Although the 2012 Warhawk men’s cross country team is younger and less experienced than last year’s squad, Head Coach Jeff Miller said the team looks to rebuild and grow as the season progresses.

This is one of the reasons Miller said he doesn’t want to set too many goals this early in the season.

“We know we have a lot of inexperience,” Miller said. “So we will know our realistic goals within the next couple of weeks.”

The team lost graduating seniors Mathias Werve (Kenosha/Tremper) and Dan Machmueller (Milwaukee/West Allis Hale) this year.

The Warhawks had the alumni meet on Sept. 8 and will open their regular season with the Warhawk Invitational at 11:45 a.m. this Saturday at the UW-Whitewater course.

Juniors Aron Kehoe and Kevin Buntman return as veterans on this year’s team and sophomores Matt Rudquist and Dawson Miller rejoin the team as well. Coach Miller said freshman Quinn Farley ran well at the alumni meet and wasz a pleasant surprise.

After the top five runners, Coach Miller said the team lacks depth.

“We are going to be down this year and we realize that, but if these five guys can run well things might go ok this season,” Coach Miller said.

While Dawson Miller, son of Jeff Miller, is a younger runner, he is one of the top returning members and said he hopes to see his team’s progress improve as the season moves along.

“Obviously we do not have much experience because we are so young, but hopefully we will grow stronger as the season progresses and we can solidify a top seven and really try to work together as a team,” Dawson Miller said.  “If all goes well, I see us finishing in the middle of the pack at the conference meet.”

With the senior leadership of last season absent from this year’s team, Dawson Miller said the team might have some surprise performers emerge.

“Right now the big emotional leaders are Buntman and Kehoe, but looking at it from a performance perspective, anyone could step up in the next few weeks and become a leader on the course,” Dawson Miller said.