The position of lead runner for the Dana Hills boys cross country team is a prestigious one.
Winning league and county titles is a regular thing for the Dolphins, and competing for CIF-SS and state championships is usually expected.
Dolphins junior Jack Landgraf held that position this season, and upheld its high standards to be selected by Register as the Orange County boys cross country athlete of the year.
“It’s insane,” Landgraf said of the Dana Hills legacy. “In the past Jake (Ogden), Mason (Coppi), the Valdes twins (Ryan and Tyler). They led their teams to greatness. There’s such pride in the program. Being a leader on such a great team is such an honor.”
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ALL-COUNTY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
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Landgraf won the O.C. Championships and the South Coast League title with a combined margin of victory of 31 seconds. He placed fourth at the CIF-SS Division 1 Finals, 12th at the CIF State meet and qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals.
All of the results came during a season Landgraf described as a learning curve.
“Some races I was on, some I wasn’t,” Landgraf said. “This season was one of those, with Jake and Mason gone, I had to work on being a leader.”
Landgraf led the Dolphins to O.C. and league titles, runner-up finishes at the CIF-SS Finals and state meet and 14th place at nationals.
The junior only lost to another county runner twice, in a pre-CIF test run at Riverside and at the South Coast League preview at Irvine Regional Park. The latter result stuck with Landgraf.
“When we ran the first league race, it wasn’t what I wanted,” Landgraf said. “Whenever I was in a training exercise, I just had to think of that and know I didn’t want to feel like that again.”
In the next two races at Irvine Regional Park, the O.C. Championships and league finals, Landgraf bested his preview time by 26 seconds and 47 seconds, respectively.
Landgraf’s hunger for running began in middle school, initially using it as training for baseball. He planned to continue to split time between cross country and baseball in high school, but his freshman cross country season grabbed him.
“I didn’t have any idea what it was going to be like,” Landgraf said. “After running with Jake and Mason, (I) loved going to the meets. My first good race was O.C. Championships (my) freshman year. Coming over the line, I felt amazing.”
Landgraf found that he had the talent for running and discovered how much he liked the “runner’s high” and the camaraderie of a cross country team.
“Most amazing feeling is that perfect race,” Landgraf said. “You’re tired but you feel amazing inside. I love running next to my friends.”
Landgraf said his knee bothered him after this year’s league finals race, and he didn’t have the performances he wanted at CIF and state. After balancing a job and training last summer, Landgraf also acknowledged his foundation wasn’t there at the beginning of the season.
All of that has the county’s top distance runner motivated for next fall.
“My team is going to be there with me next year,” Landgraf said citing a young Dolphins roster. “It’s really important that I have my priorities set. Training will come first this summer.”
A motivated and focused Landgraf could leave the county chasing Dana Hills once again.
