Cross Country Builds From The Ground Up

Sullivan’s cross country team will begin their new season at the Fleet Feet Classic on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The meet will be held at Arnold City Park at 4:15 p.m. 

The Eagles run next at their home invitational the following Tuesday. The race will start near the Campbell-Chapman Sports Complex and continue through the fairgrounds and City Lake Park. The high school boys will begin at 5:15 p.m., and the girls will start at 5:45 p.m.

Seniors Zechariah Beagle, William Hunter and Jayson Summers will be running their final season for Sullivan.

The returning sophomores are Ayden Duncan, Gracie Edmonston, Abigail Erfurth, Jessica Redd and Samuel Simington.

Freshmen Leeah Delski, Beau Jenkins, Keegan Larrison and Austin Smith will join the roster.

Terry Wood returns as the head coach, and Amy O’Dell will lead in the assistant role.

Wood says they are “looking to build the team this year from the ground up.” He explained, “There are some holes we will need to fill, and by investing heavily in our middle school team, we’re hoping to reap those rewards soon.” 

Sullivan’s head coach is excited to help the veterans and newcomers achieve their objectives for 2024. “Each athlete has their own goals in mind for the season,” he said. “Some of my beginners are just building their foundation. My returners are working to strengthen their base and add in more speed and strength for their races. Miles were key this summer. And of course, we work on the basic mechanics constantly until the boring stuff gets easy!”

Wood looks forward to the many meets that Sullivan will participate in, stating, “This year, I’m really excited to get our team to Gans Creek in late September. It’s a great course, and it whets the appetite for kids to want a return in the postseason. On the M.S. end, I hope to send a bunch of them to the middle school state meet. And I want to bring my H.S. kids along to celebrate the last meet of the year for the M.S. athletes. [It] should be a fun year!”

Schedule

• 9/4 @ Fleet Feet Classic - Arnold City Park (4:15 p.m.)
• 9/7 @ KDen 5K (8 a.m.)
• 9/10 @ Sullivan Invitational (4:30 p.m.)
• 9/28 @ Gans Creek Classic (9 a.m.)
• 10/1 @ St. James Meet (4 p.m.)
• 10/8 @ Hermann Invitational (4 p.m.)
• 10/15 @ Owensville Invitational (3:30 p.m.)
• 10/22 @ Four Rivers Conference - St. Clair (2:30 p.m.)