Different coach, same results.

After 19 years as an assistant to the ultra-successful Gary Conner, Jeff Brady now runs the runs for the Tahoma High School cross country teams. The boys and girls have regularly earned trips up the podium over the last 10 years and 2014 has been no different. After an undefeated start to the season, the Bears made a national name for themselves at the Nike Pre Nationals tournament in Portland on Sept. 27. Facing more than 70 teams from schools around the country, a few ranked in the top 10 nationally, the girls finished 10th and the boys second in the Danner Championship Race. By knocking off previous No. 1 Gig Harbor, the boys vaulted themselves to a first place ranking in the Washington State Coaches poll. Tahoma junior Graeme Schroeder, who led the team in Portland with an 11th place finish, said added pressure comes with being No. 1.

“Instead of being an underdog team it’s this is ours to lose,” he said. “We have more pressure to hold off the other teams.”

The inexperienced boys group and the veteran-laden ladies are contrast in their roads to success.

“We have no seniors on the (boys) team; all juniors and below,” Brady said. “They are one of the most talented teams we’ve ever had before. They are working harder than any team we’ve had before. They are very young.”

With four athletes from the 2011 state title team, the girls group is experienced and fast from top to bottom. The ladies, currently ranked No. 4 in the state, have placed no less than third since their title run.

“They know what it takes to be on top,” Brady said. “They are very, very talented. If we can keep them healthy I think they are going to do very well at the state meet.”

Schroeder, who also runs track, said youth is helpful.

“Being this good when we are this young really is a boost,” he said. “If we don’t take the state title this year we will have next year.”

“We haven’t really had too many bad races,” Schroeder added. “We’ve got a lot of momentum going into the state meet and I’m really excited because I think we are going to kill it.”

Kentwood

2014 records: Boys: 0-2. Girls: 0-2.

Season Goal: To finish with a .500 record — two of the final four dual meets.

“An even larger goal is to have both the boys and girls teams qualify out of the SPSL League Meet for the Westside Classic Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2,” said head coach Ken Paul. “That meet decides which teams and individuals (we have a few possibilities) get to compete at state.”

Season Highlight: “I like to think the season is still young, but the highlight so far has to be how far these young boys and girls have come in replacing a team that was largely dominated by seniors,” Paul said. “Graduation took its toll, but the underclassmen have really stepped-up. We’ve had some decent performances at big invitational meets that provide a ray of confidence.”

Top Runners:

Boys

• Jared McMeen —Senior.

• Matt Neporichuk, Harsimran Singh, Alex Miller — Sophomores.

• Bobby Belter, Adam Wheeker, Brendan Stamper, Jared Felix  — Juniors.

Girls

• Nicole Soleim, Emma McMeen, Simrit Sandhu, Lauren Gross  — Sophomores.

• Matty Zacher, McKenna Johnson — Senior.

• Cela Irons — Junior.

• Catryce Thompson, Hailey Suit —Freshmen.

Kentlake

2014 records: Boys: 1-1. Girls: 1-1.

Season Goal: Head coach Scott Cleary said the boys’ team hopes to qualify for the district championship meet and possibly the state meet. The girls’ goal, he said, is to “harness the experience we currently have on the team while developing our new runners, allowing us to win at least one more league meet this season.”

Season Highlight: Winning the season opener against Kent-Meridian and the team dinners, “which are always effective for building strong relationships between the runners and giving the kids a chance to cut loose and have fun in an otherwise grueling sport,” Cleary said.

Top Runners:

Boys

Ryan Pitchford, Drew Gilomen, Jalen Koon — Seniors.

Ben Mitchell —Junior.

Hezekiah Goodwin —Sophomores.

Girls

Liz Archuleta, Kaitlynn Foley, Madeline Morrisson, McKenna Berkley — Juniors.

Melissa Carter — Senior.

Tahoma

2014 records: Boys: 3-0. Girls: 3-0.

Season Goal: “The optimal goal is to have both teams be state champions, but there are a couple teams out there that are pretty good, especially on the girls side,” Brady said.

Season Highlight: Boys: defeating Gig Harbor in the Danner Championship race, Brady said. Girls: winning the Fort Steilacoom Invitational on Sept. 20.

Top Runners:

Girls

Delaney Tiernan, Alice Jensen — Seniors.

Kayla Contreras, — Sophomore.

Peyton Shinnick, Chloe Hobson — Juniors.

Boys

Graeme Schroeder, Tristan Houser, Keegan Fitzpatrick, Nick Gennarelli — Juniors.

Devon Walters — Sophomore.

Dawson Besst — Freshman.