The cross country team has started off with a great season. The boys and girls varsity teams placed first at the Mike Darby Invitational and Hallsville meet.

The team has been practicing very hard. The team has been running 6-8 miles for a hard workout. 

“The results of our training have shown how we rank in the Region, district and healthiness of our overall team,” Coach Emanuel Ibanez said.

Sophomore Aidan Shupak says that this season the team has improved.

“The team is much closer and we are doing everything we possibly can in training to get the competitive advantage over the other teams,” Shupak said.

At the Hallsville meet the varsity boys and girls and the JV boys placed first and the JV girls placed second. Senior Cristina Rosas and Austin Bain placed first in their heats.

At the Mike Darby Invitational meet Rosas also placed first in her heat and Bain placed second.

They have been very motivated to win meets this year to try and get as far as they can in regionals and possibly state.

“This year, I want to make some of the new freshmen class have some appreciation and love for the sport,” Shupak said. “I feel that our team will be very successful in the future based on how much the new kids feel about the sport.”

Senior Zoe Craven sat out this season due to tearing her ACL. Zoe is one of the top runners, so it has had a major impact on the team.

“This season has differed from the past years because we had lost our top runner, Zoe, to an ACL tear causing us as a team to pack up during races and practices,” Rosas said.

Even though this season has been changed because of COVID19 the boys and girls are still finding ways to have fun. From riding on the bus to funny locker room moments, they are still making the best out of this season.

“As a team, we run together after the event and just talk about the race. It’s great for team bonding,” Rosas said.

The boys and girls will be competing in Spring Hill on Friday, Oct. 16.

Make sure to come out and support your Bulldogs.