Summer Running (Some are not)

Hello Spartan Cross Country!

I am Coach Ryan Pewowaruk, and I am the head boys' cross country coach at VPM after having been an assistant coach for the past 3 seasons. Coach Brian McIntyre will also be returning as an assistant coach for this upcoming season. We are so grateful for everything Coach Casey Hopp has done for the Madison Memorial boys' cross-country team, including his 20-year tenure as head coach. While we are sad to see Coach Casey step down, we are extremely excited for this upcoming summer and fall cross country season.

 SUMMER RUNNING --> Lay the foundation NOW for a successful season later. Summer miles bring fall smiles

Consistency and building from week to week are essential to a successful fall.

Meet 8am at Memorial Stadium Lot. First Monday will be at Memorial. Following Mondays will be a rotating location posted in SportsYou.

Weeks of 6/22, 6/29, and 7/6 meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Weeks of 7/13, 7/20, and 7/27 meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Weeks of 8/3 and 8/10 meet Monday- Friday

Tuesdays and Thursday's athletes will be able to attend a strength training session at VPM supervised by UW Health and VPM coaches. This will take place right after summer running and athletes should be finished by 9:30. These strength sessions are a great opportunity to become a stronger and more well-rounded athlete!

Training Plan (Also posted in SportsYou)

Bring athletic clothes, shoes, and a water bottle. Led by upperclassmen.

Not being able to attend the summer workouts is not an excuse to skip training! You can go for a run anywhere you are!

SportsYou

In alignment with the rest of the athletic department at VPM, coaches will use SportsYou (www.sportsyou.com) to communicate with athletes. Be sure to download the app and join our team page using the QR code or Access Code (S7VRW993) 

Thanks for the Memories!!! - Coach Casey signing off

 Dear JMM/VPM runners, alumni, families, friends, fans, & followers -

In 2003 I called Stan Richter and asked for a chance to volunteer at Madison Memorial high school. I stepped into an opportunity that led me on a wonderful 23 year journey (the last 20 as head cross country coach). My time coaching track & field and cross country at Madison Memorial was nothing short of an amazing experience. I treasured this time to give back to a sport that had provided me so many opportunities in my lifetime. I have worked with countless young men & women who have developed as students, runners, and people both on the competition field and in the world of life. I hope I have inspired many of you to create a journey with running that is a lifelong event. I was asked by a neighbor why I was retiring and I said I am only stepping into my next phase of the journey. I have stepped away from coaching cross country so that I can be a cross country parent as my two children embark on their high school and middle cross country experiences. I hope to make as many memories with them that I made with all the Spartans at Memorial. I will never forget countless miles run, hours spent on the bus, mini-golf championships, valedictorians, team championships, rain soaked evenings, getting a newbie to finish their first 3 miler, full ladder workouts, rock-paper-scissor champions, searching for the lost runner, sprinting around the Ridges GC, celebrating a PR, handing out varsity jackets, and more and more and more. I will never be far away from the sport, so I hope to see you on the cross country course someday soon.

The next journey begins for the 2026 team as Coach Ryan Pewowaruk and Coach Brian McIntyre take over the program both have been with the Spartans over the last couple years and I expect nothing but great things this season and into the future. Every Runner Every Run Every Day

Madison Memorial Makes it to State
(click to watch video from 2009)

State - Will finishes 1st Team All-State in 15:57

 

Madison Memorial representing
for 9 of the last 10 state meets at the Ridges

The WIAA started hosting state championships for boys cross country in 1913. Every year the best boys from all areas of the state gather on one course to compete for bragging rights. The number of qualifiers has changed, the number of divisions has changed, and even the distance raced has changed. What has not changed is that the state cross country championship is one of the best shows on Earth and the D1 boys race is the greatest ~17 minutes of racing to watch and be a part of for Wisconsin high school runners. In the fall of 1966, Madison Memorial sent its first athletes to state cross country qualifying a team for the Medium Class division which finished 6th starting a long and storied history of Spartans competing at State. The next year the Spartans won their first of five state trophies by winning the 1967 Large Class division state championship. Since this time we have seen a Madison Memorial runner stand atop the individual podium four times and six other individuals win state medals.
Will L-S qualified for this years state meet for the third straight year. His finish marked the 136th time that the Spartan uniform has crossed the finish line at this great race. Will executed his racing plan perfectly and improved upon his 28th place finish from last year. He met both his goals on the day breaking 16 minutes by running 15:57 and finishing in the top 15 by earning 12th place. His race earned him 1st Team All-State honors. This brought a close to his season and a great reward for the hard work over the last 11 weeks of the season, a summer of running, and three seasons of dedication. The work begins for October 31st, 2026...what are your plans to be a part of this great running opportunity?

Will L-S runs 15:57 for 12th

RESULTS
Interactive Results (All races)
D1 Boys Results

NEWS & NOTES
End of Season Celebration - Nov 5th @ 5:45pm in Wisconsin Neighborhood @ Memorial (enter by the Welcome Center)
Off seasons are when athletes become better runners...what are your plans to be better?

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday August 29th, 2026--> Are you going to be ready!?!

Sectional - 6th Place - Will L-S Qualifies for State!

 

Will L-S Qualifies as an individual to State

Each Spring the WIAA puts out the Sectional assignments for cross country and the path is set for 120 division 1 schools to attempt to be one of the 20 teams that qualify for the state championships. These assignments are made by geographic representation and don't take into account the quality of teams in each sectional. Sectional 4 this year was a competitive meat grinder and pitted some of the best teams in not only south-central Wisconsin but the entire state against each other. It doesn't take an investigative journalist to see that many of the teams in this Sectional have beaten many teams who were qualifying from other Sectionals in the state. Madison Memorial toed the line in this sectional and put out their best effort to represent the Spartans on this day. Today, that meant we finished in 6th place and that was a great showing by our team. Will L-S ran a great race strategy and earned his third straight birth to the state meet and continued the long streak of Madison Memorial runners competing at the D1 State Meet. Our 2 - 5 pack ran strong and helped each other to the finish led today by Paul K in 17:37. Over the next 18 seconds all 5 runners crossed the line with Ian G, Berndt R, and Max B all breaking 18:00 on the tough Verona course. With all five scorers (and all the varsity runners) returning next year, we hope to continue the charge towards the front of this pack. We know the teams that survive and advance from this sectional will perform at a high level at the state meet. Will L-S will represent the Spartans at State this year but we look forward to trying to get our entire team to state in the near future.

RESULTS
Verona Sectional
All Sectionals

NEXT COMPETITION
Saturday November 1st
WIAA State Meet @ Ridges GC in Wisconsin Rapids (Course)
Van - 9:15am
12:00pm 1st Race
1:10pm - D1 Boys Race (2024 Results) (Box # = TBD)
3:05pm - D1 Girls Race 
3:45pm - Awards - top 2 teams & top 10 individuals

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Come watch some great cross country & cheer on Will at the WIAA State Meet
Tickets = $9 (+ processing fee)...must be purchased in advanced & on a mobile device
Parking & Shuttles = $10 (pay with cash) per car --> Arrive early to park & ride shuttle to the course (come watch all the races too)
Course Map - HERE
Live Results - HERE (available the day of the meet)

NEWS & NOTES
Sectional runners...Monday practice = turn in uniforms, last chance mile, & run with Will
All runners...get your $$ to captains for 2025 team shirts and coaches gifts
End of year awards ceremony will be Wed Nov 5th @ 5:45pm @ Memorial...more info to come soon via email
Parents...feel free to add photos from the 2025 meets to the photo album