by Collin Kasitz

The cross country team had a strong start to its season, with high placements on Sept. 6 and 8 at meets in Clearwater and Hesston. 

Fourteen out of the 16 runners placed at the meet in Clearwater on Sept. 6.  Highlights from the meet: Ross Yarrow,10, placed eighth, Mady Nestor, 10,  placed second, Morgan Schaefer, 11,  placed third, and Katie Trumble, 10, placed seventh.  The girls ran a 4 k and the boys ran a 5 k.    

“I improved a lot from last year and I did really well in the first two meets,” Jake Braschler, 10, who placed 7th in the meet, said.  “I run in practice like I do in races to get in shape.”

The Hesston Invitational also proved to be a successful meet for the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams. The girls placed fourth in the 4-5-6A division, and the boys placed seventh. In both categories the Maverick runners were the top-placing cross country teams from the 4A division.

“I felt pretty good about the first two meets and I was really excited,” Mady Nestor, 10, who placed first at the Hesston Invitational, said.  “Practice helps me stay in shape and gets me used to the weather for the meets.”