The Clarke Central High School cross country team jogs on the track in the Billy Henderson Stadium on Sept. 23. Following a successful meet at Athens Academy on Sept. 17, the team has worked hard hoping they can continue their winning streak at their next meet on Sept. 25. “I feel great. I’m really looking forward to (the meet),” boys cross country runner Beck Wolf-Hardy, a sophomore, said. “It’s going to be a fun and fast course (and I’m) looking forward to hopefully another (personal record).” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
The Clarke Central High School cross country team hopes to remain on the state leaderboard at their seventh meet of the season at North Oconee High School on Sept. 25.
Twenty high schools from across Georgia, including the Clarke Central High School cross country team, will compete at the upcoming North Oconee Invitational Race at 8 a.m. on Sept. 25.
CCHS, along with Eastside High School and Jackson County High School, will be representing Region 8-AAAAA at the meet. After four CCHS boys placed in the top 10 out of 89 runners in their previous meet at Athens Academy on Sept. 17, CCHS foreign language department teacher and head cross country coach Erica Cascio hopes the team can maintain their position on the leaderboard and outrun their competition.
“I’m hoping that the boys can stay on top,” Cascio said. “They’ve got some strong competition so the expectation is that they’ll do really well and that they’ll utilize their (running) position and the course to their advantage.”
“They’ve got some strong competition so the expectation is that they’ll do really well and that they’ll utilize their (running) position and the course to their advantage.”
— Erica Cascio,
CCHS foreign language department teacher and head cross country coach
CCHS boys cross country runner Beck Wolf-Hardy, a sophomore, feels the team is prepared for the meet but acknowledges that there is still room for improvement.
“(The team) should work on hills because hills always make everyone struggle and (we need) some speed work because we could all get faster,” Wolf-Hardy said. “I also think we could work on personal ownership. During practice we could all take it a bit more seriously and not goof off. We get most of the work done, but sometimes we don’t get it all done.”
Cascio is looking forward to the meet and is confident in her team’s ability to compete as long as they can keep the basics in mind while running.
“I’m excited about (the meet). I’m always excited. I just want them to go out there and run their best race and to keep (pacing and speed) in mind, but not get overwhelmed by them,” Cascio said. “(They need to) focus on pacing, with some (pack running), and focus on not getting passed.”
