Finishing at the top is nothing new for Taylor Loken and her Ipswich teammates and last Saturday the Tigers found themselves there once again.
Loken logged a career-best third-place finish at the state cross country meet in Huron, helping Ipswich capture its third consecutive Class B girls' state title. For her efforts, Loken is the American News Athlete of the Week.
Ipswich placed three runners in the top four finishers with Macy Heinz second, followed by Loken and Tori Moore.
"It felt great, in that I was extremely proud of my teammates," Loken said. "They have been motivating me for the past three years."
The 15-year-old sophomore has been part of all three state titles for the Tigers, who scored nine points this year, 29 points better than Gayville-Volin. This was her fourth state meet overall. Loken said the Tigers adopted a strategy for the race, revolving around a pair of runners from Gayville-Volin.
"Gayville-Volin was the team we wanted to go after," Loken said. "Tori and Macy were supposed to get out with their number one runner (Genevieve Clark) and I was supposed to get out behind their number two (Laura Nelson)."
A strong work ethic and a desire for improvement help make Loken a great asset to the team, said Ipswich coach Todd Thorson.
"Taylor ran five to six days a week all summer long and that has helped her become one of the best runners in the state. She understands that if you work hard at something good things will happen. She is one of the most consistent runners I have ever coached," Thorson said. "Her biggest strength is her mind, because she always runs smart and tries to follow the race strategy. She has been a scorer for us for the last three state championships and has been in the top 15 in the state three years in a row, which is a huge accomplishment in itself."
Thorson played a role in getting Loken started in the sport, Loken said.
"Coach Thorson came in and talked to our class and made it sound really fun," Loken said. "And he was right, it's a blast."
Loken looks forward to next season and the team is already working on its goals, which include getting a perfect team score of six, which they narrowly missed this season.
"We were only two points away from getting the combined team title (boys and girls)," Loken said. "We were disappointed, but we know that if we train hard during the summer, we will be able to get it next season."
Loken who has competed in cross country since fifth grade, emphasized how special it is running for the Tigers.
"They are amazing athletes, and I feel privileged to run with them," Loken said, adding both Moore and Heinz have excelled at track in addition to cross country. "Our team is like a family, so I don't want to lose that. We are all extremely close."
Personal
Family: Dad, Jeremy and Tracy Loken, sisters Sydney (11), Ashton (9), brother Rasmus (5); Mother, Nicole and Chris Kassube, brother Hunter (9), twin sisters Kaitlin and Kylee (11).
Favorite athlete: Ipswich teammate Macy Heinz.
Favorite team: Dallas Cowboys.
Other sports: Volleyball, basketball, track.
Other activities: Chorus and band.
Best athletic memory: Going to the state meets in both cross country and track as a seventh-grader.