By: Jayden Cohen

Local Editor

Setting big goals and having high expectations is nothing new to the cross country team. LGHS cross country has their eyes set on state championships, new PRs, and growing as a team this year. After endless, sweaty summer practices, the team is ready to take on this upcoming season.  

The team spent the first month of the season building up mileage, getting back into speedwork, and preparing for their upcoming meets. The team also recently had their season opener at Ed Sias Invitational in Hidden Valley Park. The two-mile course is shorter than a typical cross country race, giving runners a chance to ease into meets and test their speed. 

For the freshman boys’ race, Siler Kniskern ran an impressive time of 12:15, taking seventh place. Cameron Dent and Casey Allen both competed in the Frosh-Soph division, placing in the top ten. Dent earned a time of 11:07, followed by Allen running an 11:37. The boys’ frosh-soph ended up placing fourth out of 22 teams. 

For Boys’ varsity, they had a fantastic race, with three boys in the top ten. Kevin Sacco finished first with a time of 10:19, followed by Peter Malone in fifth at 10:43 and Finn Allen in ninth at 10:48. Boys’ varsity came in second place out of 12 teams. 

Girls’ varsity ran a remarkable race, finishing first out of 10 teams. Piper Pyle came in third with a time of 13:15, Elise Greenstreet placed fourth in 13:26, and Kiley Horwitz earned seventh running a time of 13:35. 

The team is clearly full of talented athletes, but cross country is not just about the times that someone runs in a race. For most athletes, cross country is so much more than just running. When asked why she chose to join cross country, sophomore Marietta Sun noted, “I originally joined for basketball conditioning, but decided to continue running because I got to connect with so many people across all grades.” 

There is a big emphasis on the culture of the team, displayed through the friendships, support, and community that is being built. Many athletes enjoy how running helps them get to know other people from school better. Sophomore Eli Buzi commented about his favorite part of cross country: “I think being able to run with your friends and have a good time at practice.” Practices can be physically and mentally challenging, but having teammates around helps runners push through difficult workouts. On days where there are easy runs and strength training, athletes have even more time to hang out with their friends while still working hard. 

The team has many more events to look forward to, including the rest of its races and the pasta feeds. With their goals in mind, the team is excited to see what it can accomplish throughout the season.

(Sources: Ed Sias Invitational Results, MileSplit)