By Keri Wagoner
The girls’ cross country team, as well as one qualifier for the boys’ team, is set to compete in the state championship after the district meet at the Overton golf course on Oct. 16. The girls’ team won second place while the boys ranked fifth.
The girls’ team had a total score of 35; all girls were able to place within the top 35 out of 48 total runners. Senior Ella Eggleston placed seventh (21:10.93), senior Alexis Ericksen placed eighth (21:17.25), junior Kailey Dick placed ninth (21:20.64), freshman Makinley Eggleston placed eleventh (21:37.66), senior Savanna James placed nineteenth (22:02.46), and sophomore Josie Daugherty placed thirty-fifth (24:10.18).
When asked about the overall season and goals for state, Eggleston said, “[My favorite part of this season is] every moment I get to spend with my teammates and getting to accomplish a goal I had set since freshman year. I would like to run a course PR to get higher on the record board and just run my best for my last race!”
The boys’ team finished with a total score of 77. Representing the boys’ team for Aurora, senior Jayden Slagle placed fourth, with a time of (16:53.42). Other runners included junior Carson Krejci in twenty-second (18:39.46), senior Brooks Handrup in twenty-fourth (18:49.97), sophomore Grady Moody in twenty-seventh (18:57.32), sophomore Colton Sigler in twenty-eighth (18:57.71), and sophomore Grayson Oswald in forty-eighth (21:07.51).
“I was really nervous before the race, so I talked to my teammates to try and calm down. Afterward was pretty bittersweet, I was happy to have qualified, but it was sad that the boys' team did not make it. [One thing that makes me stay is] the sense of accomplishment after running a good race. You work hard all week for it to pay off in a very short amount of time,” Slagle said.
The state meet will be held on Oct. 24 at the Kearney Country Club. The approximate race times include the following: Girls Class B (2:30 pm); Boys Class B (3:30 pm); Class B/A Awards (4:30 pm).