Cross-country boys and girls hit the ground running Joining Krug will be Leigh Sheridan, who competed in the district track meet in the 3,200-meter contest last spring. Also returning are veterans Rhiannon Johns and Emily Horwitz. Erica Walker, Lindsay Straube and Lydia Houston have stepped up from the McMurray Middle School program into the high school. Newcomers Perri Roberts and Zelda Porter are also part of the team. The boys team looks quite a bit stronger this year, according to Ross. That could be the case because there’s a core of returning competitors, including Ramsey Walker, Maximo Mandl, James Spencer, Cole Grabow, Aidan Cyra and Colin Andrus — all experienced runners. Loren Frohning, Luke Johnson and Jackson McFall are eager to see what this great sport is all about, since this is their first year of trying cross-country, according to Ross. Ross said he expects the boys to run well as a competitive pack. Representing the McMurray Mustangs cross-country team will be eighth-graders Jack Summers and Molly Johnson. The middle schoolers will be training with the high school team and competing in separate middle school meets. Both coaches are continuing in their positions from last year. There will be two home meets on Vashon at Paradise Ridge Park — the sixth annual Vashon Island Invitational on Sept. 20, with 10 to 12 teams competing, and a regular Nisqually League meet Oct. 2 with five teams. The course length for the high school is 3.1 miles and 1.25 miles for the middle school. The course features a couple of jumps and a variety of trails. The scoring is based on adding up the top five places from a team, with the lowest scoring team emerging as the winner. The first official cross-country meet will take place tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, Sept. 11, at Fort Steilacoom, with the Sentinels as the host school. The three other Nisqually League schools will be Orting, Fife and Life Christian.

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