ON REFLECTION, A BIG FOOTPRINT
BOYS RUNNER OF THE YEAR WILLIAM HUNSDALE, THE WOODLANDS
William Hunsdale arrived at The Woodlands during Southlake Carroll’s run of four consecutive boys cross country state championships. He’s leaving after returning the Highlanders to the top. The senior finished ninth at state last year, leading them to their first title in five years, then placed fifth this fall, helping the Highlanders secure back-to-back titles — and their 19th state championship overall. The Wake Forest signee’s efforts earned him the Chronicle’s All-Greater Houston Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.
“He’s got a lot of experience, and in his senior year that was huge,” coach Juris Green said. “He and Noah Wells … were able to calm the younger runners and lead by example, so he was central (to the team’s success). He’s got a great personality, he likes to laugh and joke, and that’s really good to have when you’re nervous and warming up for a state meet.
“You can probably talk to any coach who’s had really talented athletes, and sometimes you get those athletes who are very self-centered and can’t really see beyond their own nose. But every once in a while you’ll have one who has talent and is also very outwardthinking, and when you have any athlete who is outward-thinking and considers his team before himself, it brings more out.”
Q: How cool was it to be a big part of returning The Woodlands cross country to the top?
A: “It’s been incredible. We were down and out for four years against Southlake Carroll, and we just had a huge attitude change in the locker room my sophomore year, and I was fortunate enough to be in a position to help carry that new tradition throughout the next couple of years and the past two state championships.”
Q: How satisfied are you with your individual results at state?
A: “I’m really happy with how my state meet turned out. Obviously, this year I got fifth, but if you look at it from an individual perspective, it was probably one of the most talented fields the UIL 6A meet has ever seen, so especially this year I was really happy to take fifth place.”
Q: What is the most challenging part of running cross country?
A: “The toughest part is the mental game. Everyone’s capable of pushing themselves in a 5K, so you just make up in your mind how hard you want to push yourself, and having such a supportive team that wants to see me perform at my best (was huge). I want to see them perform at their best, too, and it’s such a good group of guys, that we did it for each other. We all supported each other, and that’s what drives me.”
Q: How much are you looking forward to the next phase of your career at Wake Forest?
A: “I’m so excited. It’s going to be tough leaving my team, for sure, but what coach (John) Hayes is doing at Wake Forest is huge. He’s the new director of track and field and cross country, and he’s turning the program around. He coached at Texas and NAU (Northern Arizona), and I think he’s really going to bring the best out of me individually and the team he’s building there, so I’m really excited.”
Q: The Woodlands’ track and field team was so stacked with distance runners last spring, you didn’t run the 1,600- or 3,200-meter races at district. What’s your goal going into your final semester of high school competition?
A: “Last year, our district was probably one of the toughest districts in the country, and I was having some minor issues before the district meet, so things didn’t work out the way I wanted them to. I came back and ran the fifth-fastest time in the state (in the 1,600) but missed out on a state performance, so that was pretty tough. This year, I’m looking to stay healthy and make sure everything’s clicking when I get to the district meet, and the goal is to podium in the 3,200-meter and the 1,600-meter at state.”