Indian Harriers Continue State Streak
L to R: Sophomore Carter Huyser, Coach Mike Comfort, Senior Sienna DeJong, and Sophomore Lauren Coon.
FORT DODGE- The Oskaloosa High School Indian Harriers continued the streak that was started in 2006, by having individual qualifiers at the state meet on Saturday for the 10th consecutive year, the longest in school history. Senior Sienna DeJong and Sophomores Lauren Coon and Carter Huyser all participated in Saturday’s meet. Head Coach, Mike Comfort, said that he was very pleased with how his runners performed.
” think our goal is every year with these kids we want to progress them and get them better,” Comfort said.
Huyser was at the state meet for his first time, finishing 43rd in Class 3A action.
“We just wanted to get him some experience and hopefully we can run a good race, and he did; he got 43rd, which for a first-time runner is extremely well,” Comfort said.
Senior Sienna DeJong notched a 41st place finish in a time of 20:20. Comfort noted that DeJong is the first ever four-time state cross country meet qualifier in school history, having run at the state meet in her freshman, sophomore, and junior years.
“A lot of credit to Sienna. Sienna’s really battled some tough illnesses the last two years and some other things so she really hasn’t been physically 100 percent, probably since her sophomore year,” Comfort said. “Just for her to continue to battle, become our first four-time qualifier is a big deal,” he said.
Sophomore Lauren Coon ended with a 28th place finish and a time of 19:59. Comfort noted that the top 15 in the state race receive a medal.
“She was right there with about 600 [meters] to go, she was really fighting, and just couldn’t quite get it today. If she continues to train and get better, she’ll get there,” Comfort said.
Reflecting on her career, Senior Sienna DeJong said that she was excited for all she had accomplished.
“I’m just really proud of what I’ve done and I know last year was a little rough patch with getting sick, but just being able to come out here and finish at state was really happy,” DeJong said.
DeJong also said that while she was disappointed with where she placed in the race, she was very happy to have been able to be there.
“My whole mentality was just to smile; it’s my last race so just finish strong and be happy with what happens today,” she said.
DeJong plans to run in college, however said that she has not yet decided on a college.
The Oskaloosa High School Cross Country team is now at its strongest in school history, with qualifiers at the state meet every year since 2006. In 2008, under the direction of then-coach Keith Comfort, the father of current coach Mike Comfort, the program notched it’s first ever female state champion, Sara Dickinson, who won Class 3A action by a wide margin. Prior to the current streak of state qualifiers, Oskaloosa had a state qualifier in 2003 in Autumn McMahan, again under the direction of Keith Comfort. Prior to that, in 1998, Candi Jones became the first ever individual state qualifier, male or female, in school history. Prior to Jones, the school had a boys team qualify for the state meet in the 1970’s. Mike Comfort has been the head coach of the team since the 2013 season, having taken the reigns from his father Keith, who coached from the 2000 season to the end of the 2012 season.
