Young, but veteran Huskies looking for big year in cross-country

Sweet Home Cross-Country team members include, in front, from left, Matthew Jordensen, Acen Webber, Pyper Hall, Madi Cuillo, Lael Watkins, Wylie Farris, Cassie Spender, Noelle Helfrich, Marian Helfrich, Kali Vogel, Zoie Allison and Jaxon Slayter. In the second row, from left, are Lexi Lee, Ryker Burr, McKenzie Ohlheiser, Hudson Ogden, Wes Goff, Emma Whitton, Carson Van Patten, Miu Simmons, Sydney Dominy and Emily May. In the rear, from left, are Elijah Rodriguez, Conner Spencer, Evan Knight, Eli Adams, Louis Kistner, Maddie Hegge, Ryder Farris, Head Coach Dave Martin and Coach Lindsay Janzer.

Five years ago, Dave Martin took over a Sweet Home cross-country program that had been decimated by COVID and a rotating sequence of coaches.

The 2021 Huskies team totaled four boys and two girls, neither enough runners (five) to score as a team.

Things were a little better in 2022, as Martin had some soccer players double up on sports and run for the girls, but it was clear that there was going to have…