Reaching new heights

Latin girls win first league title, pursue NCISAA 3A championship

Published October 25, 2007

By Brett Honeycutt
The Charlotte Observer

When Mike Weiss and John Marklewitz took over Charlotte Latin's cross country program four years ago, promising runner Louise Hindal didn't have enough teammates to help Latin score in the girls' state meet.

Now Hindal is a senior, has plenty of teammates and Latin is ranked No. 1 in the state and on the brink of winning the program's first state title in the sport since the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Associatin began holding the girls' championship in 1984.

"A theme of our season has been an opportunity to make history each time they step on the course," Weiss said. "And they've embraced that rather than feeling pressure, and they've enjoyed every part of it."

"And (they are) laying the groundwork for a tradition that we hope will last a long time."

An indicator of how far the girls' program has come was evident last week when it won its first Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association title by beating 10-time champion Providence Day.

Before that, girls' cross country was the only program at Latin that had not won a conference or state title.

Bow it has a chance to complete the title run Friday at McAlpine Park at the NCISAA 3A championships, which beging at 9:30 a.m.

It all started with Hindal, whose arrival "really signaled a whole shift in attitude with distance running for girls" at the school, Weiss said.

Hindal brought a strong work ethic and sense of team to the program.

"We knew we had a lot of talent, but there was a ton of hard work put into it and lots and lots of summer miles and training miles this fall," Hindal said. "And we are really like a family and we help each other...and encourage each other. We have a really family-like team. That's one of the major things that's helped us get where we are."

After Hindal's freshman year, she was joined the next season by Emily Zuehlke, Meggie Trusty and Hillary Dawe, who all made practices more competitive and helped Latin to sixth place at the NCISAA 3A championship.

Last season, the numbers grew and the team finished fifth.

This sason, a solid group of freshman (Haylee Dawe, Kameron Spence, Ally Finical and Maggie Gardner), who had enjoyed huge success in middle school, gave the program a jolt.

"We have already made history...so we look at anything from here on as an accomplishment," Hindal said.

"However it ends up, the state meet, or any race, is better than our team has done before, so we're proud of that."

To view the article online, go to www.charlotte.com.