Photo by Sam Thiel The 2020 Lakeview cross country team includes front row (L to R): Danica Anderson, Kiannalee Olson, Hannah Vlaminck and Lucie Schwankl. Middle row (L to R): Sadie Vlaminck, Lucee Olson, Cole Remiger, Tate Remiger and Gideon Basel. Back row (L to R): Erin Meyer, Kaitlynn Bot, Cole Arends, Ethan Schwankl and Annah Schmidt. Not pictured: Savanna Louwagie, Faith Louwagie and Selby Anderson.

COTTONWOOD — In past years, the Lakeview cross country team has been able to rely on its strength in numbers on the boys side. This year, the Lakers will have a smaller group of runners looking to make an impact from the boys side, while the girls side will have its first complete team in recent years under coach Becky Remiger.

Leading the way for Lakeview on the boys side includes Ethan Schwankl, Cole Arends and Cole Remiger. On the girls side, Lakeview will be led by Sadie Vlaminck, Faith Louwagie and Savanna Louwagie. Kaitlynn Bot and Erin Meyer will also contribute to their times after making the switch from volleyball to cross country this fall with the volleyball season being postponed until the spring.

“We added a couple of volleyball players this year: Kaitlynn Bot and Erin Meyer. Kaitlynn’s a senior and Erin’s a sophomore, so that will help us fill out our girls team which is awesome. We haven’t had one of those for a few years,” coach Remiger said. “We’ve also got some boys who have put in some mileage this summer so I’m kind of anxious to see what they can do.”

Coach Remiger said they don’t really have huge expectations other than the goal of just getting through the season amid the pandemic.

“We really have none, we’re just hoping that we can finish a season. It’s kind of on a week-to-week basis, so we’ve stressed how important it is if the kids do these things that we can stay here. But as far as team expectations, we haven’t had a complete girls team for a number of years, that’s always been kind of our struggle is to fill out teams,” coach Remiger said.

Lakeview held a home invite to begin the season on Sept. 1, where the Lakers took third on the girls side and recorded an incomplete team score on the boys side. As they move forward with their season, coach Remiger said she’s looking forward to just spending time with her athletes for as long as they can while they have a season.

“These kids just like being together; I know for me personally, just that first day of practice with all of the anxiety of not knowing what school’s going to be like and not knowing what cross country is going to bring and that first day of practice it was just my stress relief,” coach Remiger said. “Just having those kids together and being around them, this is their family, so I think just being able to be here.”