Cross country leads the way

The Cadet cross country team has a long-standing tradition of athletic excellence, and this year is no different.

With achievements both on and off of the course, two invitational wins and four all-county medals, the team is off to a fast start.

 The group boasts a supportive coaching duo in Nick Puckett and Courtney Erlenbaugh who work together to train the athletes week after week.  The coaching combo seems to be working as they are helping the team reach many notable times in their races, and have even topped a few school records. 

Erlenbaugh claims that the expectation with their athletes is to push them to succeed.  “We tell them to always perform at your best, the best you can give that day,” said Erlenbaugh.

The athletes are the stars of the team, with some showing tremendous growth during their running careers. 

Senior Molley Cook has been a viable part of the team during her four seasons. She predicts a good finish at the sectionals meet this year.

According to Puckett,“She had a very good freshman year when she was named to the all-county team, and even more success last year when she broke the school 5K record and qualified for semi-state.”

 Being named to the all-county team is a high honor in the athletic community. Runners Evan Davis, Owen Myers, Carly Hicks and Morgan Buckingham have shown great growth over the years and were named to the 2021 team. 

Myers states,“Everyone knows everybody and you know they are all there for you. We all joke around and get along very well.”  

He also says that the close-knit relationships, which team members often describe as a family, help him and his teammates become better athletes. 

An abundance of work, effort and positivity behind the scenes helps the athletes be one of the most successful sports in the school. Recently the boys finished as the runners up in the Jon Mitchell invitational while the girls team grabbed the first championship in the history of the race.

As the season winds down, and the harriers get stronger, the outlook for the sectional and beyond gets even better.