Fall sports are under way, but for the cross country team, the season has already started months ago. Both the boys and girls have been training all summer––shaping themselves into the best teams in the state––and the work seems to be paying off. Be sure to watch for both these teams to compete deep into sections, and don’t be surprised to see them compete at state.

Team members would get up early in the morning, Monday through Thursday, and train for several hours. They would either run five miles every day or do an intense hill climb workout. After their morning run, they would make their way to the weight room, where they would go through intense lifting session to further get their bodies in peak physical condition for the upcoming season. “We can totally feel our hard work paying off. It feels like we’re in mid-season condition and we’re only on our second race,” senior captain Dan Lenington said.

Coming off a strong 2013 season, the boys team feels that they can do much better this season. “This year we have the biggest team we have ever had at 64. We’re looking forward to a great season in a new conference”, said senior captain Nick Griebie. The boys team feels a fresh group could help take them through sections and into state. The runner to watch for the boys this year is Lenington. He had a strong junior year, and now, after a long off season of training, looks like a strong candidate to lead the team in this exciting season.

On the girls team, junior Mae Fullerton is returning from a sophomore season that saw her break the school record at state, a feat that she seems poised to repeat. “The last race was in Marshfield, Wisconsin. It had been storming on and off the few days before and the course was just a mess: it was basically like trudging through a mud pit for three miles, but the team pushed through it together and we took second place. Individually, junior Mae Fullerton took second place. I couldn’t be more proud of the team this year. I am very excited to see where it takes us,” senior captain Maureen Desmond said.