By Delaney Casten

On Saturday, September 7, at 9 a.m., the Tuscarora cross country team ran its first meet of the season: the Great Meadows Invitational Cross Country meet, which included over 30 Virginian high schools.

In the meet, there were 4 girls’ races and 4 boys’ races: varsity A, varsity B, JV freshman/sophomore, and JV junior /senior. Each race accepted 10 runners from each school.  Tuscarora ran in every race except JV junior/senior girls.

The top 10 girls (varsity A) came in 7th place overall, with top runner Natalie Rosas placing 22nd out of 218 runners.   The varsity A boys came in 24th, with John Dooney, their number 1 runner, placing 10th out of 265 runners.

The varsity B girls came in 5th, with top runner Gillian King, placing 21st out of 91 runners, while the Varsity B boys came in 10th, with Ivan Boyaiskiy, Jr. placing 34th out of 156.

The JV girls came in 21st; team member Casey Quinn came in 76th out of 237.  The underclassmen JV boys came in 22nd, with top runner Ian Thornton placing 40th out of 298.  The upperclassmen JV boys came in 14th overall with Brian Williams coming in 25th out of 202 runners.

“The meet was a good start to our season,” says sophomore Rosie Kostka, who came in 6th for the girls’ varsity A team and 115th overall.

The Tuscarora cross country team’s second meet, the Loudoun County Championships, was on Wednesday, September 11 in Woodgrove.  Only the top 17 girls and top 17 boys (7 varsity A runners and 10 varsity B runners) from each school competed.  All 13 Loudoun high schools competed.  The varsity A girls took home the 1st place trophy.  Natalie Rosas came in 3rd out of 81 with a time of 19:59.  The varsity A boys came in 6th with John Dooney placing 4th out of 90 with a time of 16:48.  The varsity B races were not scored.

“Crossing the finish line felt so rewarding,” says Kelly Reilly who came in 17th overall and 5th for varsity A.  “Having my team there throughout the race was a big help.”