For a group of runners that started out not even being an actual team due to the lack of runners, the cross country team seemed to have turned around quite a bit. Unlike the girls,’ the boys’ team has grown exponentially. Starting out with only Juniors Danny Conrad and Luke Kiefer, many freshmen have become a part of the team.
“I did not expect there to be a boys’ team at all. That was a pleasant surprise. I thought it was going to be just me, [Senior] Gigi [DeWeese] and [Conrad] to be running, but we got a lot of freshmen,” Junior Kayleigh Roberts said.
Since the boys have more than a full team, they are able to compete against other schools. In a meet on Oct. 16, they finished in 14 out of the 16 teams that were there.
Before the runners could attend states, they had to run at WPIALs. The whole team attended this meet, and the outcome of the race determines who runs at states. Although the whole team made an appearance at WPIALs, the girls ran individually because they have a total of four girls. To qualify as a team, there must be a minimum of five. The boys, however, could qualify as a full team because they have more than five runners.
States will be held on the weekend of Nov. 2. The PIAA State Championship is held in Hershey, PA, where the athletes run their last 3.1 cross country miles of the year. Cross country is Freedom’s only sport classified as single A due to the population of our school.
As a first year member of the team, Senior Lane Ward feels grateful that he decided to be a part of the sport. “I originally decided to join because I wanted to get in shape for wrestling season, but I ended up really liking the team and the sport and wishing that I would have started earlier in high school,” Ward said.
The team’s senior night was on Oct. 16, and Roberts, DeWeese, and Freshmen Madeline and Megan Kiefer tye-dyed sheets with senior names on them. The only two seniors on the team are Ward and DeWeese, both feeling bittersweet about the season coming to an end. Ward said he enjoyed the time he spent “running this year and getting to know everyone on the team.”
“I will miss the cross country team so much. I’ve been a member of the team for four years, and have made many life-long friendships,” DeWeese said. “The past few years we have had such a successful team, and it was amazing to be a part of it all. All of the coaches I have had— [Mr. Shephard], Tink, Jesse [Bender] and Melissa [Bender]— have motivated me all the way. Cross country, though it is an individual sport, is all about being a big loving team. Although, sometimes it gets to be too loving with the guy’s team.”
The underclassmen that will be returning runners in the upcoming seasons recommend more students to try out being a part of the team.
“[People] should join because it is a rewarding sport. The coaches, Shep and Jesse, are encouraging coaches that work to improve you and the people on the team are great and positive people to be around,” Junior Zach Kugel said.