By Carrie Beale/Sophomore at Southampton High School

EMPORIA
Southampton High School’s fall athletes cut their summers short by starting practice. The cross country team started practice on Aug. 4, and their hard work is paying off. In the first meet, the boys’ team came in first place with Southampton’s Kendall Butler leading the team. Nine of the first 13 finishers belonged to Southampton. Sadly, the girls’ team did not win first place, but they came in the respectable place of second.

In the most recent meet at Greensville, the boys once again took first. This was the sixth meet and they are still undefeated. Southampton’s first eight runners finished in places second through ninth:

• 2nd Kendall Butler, 19:43

• 3rd Cole Jarratt, 19:57

• 4th Hunter Bryant, 20:02

• 5th Cameron McHenry, 20:15

• 6th Tyler Grant, 20:21

• 7th Brandon McGuire, 20:29

• 8th Justin Heiser, 20:37

• 9th Forrest South, 20:49

That same day, the girls’ team came in second. The number one girl for Southampton, Kelby Lewis, finished with a time of 24:26. Mary Hudgins was 9th, Cierra Owen was 11th, Sarah Giorgi was 13th, and Carrie Beale was 14th. With these times, which will continue to improve, some of the runners are sure to run in the regional meet and the boys are well on their way to being No. 1 in the district and, hopefully, the girls will maintain their place from last year, second.

Every year Coach Scott Edwards has had at least one person qualify for the regional meet. His first year coaching cross country Southampton only had one female and 12 male runners. This year there are 12 girls and 20 boys running.

Coach Edwards said, “I am happy that there is that much interest in cross country now, and the success during the first couple of years is probably the reason why we have so many athletes running.”

Part of the reason they have a large team is the spirit of the group. A senior, Forrest South, wrapped up the atmosphere of the team by saying, “We are not just a team — we are a family.”

Also, ninth-grader Cierra Owen added, “We have a very supportive team and it’s an exciting experience.”

Please support the Cross Country Team at their next meets; the 15th at Southampton, and the 22nd at Franklin. Both meets will start at 4:30 p.m.