There's the sophomore slump. The sophomore jinx. The sophomore jitters.

And, of course, the dreaded sophomore curse.

But for Siuslaw Vikings cross country coach Chris Johnson, there's the sophomore blessing. Mostly.

Six of his boys are sophomores, including letterwinners Jonah Jarman, Brendon Jensen, Kiger Johnson and Jarod Northrop.

"The four sophomores — Jarman, Jensen, Johnson, Northrop — are all very talented, but they have to see themselves as talented," Johnson said. "They all have to learn to train with toughness and consistency.

"They are all gamers on meet days, but sometimes that's not enough. They have to mature as a group and lead us.

"This group has the potential to be special."

Five of the nine girls also are sophomores, all letterwinners from 2016 — Bryn Clement, Trinity Erickson, Chloe Madden, Hannah Rannow and Anne Wartnik.

"Anne, (freshman) Brea (Blankenship) and Hannah have been very consistent this summer, and so has Chloe," Johnson said.

All four went to the Steens Mountain Training Camp this summer.

"Anne has made a big jump this summer. So has Chloe." Johnson said. "We need Chloe to run closer to those three.

"Brea is a talent. When she gets her training legs under her, watch out."

The talent doesn't end there for the girls.

"(Senior) Kaylee Graham, (freshman) Gracie Freudenthal, Bryn Clement and Trinity Erickson have great potential," Johnson said.

"A few of them have to step up for us to have a chance to win a league title and perhaps a state trophy. Both are possible."

Rannow has the best 5,000-meter time of the group at 21 minutes, 21.2 seconds, which she ran at the Far West League Championships last fall.

Rannow also was one of the league's two state qualifiers in the girls 1,500 and 3,000 last spring, the other being Siuslaw's Celie Mans, a two-time state 4A girls cross country champion.

Mans will be running for the Idaho Vandals this fall.

Senior Isaac Griffes has the top time for the boys, a personal-record 17:21.8, which he ran at the North Bend Tugman Invitational last September.

"Isaac has to get more fierce in competition," Johnson said. "He's in great shape, but he has to take his competitiveness to the next level."

Junior Robert Mans appears to have made great progress from last fall.

"Robert Mans has had his best off-season of training ever and looks great," Johnson said.

Also competing for the Vikings are freshman Alison Huff for the girls and senior Jordan Northrop, sophomore Alexander Paasch and freshman Ramiro Ramirez for the boys.

BOYS ROSTER
Name, school year, personal best at 5,000 meters

• Isaac Griffes, senior, 17:21.8, 2016 North Bend Tugman Invitational
• Jonah Jarman, sophomore, 18:00.0, 2016 Far West League championships
• Brendon Jensen, sophomore, 18:21, 2016 Northwest Classic
• Kiger Johnson, sophomore, 17:32.0, 2016 Far West League championships
• Isaiah Jones, sophomore, no time, sprinter on 2017 track and field team
• Robert Mans, junior, 19:13.0, 2016 Far West League championships
• Jarod Northrop, sophomore, 18:14.0, 2016 Far West League championships
• Jordan Northrop, senior, 18:25.2, 2016 North Bend Tugman Invitational
• Alexander Paasch, sophomore, no time, exchange student from Denmark
• Ramiro Ramirez, freshman, no time at distance

GIRLS ROSTER
Name, school year, personal best at 5,000 meters

• Brea Blankenship, freshman, no time at distance
• Bryn Clement, sophomore, 22:57.0, 2016 Far West League championship
• Trinity Erickson, sophomore, 25:22.0, 2016 Far West League championships
• Gracie Freudenthal, freshman, no time at distance
• Kaylee Graham, senior, 22:45.0, 2015 Far West League championships
• Alison Huff, freshman, no time at distance
• Chloe Madden, sophomore, 22:29.0, 2016 4A state championships
• Hannah Rannow, sophomore, 21:21.2, 2016 Far West League championships
• Anne Wartnik, sophomore, 22:47.4, 2016 Woahink Invitational

SCHEDULE

• Sept. 13 — North Bend Tugman Invitational.
• Sept. 16 — Northwest Classic, Lane Community College, Eugene.
• Sept. 23 — Rock 'n' River, Pleasant Hill.
• Sept. 30 — Woahink Lake Invitational, Honeyman State Park.
• Oct. 7 — Paul Mariman Invitational, Philomath High School
• Oct. 14 — George Fox Classic, Willamette Mission State Park, Gervais.
• Oct. 19 — Run for the Brownies, Sandpines Golf Course
• Oct. 26 —  Far West League championships, Tugman State Park (Siuslaw host school).
• Nov. 4 — OSAA Class 4A state championships, Lane Community College, Eugene.