AHS cross country runners get started

By Donnie A. Lucas

A total of eight girls and one boy are participating in cross country summer workouts, according to coach Tate Thompson.

The runners met on Monday to plan for the season, starting workouts on Tuesday morning.

The coach said that he doesn’t have any runners returning from last year’s high school team, but some of the team did participate as eighth graders last year.

“We have three freshmen who are also playing volleyball, along with five of the basketball off-season players,” Thompson said. “I have one freshman boy running who did really well last year in the eighth grade division.”

The runners will meet at either 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. each day until classes start on Aug. 15, with workouts moving to 6:00 a.m. at that time.

Thompson said since several of the runners participate in other sports, cross country workouts will mostly be held in the morning.

The season will open on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at Eula, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

The second meet is set for Coleman on Monday, Sept. 9, followed by Merkel on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

The runners will also travel to Baird on Sept. 25, with a local Albany meet scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The district meet will be at Haskell on Oct. 9.

Thompson stated that it isn’t too late for others to join the program. Anyone interested should contact Thompson.

The junior high runners will not start practices until the first day of school on Aug. 15.