Sparta boys end long regional title drought

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

By Jeff Chaney

The Grand Rapids Press

Nate Kober and the Sparta boys cross country team did something that hadn't been done since 1969.

Kober and the Spartans won a regional championship for the program, a feat that hadn't been accomplished in 38 years.

Not even last year's team, which took second in the state, won a regional title. The Spartans were second to Fremont at last year's regional competition.

But this year's team brought home the trophy, winning the Division 2 regional Sparta hosted, with 59 points. Spring Lake was second with 128 points.

"It was very exciting," said Kober, who was Sparta's top runner by taking fifth with a time of 17 minutes, 5 seconds. "One of the biggest things is that it was coach (John Thomas') first regional title, so that shows how long it's been. He told us he was the track coach at Sparta in 1969, but not cross, so that shows you how long."

Thomas has been the boys cross country coach since 1990.

"We put six runners in front of everybody's fifth runner Saturday, so we ran well," Thomas said. "The kids really came through. It meant a lot to win. They were extremely satisfied. Kober and (fellow senior Alex) Matthews said they looked up at the cross country banners in the new gym, and said it's been a while since it has happened."

It has been a while, but the team of Kober, Matthews, seniors Nate Dahlgren, T.J. Blystone and Andy DeLodder and junior Dustin Reed head to Saturday's state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn as a regional champion.

To top off the accomplishment, Sparta graduated three all-state runners last season.

"We trained very hard over the summer," Kober said. "Our top six runners have been running since June. We wanted to keep the momentum going from last year.

"We're going to go down to state and shoot for a top-five finish. We are excited. It's near the end, and we're excited to see what we can do."

Thomas said he is proud of what this year's team has done.

"To lose three all-state runners to graduation and come back and win a regional is pretty amazing," Thomas said. "We had three kids on the school record board coming back, and that did help coming into this year.

"The team goal now is the top-five finish. Whatever you get from there, you get. Team goals this year, winning regional was one of them, and they got that so far. Now, we'd like to be in the top five."

Sparta's main competition will come from teams such as defending champion Dexter, Fremont and O-K Blue Conference rival and conference champion Forest Hills Eastern.

"It will be tough," Thomas said. "You need to come prepared, and that's what the kids did last year. We had a great practice (Monday). We're feeling good about it."