Gallery
10 Photos

Jade Kratochvil

Senior Sadie King runs in the MileSplit invitational. This is her first year on the team, as she was previously devoted to JV girls soccer.

Cross Country competed in the MileSplit invitational in Denton last Saturday, Sept. 24.

The team had an early start, leaving the school at 4:45 a.m. After arriving, everyone huddled together under the Rock Hill tent and looked up at the stars until it was time to warm up.

Cross Country meets are about more than running. More than making a personal record. They’re about community.

Race after race, Blue Hawks stand on the sidelines and cheer on their teammates until they cross the finish line. Whether first or last, Coach Morgan and the team will be there to motivate each runner throughout the race and congratulate them after.

“We have a lot to celebrate,” Morgan said after watching everyone race. Seven runners set a new personal record, Varsity girls placed fourth, and junior Lauren Polk took seventh place in individual Varsity girls.

Many of the runners have strategies to keep themselves distracted from the difficulty of the race. Sophomore Tony Yu solves math problems while he runs. “By the time you realize you’re racing, you’re one mile in, then another,” Yu said.

Senior Sadie King likes to sing a song. “I get a lyric or a beat stuck in my head and it just plays over during the race,” King said.

All teams– girls and boys, Varsity and JV– race the same day, allowing students of all grade levels to bond over shared experiences. Stargazing. Sunrises. Starting line. All the way back to school on the bus.

The next meet is Saturday, Oct. first at Jesuit.