Few people like to run alone.
Bailey Ness didn't need her East Ridge teammates at the Class 2A cross-country meet last fall -- she ran solo just fine the year before -- but she's sure glad they were there.
"It was a lot better to be able to have the team with me and to also have the extra couple days of practice with them," said Ness, a two-time state qualifier who also led the Raptors to a conference and section team championship in the Woodbury school's second year of existence.
Her final time is further proof.
As an eighth-grader at the state meet, Ness clocked in at 15 minutes, 41.7 seconds, finishing 37th overall. This past fall, she nearly shaved one full minute off that time with a 14:55.8, good enough for 13th place.
Ness was the medalist in the conference and section meets, but coach Chad Cronin noticed something even more special about her: She was happier the team won.
"Being a section champion, that's a huge deal," Cronin said. "She was happy about that, but she was way happier that the team won by one point."
Running is a family affair at the Ness household. Her brother, Ryan Ness, competed for UW-Milwaukee and is transferring to Minnesota State Mankato for cross-country and track and field. Her father, Lloyd Ness, who also serves as a Raptors assistant coach, was an All-America for the Gophers. Running wasn't something Bailey was dying to get into, but it worked out.
"At the beginning, my parents made me," said Ness, who also is a Raptors track standout but prefers the more "relaxed" atmosphere of cross-country. "I ended up actually liking it, I guess."
Physical fitness and natural talent play a large role in any sport -- and Ness has both. But what separates her from others is racing ability. Often at big meets, a pack of runners will jump out at the beginning, only to lose steam as the race continues.
Even as a youngster, Ness has consistently displayed patience. Early in races, she strategically stays back and finds her rhythm before picking runners off one by one.
"The good runners have a good amount of patience," Cronin said. "For her starting off pretty young like this, it is quite remarkable."
The future looks bright for Ness and East Ridge, which finished eighth at the state meet. If the team hadn't qualified for state, Brenley Goertzen would have individually qualified as an eighth-grader, giving the Raptors two young runners still yet to reach their full potential.
Ness is spreading the wealth.
"I heard some of her conversations with [Goertzen]," Cronin said. "Even though she's only a ninth-grader talking to an eighth-grader, there was some pretty mature conversations about strategy and all that. She's selfless that way."
Ness and the Raptors won't be underdogs anymore. If they want to continue their success, it will come under the cross-country spotlight.
"People know her now. Our whole team has a target on our back, but especially her," Cronin said. "And that's all right."
