IF NEUMELLER CAN WALK, HE'LL RUN FOR T.O.

Byline: Heather Gripp Daily News Staff Writer

If Seth Neumeller is any indication of perseverance, the Thousand Oaks High boys' cross country team will be in good shape when it competes in today's Southern Section Division I finals.

Neumeller, who has only been running for two years, rebounded from a series of injuries to become one of the Lancers' leading runners.

``He's one of the top runners in our CIF section,'' coach Jack Ferrell said. He's very competitive. He's very motivated, very dedicated. He does have gifts for running, but he's doing quite a bit with those gifts.

``His best running is still ahead of him.''

The sophomore followed a third-place finish at last year's section finals with several strong performances this year, including a second-place finish in the Marmonte League finals.

But Neumeller's road to success has not been smooth.

He suffered hip tendinitis during the summer and it flared up again in September, Neumeller said, forcing him to miss the Lancers' first two races. Then, three weeks ago he injured his Achilles tendon. Neumeller's misfortunes didn't end there.

``A week later, I was icing that same injury and I got frostbite,'' Neumeller said.

The hip injury caused the biggest setback.

``It took about a month to get back to where I should have been,'' Neumeller said. ``I had to go and watch the first two races. Watching people I had raced with before improve and do so well, and I had to work so hard, it was kind of disappointing.''

But the adversity may have helped in the long run.

``I realized when I was injured how much I missed it,'' he said. ``When I came back I appreciated being able to run more.

``I'm happy with the way I came back.''

And so are the Lancers.

``We weren't sure he'd be able to get back in time,'' Ferrell said. ``We were worried how he'd do, but he's bounced back really well.''

Neumeller is not the only threat Thousand Oaks possesses.

``When we run really well, everyone's within 20-30 seconds,'' Neumeller said. ``We're all really close. Not one person should be singled out. I don't think just because I'm at the top now it should be any different.''

Other keys for Thousand Oaks include senior Danny Kilgore, one of the Lancers top runners all season, sophomore John Vella, who outran Neumeller by one second in last week's preliminary meet, junior Brian Moncreif and senior Jason Lu.

After a 7-0 run through the Marmonte League, the Lancers are optimistic about a berth in the state finals, a chance that only the top four teams today will receive.

``I think it would be really great if we could qualify for state,'' Neumeller said. ``I don't think anybody cares if we qualify in first or fourth, we just really really want to go. The past week we've been training really hard.

``Personally, I'd just like to be happy with my race. But, I think even if I had a bad race, I'll be happy if we qualify for state.''

In order to advance, the Lancers will have to overcome some stiff competition.

``Long Beach Poly is far and away the best team in the section,'' Ferrell said.

Ferrell said Peninsula could challenge Poly, while the Lancers should be ranked about ninth going into the race.

``We're not as far out of third as we are first,'' he said. ``The teams are pretty close from third through nine.

``We're a young team, about a year away from being our best.''

But just like Neumeller, the Lancers can never be counted out.

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Photo

PHOTO Tough sophomore Seth Neumuller leads Thousand Oaks into today's Southern Section Championships.

Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News