Running Ragged

The OCHS cross country team faces illness and injury to start the season

Article by Kelsey Lawless

    The 2013 cross country season has started out a little on the rough side. Most of the runners are suffering from aches and pains, or some form of sickness. Junior Sarah Peterson came down with mono a week after the season started and cannot compete until next week. To add to the bad luck, Junior Brennan Lawless has been dealing with an injury. Lawless says, “It’s definitely not how I wanted to start out my season, but we can get through it and hopefully I can get the time back.”  But the team has done well despite the inconveniences. At Mission Valley the girls placed third and the boys placed sixth overall. Everyone beat their personal bests, an uncommon accomplishment for the first meet of the season. The meet at Santa Fe Trail was even better for the girls, as they placed second. The boys placed ninth. Last night at Northern Heights, the girls placed fourth and the boys placed seventh.

Another bright spot has been junior Aundrea Koger, who is off to a great start this season. Koger has placed first individually in each of the first three meets. Both she and her teammates are doing well despite changes to the coaching staff.

When head coach Jeff Edwards resigned, Mrs. Darcy Keefe, Edwards’ assistant and a former OCHS runner herself, took over as head coach. Mr. James Bellinger, a math teacher in the high school, became the assistant coach. When asked about his involvement with the team, Bellinger says “I absolutely love it! It’s an avenue to work with the long distance kids that run during track season and I get to learn more about what they do and that’s exciting for me to see. Plus, I have always loved running and this improves my knowledge about the sport.”