Just two weeks after holding a highly successful Coca Cola Classic Meet, Lufkin's Cross Country program will again play host in a meet with more far-ranging implications.
Lufkin's campus on Thursday will be the site of the District 14-5A Cross Country Championships, with runners throughout District 14-5A competing for the chance to advance to regionals. Those athletes will consist of the top 10 individuals and top three teams from the varsity races. From regionals, the runners will move on to a coveted spot in the state meet.
Gary Stallard |
Lufkin cross country senior Olivia McKinney, shown here finishing the Coca Cola Classic meet held two weeks ago, will be one of eight Panther upperclassmen attempting to advance via Thursday's District Cross Country Championships scheduled for Thursday on the Lufkin High School campus.
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Several Panther runners have shown the potential for making such a big jump, by way of earlier-season performances. The fact that so many have been with the program for several years ensures Thursday's meet provides more than enough motivation.
"As of right now, our kids are super-pumped and have a somewhat different view for this meet," Lufkin coach Jerri Kay Boyd said. "We can only run seven in each division and on both our girls and boys teams we have four seniors who have been a part of this program since they were eighth graders. They want to go as far as they can possibly go, and this meet is the first big step.
"We're excited about hosting a district meet. We're just hoping for some decent weather."
The meet will feature some of the toughest competition the Pack has faced all season, including The Woodlands, whose boys and girls each are currently ranked No. 2 in the state; and the College Park girls, ranked No. 1. College Park's boys, along with the Conroe boys, are also considered extremely tough on a cross country trail.
"It's all going to come down to whoever wants it most," Boyd said. "The points should provide an interesting conclusion of final results.
"Again, with our eight seniors, this meet means a little more than just another district meet; and for this to be the last time they race it home should set a tone for all the kids."
The meet's schedule is as follows: 9:30 a.m. — Varsity Boys (5K); 10 a.m. — Varsity Girls (2 miles); 10:25 a.m. — JV Boys (5K); 10:55 a.m. — JV Girls (2 miles); 11:20 a.m. — Freshmen Boys (2 miles); 11:50 a.m. — Open Race (2 miles for girls/freshmen boys; 5K for all other boys); 12:15 p.m. — Awards Ceremony.
