Mullen Cross Country Best year in the school’s history
In 2020 Mullen High School had five kids who went out for cross country. Three guys and two inexperienced girls. Even in Class D, this can be a hard number to be competitive with.
Despite the small numbers, this Bronco team worked hard and really competed to the best of their abilities all year long.
This was seen by multiple first-place finishes individually on both the boys and girls side throughout the year by Trevor Kuncl and Coble. The trio really helped to spearhead the success both teams had.
Senior Jennings and French were also consistent medalists throughout the 2020 campaign for Mullen. Both worked very hard to have an opportunity to get to run at the state meet.
What made this season even more special is the fact that the Broncos got to compete as a team on the boys side due to rule changes for Class D in 2020. Instead of having to have four runners to be counted as a team, it was dropped down to three runners.
This allowed the Mullen boys team to bring home multiple plaques throughout the year, the most important being the D-6 runner-up plaque they won to qualify for state. Trevor Kuncl ended up winning the district meet and Jennings was eighth.
Coble won the girls D-6 crown and French ended up finishing fourth.
Of the eight different schools we cover at the Chief, the Broncos were the only ones to have all the members of their team compete at state. A truly great accomplishment.
At state, both Trevor Kuncl and Coble were able to cap off amazing seasons with state medals. Kuncl finished eighth in the Class D boys’ race and Coble was fifth in the Class D girls’ race.
As a team, the Mullen boys finished with 99 points. A good accomplishment for a group who did not think this opportunity would be possible.
“The boys were the only team with three runners,” Mullen head coach Janie Kuncl said. “Aquinas and Norfolk Catholic were champion and runners-up in the boys division, so that gives you an idea of how big Class D is in Nebraska cross country.”
Janie Kuncl believed 2020 was a great season for Mullen. It was full of a lot of first for this young program.