Leave it all out there, out on the course. Leave it all out there…don’t hold back. Leave it all out there and we know it is your best; there will be no regrets.

I can honestly say we left it all out there and I do not have regrets.

Our season was built upon the dream that this year was GRC’s year for cross country. The team had been primed inside and out for years toward the goal of what reality the 2017 season could bring.

Girls’ varsity held our heads high as we sought to prove we deserved our previous year’s regional trophy. Boys’ varsity strived to break the mold, to qualify for state as a team for the first time in four years.

Each completed practice led to another day closer to regionals. We prayed, we trained, and we listened to our coaches. They told us pack running was our key to success.

Those who believed in us said we were unstoppable. Those who opposed us dismissed any incredible success.
We kept our heads high.

The time passed swiftly as regionals came upon us. A bitter 40 degrees nipped at our heels.

The girls came to the starting line. The gun was fired. The race began. The top seven girls (Julia Graves, Julia Pohl, Emma Taylor, Maria Jackson, Campbell Taylor, Emma Bowling, and I) crossed the finish line, qualifying for state, placing second – one point shy of first.

It became time for the boys. They stepped to the line and were off. The top seven boys (Cord Tackett, Jack Lootens, Cody Cooper, Garrett Boley, Caleb Wilson, Brandon Adams, and Hunter Raney) prove the training to be effective. The boys qualified for state by placing 5th as a team in the regional competition.

Saturday, Nov. 4, the boys and girls were given the honor and ability to run as teams in the state meet. The dream came to life. We ran our hearts out.

We left it all out there at regionals. We left it all out there at state. We left it all out there with no regrets. We left it all out there on the course.