The Clarke Central High School varsity boys cross country team stands together at the start line of the Georgia High School Association Region Championship in Helen, Ga. on Oct. 27. The boys team placed first out of eight teams, making them region champions for the second consecutive year. “I’m really proud of all of our runners,” foreign language department teacher and head cross country coach Erica Cascio said. “This is just step one. What (we’ve) worked all season for is the region to finish well enough, and (we’ve) won twice (now). We have to keep stepping up our game and the idea of going to any competition is to win.” Photo courtesy of Emily Costley
The CCHS varsity boys cross country team won the region championships on Oct. 27 for the second year in a row, allowing them to move on to the state championship.
The Clarke Central High School varsity boys cross country team and girls cross country runner Lena Cook, a senior, are headed to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Championship.
The CCHS varsity boys cross country team placed first place out of eight high schools at the GHSA 8-AAAAA Regional Championship at Unicoi State Park in Helen, GA on Oct. 27 for the second consecutive year. This win qualifies them for the GHSA State Championship on Nov. 6 where they will compete against high schools from all over Georgia.
“(The coaches) can lay out the workouts and show up at the practice and provide the water and snacks but unless (the team) is doing the work, there’s no reward. (So) I’m really proud of all of our runners, boys and girls,” foreign language department teacher and head cross country coach Erica Cascio said. “(Regions) is what we’ve worked all season for.”
“(The coaches) can lay out the workouts and show up at the practice and provide the water and snacks but unless (the team) is doing the work, there’s no reward.”
— Erica Cascio,
Foreign language department teacher and head cross country coach
CCHS boys cross country runner Beck Wolf-Hardy, a sophomore, was the individual region champion, placing first out of 56 varsity boys.
“I was ecstatic and so happy that we had won. All of our hard work was finally coming to fruition,” Wolf-Hardy said. “I think if we have a good day we’ll be able to make (the) top seven or top ten as a team (at the championship).”
Cascio has high expectations for the state championship and hopes the team will reach their full potential.
“I want to see them on the podium. We’ve been on the podium before, but it’s been a few years,” Cascio said. “We’ve been region champ now twice, so I’d like to see that translate to success at the state level as well. If we could get even a few runners in the top 10 of that group and get individual medals that also would be a big win.”
