This is the first of a two-part series previewing Highland cross-country.

     He went to his first track meet months before he could even walk much less run. When your dad is a head cross country, track and field coach, family life revolves around the sport.

    Artie Gulden is Highland’s new boys and girls cross country coach. His dad, Art Gulden, led Bucknell University’s program for 31 years, and was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December of 2009.

    Gulden replaces Chris Belcher, who resigned last season after a bulk of the team had been disqualified from competing in the 5A Fifth-Sixth District meet, because they had run in nine meets, one more than the Idaho High School Activities Association allows.

    For the runners on Highland whose season ended abruptly, it was painful, a season without resolution.

    “The day before districts, I was over at seminary and everyone goes, ‘I heard you guys can’t run.’ I’m like, ‘What, no?’ We didn’t know,” said senior Raegan Anderton.

    After practice the team was informed they could not compete.

    “We had high hopes. We were excited and it was really crushing,” Anderton said. “We were up all night getting petitions, going to people door-to-door, trying to get them to sign.

    “My dad and Presli (Hutchison’s) dad were on phone conference with IHSAA. They did everything they could, and we only had 24 hours to fix it.”

    “My dad called me on the bus on our way up to district’s and just apologized, started crying and was like, ‘I promise, I did everything I could.’

    “It was a good life lesson, because we learned that you can’t get everything that you want no matter how much you work for it. It was a good life experience but it was very hard — it still kind of hurts.”

    But all of that is in the past now.  

    “New coach, new team, it’s all new,” Anderton said.

    It is a girls’ side focused on setting high standards. The top five — Presli Hutchison, Ali Wilks, Diseanna Kilgore, Anderton and Megan Lyons — form an experienced core.

    Hutchison, a junior, won the Terry Jones Invitational Aug. 24, and finished fifth in Soda Springs at the Cardinal Classic Saturday. The last time Highland ran at state,  in 2010, she finished in 30th place as a freshman and helped the Rams team place fourth.    

    Her teammates — Wilks, Kilgore and Anderton — finished 32nd, 37th and 59th at the 2010 state championships.

    “We have a great group of juniors and seniors that have been doing it for a while,” Gulden said. “They create a great team atmosphere that is enjoyable.”

    “Presli is very, very good,” Gulden said. “I don’t know what kind of individuals are out there, in terms of winning the state championship, but I hope she’s at least thinking about it.”

    In 2012, Hutchison, and the rest of the team, will have the opportunity to do just that — prove how good they can be.        

    “It builds our fire,” Wilks said. “We’re just so pumped and ready to go.”