Every year, students are evenly split into two competitive teams.  This year, the Banana Slugs face off against the Three-toed Sloths.

This year’s program just ended its first half of the year on Thursday, May 9.  There are two more meets left to the season: Thursday, March 16 and Thursday, March 23.  The meets are held at 4:00 p.m. behind the junior high school.

Spectators are encouraged to attend the events and cheer on the runners.

Coaches Mr. Matt Sobrinski and Mr. Chris Hedgelon have been running the program for four years.

“Junior High Cross country is one of the most special programs in the district, and also one of the biggest,” said Sobrinski. “I’ve coached a lot of sports in my life, but I’ve never seen a sport impact young people more positively than cross country.”

Hedgelon, who has been a part of the program for 13 years, expressed his feelings about the junior high cross country.

“I love the JHXC program,” said Hedgelon. “It’s all about having fun and introducing kids to the sport.  The amount of effort and the support for one another we see from them is incredible.  There is nothing else like it anywhere.”

Girls race #3 — Top 15 Runners

1. Clodagh Conboy
2. Izabela Nawalaniec
3. Nalani Valdez
4. Brie Vasquez
5. Averie Allbaugh
6. Brooklyn Swen
7. Megan Wagner
8. Paige Courtright
9. Nina DeFranco
10. Gianna Aurilia
11. Riley Tepper
12. Carolina Lee
13. Brianna Anunciacao
14. Ousmani Jallow
15. Angelina Rosado

Boys Race #3 — Top 15 Runners

1. Cole Coffman
2. Jacob Lukaszewski
3. Andre Reames
4. Ryan Foglio
5. Andrew Huntsberger
6. Connor Johnson
7. Ian Demarest
8. Joseph Piserchio
9. Gaël Mouton-Sady
10. Bryan Lechene
11. Zachary Brinker
12. Jack Susinskas
13. Michael Juliano
14. Lucas Rimland
15. Xavier Ossman

Check out this photo gallery of the Slugs and Sloths competing in Race #3.

Photos by Ashley Ingenito

Gallery • 83 Photos