The 2018 season of cross country has come to an end. This season has been full of success for both boys and girls. Each team defended their MAC title with five out of the six teams walking away with a first place win. At the districts meet at Crow Creek park, both varsity teams secured a first place win. At the state meet, the girls and boys took sixth and third place respectively.
Senior Mallory Lafever and Junior Max Murphy both reflected on the past season, and look forward to the coming track season.
Lafever has been in the cross country program since junior high and ran varsity all four years of high school. “Cross country has been one of the most influential parts of my life for the past six years,” she said. “It has had the ability to teach me so much about myself and has given me lessons that are applicable to life outside of running. It has taught me that inclusion not only allows for a greater understanding of others but also internal growth.”
Highlights for Lafever this season included winning the conference title and receiving second place at the districts meet (first for PV). However, she likes focusing on the team as a whole rather than her own successes. “My favorite moments [of cross country] are the ones of team success like our meet at Wartburg where nearly all the varsity runners PRed. Seeing the successes of my teammates is the best part of cross country,” she said.
“The MAC cross country meet was certainly a huge highlight. PVGXC showed continued success in the conference with Fresh/Soph placing 2nd, JV placing first, and Varsity placing first. It is always incredible to see the greatness that exists within each division. It shows that PVGXC is going to continually be a top competitor in the MAC and State when there are great team efforts in all 3 levels,” added Lafever.
As her senior season as a Spartan cross country runner has come to an end, Lafever reflects of her past four years competing at the high school level. “I have been so honored to be a part of such a successful program. This team has allowed me to grow not only as a runner but more importantly as a person. There is no team like PVGXC, and I wouldn’t trade these last 4 years for anything, and I know that once you are a member of PVGXC, you are always a member.”
Junior Max Murphy has one more year left in the PVXC program, and has shown his promise in this year’s season. Murphy placed first at the MAC meet, his first Varsity win. He also placed 22nd at state which he had worked hard preparing for. “Districts was the most exciting meet because our team was looking forward to running against Dubuque Hempstead and we managed to beat them by one point. It was fun because it was at our home course and lots of people came to watch,” commented Murphy.
He also mentioned the Iowa City meet as a highlight of the season as it was the first race everyone on the team ran well and together.
While the cross country season has come to a close, the track season is just beginning. Both Lafever and Murphy speak for the rest of the team as they express their excitement for the spring season.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my best friends and cherishing every bus ride, pasta party, and meet we have left together. We have a lot of unfinished business, and I am looking forward to getting back on the Blue Oval. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to taking the season day-by-day and enjoying it. There is only one senior season, and I want it to be the best one yet,” Lafever said.
Murphy agreed and said, “I look forward to hopefully qualifying for and running at Drake and State as well as helping the team win MAC again after we lost last year. Above all, I look forward to being around the team atmosphere again.”
Lafever offered her advice to younger runners, and future Spartans, “Never place limits on your capabilities. The only restraints on your times, places, etc. are the ones that are self-imposed. There are only so many racing opportunities, and you don’t want to look back on your time as a runner and wonder what could have or should have been.”
kevin Burke • Nov 8, 2018 at 7:59 pm
This is a very good article and I think it is very interesting.