Coaches Heitland, Seitz Optimistic As Season Nears
Sulphur’s cross country teams have been practicing for weeks during the summer in preparation for the new season that begins this Saturday in a meet at Marietta.
The boy’s junior high and high school teams are led by coach Emile Heitland and Kari Seitz is taking command of the girl’s squads.
Last Saturday, the teams got in a practice session at a four-team meet with Dickson, Plainview, and Ardmore at Dickson.
Heitland said the meet is a good opportunity for the runners to get a chance to compete on a short course and get their bodies used to running at race pace.
“We do a lot of race pace work in practice but you just can’t duplicate the pacing of an actual race in practice,” he said. “Also, it helps the runners to get down the race day routine of a meet such as warming up and familiarizing yourself with the course.
Heitland said the high school boys were paced in the meet by Morgan Brown, Calvin Downey, Keaton Seitz, Noah Heitland,Andrew Hail, Zak Kirk, and Landy DeArman, the top seven Bulldog finishers.
In the junior high boy’s division, Jake Mann, Autry Smith, Levi Walther and Eli Wright finished in the top four spots.
Girl’s coach Kari Seitz also said the shorter distance at the Dickson meet was a good way to ease her runners into the season and with no awards given.
“I was very happy with how the girls ran Saturday,” she said. “It showed that they have been working hard over the summer and are ready to kick off the season this Saturday, with our first official meet in Marietta.
Seitz said the high school girls were led in the meet by Jayden Lee, followed by Rory McMillan, Hannah Hail, Paxtyn Hiser, Mady Hatfield, Daniela Rojo Rios, and Kerington Sloan finishing out the top seven.” She said the junior high girls were led by Gabbi Pettigrew, and Jozi Gilliam, Huntley Hatfield, Adalyn Whitehead, Cadence OKelley, Jenny Calvo, and Jules Jessop.
Following are rosters for the teams:
High School Boys Seniors: Zak Kirk, Korbin Mayo, Noah Heitland, Landy DeArman.
Juniors: Damien Medina, Calvin Downey, Morgan Brown, Ryan Berry.
Sophomore: Keaton Seitz, Matias Gonzalez, Andrew Hail, Michael Wright, Wyatt Clark.
Freshmen: Aiden Espita, Noah Welborn, Xander Gann, Jesus Gonzalez, Noah Strasbaugh.
Junior High Boys 8th grade: Jake Mann, Dautry Smith, Trypp Pulis, KJ Pitmon, Eli Wright.
7th grade: Levi Walther, Triton Scisneros.
High School Girls
Megan Wells, Daniela Rojo Rios, Jayden Lee, Hannah Hail, Kerington Sloan, Rory Mc-Millan, Mady Hatfield, Alexa Medina, Landry Eason, Paxtyn Hiser, Kamree Quinten, Keelyn Laymance.
Junior High Girls 8th Grade: Jozi Gilliam, Huntley Hatfield, Adalyn Whitehead, Jules Jessop, Cadence O’Kelley, Ryleigh Todd, Tiffany Curtis, Phoenix Lakey, and Jenny Calvo.
7th Grade: Gabbi Pettigrew, Sophia Webb, Abril Calvo, Brantlie McCracken, Madelynn Tiger, Gabby Crawford, and Brianna
Sulphur junior high and high school cross country runners compete last Saturday in the four-team Dickson practice meet as a prelude to the season’s opener on Saturday at Marietta. Pictured in the above photo are, from second left, Jozi Gilliam, and Huntley Hatfield. In below photos, ninth grader Jake Mann, at left, and the high school’s Jayden Lee, at right, navigated the course. PHOTOS BY DON COFFEY
