Noecker is setting the bar high

HARTINGTON – Carson Noecker opened his 2022 track season in a similar fashion like he closed his 2021 campaign... setting a state record.

After running away from the competition on the course the past couple of falls in cross country, Nocker prepared for his junior season on the track as he had previously.

“Carson has worked really hard to put himself in position for success,” Cedar Catholic track coach Chad Cattau said. “He runs almost daily and has been in our strength training program for the last two years which has really benefited him.”

Back to the record. In his first meet this spring he ran the 3,200-meter run in 9:22.19 which bettered his own Class C record of 9:24.56 set last spring at the state meet in Omaha at Burke Stadium.

“I don’t go out thinking about breaking a record every time I run,” Noecker said. “Some days you just feel better - you have ‘it’.

It’s not like running what is commonly referred to as the “two-mile” is the only race on his plate come track meets.

He also usually will fun a leg on the Cedar Catholic 3,200-meter relay squad, which would be 800 meters or twice around the track.

Then he follows that with the individual 1,600 and 3,200.

In just those three events he would circle the track 14 times or roughly 3.5 miles at a more than competitive speed.

“I like running the relay because you get to help your teammates and they get to help you,” Noecker said. “We train together all the time and its just really a bonding or team building kind of thing.”

The relay is also usually one of the first track events run at nearly every meet.

“That’s really how I gauge how I’m feeling that day,” he said. “It’s strange but some days you feel like you can run and run and some days you really have to focus and use your experience to fight through it.”

And Noecker has accumulated a lot of quality experiences in his short tenure at Cedar Catholic.

“You just have to realize at the most you’ll only be here four years,” Noecker said. “You have to make the most of every meet, every day and every practice”

He is also getting comfortable in a leadership role with his peers and teammates.

“I am blessed to have the ability to run, but you have to keep improving to make the most of what God has given you,” he said. “We have great teammates and we know it takes hard work to keep improving - some days you just need a little push or some help - that’s what your teammates and coaches are all about - they are there to pick you up when you need it.”

Evidently, his “bad” days are considerably better than his fellow competitors. He has a lot of state hardware and he’s just starting his third year and take into account his freshman track season was wiped out by COVID.

He has three gold medals in cross country and he grabbed one last spring on the track when he set the state record he just broke.

If his opening meet is any indication, the keeper of the state track records may want to enter his recent record in pencil - it may not stand too long.

Noecker won the 1,600 by almost a full minute at the Cedar Catholic meet and the 3,200 by over two minutes.

“He is really running strong,” Cattau said. “I can’t wait to see what he will be able to accomplish the rest of the season.”