Cross country to compete in State

Melissa Jung, Features Editor • November 2, 2012

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.

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About the Contributor

Melissa Jung, Features Editor and Webmaster

Melissa is a senior and this is her third year on staff. At MHS, she is also involved in Marquette Theatre Company as the historian, and she is a member of the St. Louis Cappies and the International Thespian Society. She is also a part of Key Club, National Honor Society, and French Honor Society. Outside of MHS, she is especially involved in her youth group and is still a Girl Scout. She has an awesome job working with kids and her hobbies include reading, writing, taking pictures, listening to music, and going to concerts -- she fangirls all the time. Melissa loves so much food, especially barbecue. She doesn't watch much TV, but when she does, it's marathons - either of Intervention, Boy Meets World, or Say Yes to the Dress. She has grown to love so much about newspaper, but the best thing is probably the friendships she has made through it. Melissa is still deciding what her future plans will be, but she wants to help people. She's cool she swears.