It has been a battle for Melcher-Dallas Runner J’Lyn Knutson this year. Last season she gutted out a State Meet appearance suffering from a hip flexor injury then just as she was getting back to health, COVID hit shutting down her spring track and field season, only to see the hip injury rear its ugly head this summer. However, Knutson would likely not be running for the Saints or under another school if she did not take the initiative to help start a cross country program at Melcher-Dallas. Knutson tells KNIA Sports she decided in seventh grade to get the ball rolling.

Knutson:
“I went out and I got 15 signatures to start a cross country program. I talked to Mrs. Stewart and she said she would be the coach. So I came back by 8th grade year and was the only girl out and ran with all I had.”

Knutson will run in her fourth straight State Meet on Saturday in class 1A. She says one goal is to get on the podium for All-State.