The Cross Country team is ready to work hard to reach state and improve their times each race they run. 

   Senior Lexi Green has started this season off great with her best time being  21:56. However; she is hoping to get under 21 minutes. 

    “Allstate is considered top 15, which I achieved last year, but I want to get top 10,” Green said. 

   Competing in the school races is not all Green has been doing. She had also competed in races outside of school.

   Green got invited to the Mobile Challenge Champions, which is a cross country meet consisting of the Southern States. 

   She is one of five people to be a representative of Mississippi. 

   Sophomore Miriam Stringfellow has a time of 30:01 for this season. 

   Even though Cross Country was mainly for her to stay fit at first, she has grown to become dedicated to lowering her time each race. 

   Cross Country Coach, Stephen Pater, says that due to Covid-19, the meets have been a little different. 

   Usually, teams get to converse with others before the race, but now they have to stick with their own groups. 

   The protocol calls for runners to wear their masks before the race begins and after the race ends. They do not have to wear a mask during the race. 

   There are no award ceremonies after the races have finished. Instead, the awards are being sent through the mail. 

   “It’s a little impersonal, but nature can be that way, too,” said Pater.

   Workouts for the team have been different, due to the Maroon and Gold days. 

   The Cross Country team will be hosting the Southern Regionals, which consists of about 25 teams, on Oct. 22.