Men's XC Keeps Pace with Competition
Alexandria Collins
The men’s cross country team looks like it has a smooth road ahead. This past weekend on Sept. 15, the Spartans placed 4th with 26 points at the Blue River Invitational.
And the runners are pleased. “So far this season is a better start than last year, so I feel that we are heading in the right direction,” said Cameron Kimmell, junior.
Lucas Fontanez, sophomore, agrees, but with caution. “Season has been going well besides some injuries we have had, and it has cost us some very valuable runners,” he said. “Overall all, we have been running well.”
He added that they need to focus on running as a team, and build momentum off each other in the future. Kimmell agreed. “The meet went well in the beginning, but we need to execute better through the middle,” he said. “Not just individuals.”
Manchester University has a tough conference, especially for the men’s cross country team. The runners mentioned they need to really focus in on conference games. It becomes very competitive, so they have to be on their toes.
So what does the team needs to improve on? Fontanez replied with more of a health comment. “Strengthening our core, and staying physically healthy is important to our team,” he said. “Our core group especially needs to be strengthened.”
Kimmell chimed in and stated that aggressiveness of the runners can be worked on. “We need to close down the gap between our front runners, and work more towards running in packs,” he added.