The Cascade cross country teams battled their county neighbors as well as the sweltering heat on the Danville trail. Both teams competed against Plainfield, Tri-West and Danville with four team members receiving all-county honors.
The girls team finished second in the county with a score of 53. Ella Davis finished fourth, Becca Parsons finished fifth and freshman Molley Cook finished 10th. The girls made some crucial passes during the last mile that lead to their all-county honors.
The heat was overwhelming during the meet, but runners Faith Needham and Aubree Whicker stepped up to take on higher spots for the team. Coach Nick Puckett remarked on the girls’ victory, saying “I don’t know the last time a girls cross country team finished second in Hendricks County. This is a tight-knit team that has lofty goals and a willingness to work through adversity.”
The guys had a tough time during the race, but sophomore Preston Fox pushed through with an individual success. Fox landed a fourth place finish and all-county honors by passing six runners in the last two miles in order to win his medal. Fox also has the honor of being the highest ranking sophomore runner in the county.
The team ran in less than perfect conditions, and Coach Puckett recognized it, saying, “It was a miserable day to race as temperatures reached well over 90 degrees. Our kids ran hard. I think we improved our competitiveness with this race, and we’ve laid some nice groundwork for the rest of the season.”