The Pleasant Valley girls and boys cross country teams are both off to a great start for the 2016 season. At their last meet, girls varsity came in third, junior varsity in second, fresh-soph in fourth, and boys varsity came in second.

With a big season ahead of them, Jane Wheeler and Josh Hoffman, varsity girls coaches, said they are looking forward to “Watching everyone progress, we love seeing the girls find power in themselves. Also, seeing young runners get better every day.” This season will differ from last season because it features many new runners, most of whom are younger.

The boys team also has a big season ahead of them. Nick Sacco, assistant coach, said their team goal is “to win conference on all levels, then win districts, and hopefully finish in the top three at state.” The boys had been ranked number one in the state until taking second at their last meet.

For many of the runners, cross country is about more than the races. Kaitlyn Evans, senior, says her favorite thing about cross country is “Being able to finish the year doing something I love with my two best friends.”

Both varsity teams will be competing at the Heartland Classic on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Ames, Iowa. This meet will feature big schools from Minnesota such as Edina, who is ranked in the top ten nationally. The junior varsity and fresh-soph teams will be competing at the Geneseo Classic on Saturday. Make sure to wish all the runners good luck for Saturday’s meets!