish line – it’s just torture because you want your kids to do well.
“Kelsey was the final qualifier, and that was just fantastic because her brother finished 16th a few years ago and that was just heartbreaking. We’re so proud of all the kids who are going.”
The top 15 finishers at sectional and the two top teams advance to state.
The girls narrowly missed advancing after finishing four points behind second-place Pembroke Hill (52). Notre Dame de Sion (29) claimed the team title.
The boys totaled 71 points – just seven behind second-place Pleasant Hill. Pembroke Hill finished first with 28 points.
“This is just a great way to go out as a coach,” Painting said. “When I got here six years ago, I went to a track meet to talk to the head coach and I asked if I could talk with his distance runners.
“He said, ‘Sure, they’re right over there.’ And he pointed to two runners. I asked them about practice and they said they ran down to Sonic and back – to me, that’s not even a warmup.
“I’m sure all the runners in the early days thought I was crazy, but they bought into the program and now we have five underclassmen going to state, our girls won their fourth consecutive conference title and the boys were second for the second time in the six years I’ve been here.
“Next year’s team has the chance to be really, really good and we’re all excited to see what happens at state this weekend.”
No one is more excited than Schrader, who has been running just two years.
“Coach Painting tried to get me to run since I was a freshman, and he finally convinced me last year,” Schrader said. “When I finished 15th and qualified for state it was just the most amazing feeling. I’ve never been to state – but we ran in some big meets this season (at St. Louis and at Rim Rock in Lawrence, Kan.) so we’re used to competing with a lot of people.”
Grain Valley High School cross country coach Mike Painting is going out with a bang.
Painting, who started the Eagles cross country program six years ago with just two boys on the team, is taking three boys and three girls to the Class 3 state meet this weekend in Jefferson City.
At Saturday’s district meet at Raymore-Peculiar High School, Cameron Tecce came in ninth (18:19.6) followed by junior Chris Hughes (11th, 18:29) and sophomore Tim Hinton (13th, 18:36.7). Sophomore Kayla Sanning (ninth, 20:56.4), freshman Hannah Coons (10th, 20:57.9) and senior Kelsey Schrader (15th, 21:25.5) advanced for the girls.
“I thought we had a good shot at taking both teams to state,” said Painting, who is retiring following 26 years as a teacher and coach. “I was a nervous wreck at the finish line – it’s just torture because you want your kids to do well.
“Kelsey was the final qualifier, and that was just fantastic because her brother finished 16th a few years ago and that was just heartbreaking. We’re so proud of all the kids who are going.”
The top 15 finishers at sectional and the two top teams advance to state.
The girls narrowly missed advancing after finishing four points behind second-place Pembroke Hill (52). Notre Dame de Sion (29) claimed the team title.
The boys totaled 71 points – just seven behind second-place Pleasant Hill. Pembroke Hill finished first with 28 points.
“This is just a great way to go out as a coach,” Painting said. “When I got here six years ago, I went to a track meet to talk to the head coach and I asked if I could talk with his distance runners.
“He said, ‘Sure, they’re right over there.’ And he pointed to two runners. I asked them about practice and they said they ran down to Sonic and back – to me, that’s not even a warmup.
“I’m sure all the runners in the early days thought I was crazy, but they bought into the program and now we have five underclassmen going to state, our girls won their fourth consecutive conference title and the boys were second for the second time in the six years I’ve been here.
“Next year’s team has the chance to be really, really good and we’re all excited to see what happens at state this weekend.”
No one is more excited than Schrader, who has been running just two years.
“Coach Painting tried to get me to run since I was a freshman, and he finally convinced me last year,” Schrader said. “When I finished 15th and qualified for state it was just the most amazing feeling. I’ve never been to state – but we ran in some big meets this season (at St. Louis and at Rim Rock in Lawrence, Kan.) so we’re used to competing with a lot of people.”
