This Saturday, Nov. 3, both varsity boys and varsity girls Cross Country teams will compete in the State competition in Jefferson City.

For the girls’ team, this State competition is out of the ordinary in a few ways. This is the first time since 2006 they have advanced to State, and four freshmen make up some of the top varsity runners.

Hannah Pierson, freshman, is the fastest runner on the team, her best time being 19 minutes and 20 seconds for a 5K.

Pierson said to prepare for the meet, the team has been staying positive, doing a lot of stretching together and having team meetings every day. The girls have also been doing Secret Sister for each other.

Pierson said the team has many strengths, and they are trying to work on staying relaxed.

“We’re good at running hills,” Pierson said. “We know how to pass people and stay in a pack. We know how to stay positive, and to me that’s a big thing.”

In fact, the varsity girls are so good at running in a pack that they have been nicknamed “the Gobblers” and even have jackets with the nickname on them, Pierson said.

The girls team is ranked very low for State, but Pierson said the team is very confident and positive.

“We’re trying to race smart,” Pierson said. “We take the first mile at a medium pace, we don’t go out too quick. Once we reach past the first mile, we start gradually increasing our pace.”

The team’s hopes for state are that they would be in the top 4, and be considered an all-state team, Pierson said. Pierson also said many of the team members have personal goals as well, hers being to place within the top 25 individuals and be considered and all-state athlete.

The expectations for the boys are also high, with Noah Kaupilla, junior, ranked to place first, and Adam Roderique, senior, ranked to be runner-up.