by Frank Platko ’18

As the team continues to prepare for the upcoming MCPS Cross Country Championship Meet that will take place on October 22 at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, boys’ and girls’ cross country continues to build momentum. Until then, the team must focus on the race in front of them; the Gun Powder Falls Invitational on October 15 at Jerusalem Mill Area in Kingsville, MD.

The team traveled to Cary, North Carolina on October 1 to compete in the Great American Cross Country Festival. The girls’ finished 4th in the 19-team Varsity Red division, led by sophomore Alexa Donaldson, who finished 19th out of 131 finishers, earning her second straight top-25 medal. The team’s finish was the second best girls’ showing on the fast Wake Med Soccer Park Cross Country Course. Only the 2012 team, which won the Red division, has placed higher in this meet.
Additionally, the girls’ JV team finished 12th out of 20 teams, with freshman Ryan Sandoval leading the way. The boys’ JV team placed 14th out of 26 teams.

Paced by sophomore Ethan Tagliere, boys’ varsity finished in 7th place at the North Carolina meet. Tagliere earned a Top-25 medal as well, finishing 20th in a field of 164 racers. He notes that he pushes himself very hard every day, and it has contributed to his success. “I try to run in practice like I will run in the meet,” said Tagliere.

The county championship is fast approaching, and Sherwood runners will be looking to make their mark. The schools are divided into four different classes: 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A. Sherwood, along with other local schools such as Magruder, Springbrook, and Richard Montgomery, are in the 4A class. All teams qualify for counties, but doing well is not any less important. In order to qualify for states, as they did last year, Sherwood must do well enough in regionals. But this season, the bar is set even higher.

Last year, the boys placed 12th out of 25 teams. “Our goal this year is to finish in the top-half of schools, meaning 12th place or higher,” added Tagliere. Setting goals to improve is an important part of being successful, and it is clear that the team is motivated to outperform how they did in the previous season.

The team would love to head into the County Championship with confidence, so the invitational this Saturday in Kingsville is an important event. Coach Dan Reeks has been pushing his runners hard, and it should reflect in strong results as the runners work towards getting more personal bests.