Starting the new season, the Indian cross country team headed to Great Bend on Sept. 5 to compete in their first meet.

Both the boys and the girls raced at the Lake Barton Golf Course. The boys team finished in 13th place, with their fastest competitor being senior Taevian Maupin with a time of 17:22.52 for 24th place. The girls team was led by junior Ava Biggs with a time of 24:10.47 for 80th place.

After the meet in Great Bend, on Sept. 12, the team travelled to the Hesston Golf Course to run. Senior Camden Copper finished in 23rd place within the senior class with a time of 23:01.70. Junior Malichi Chance finished 13th among the juniors with a time of 20:23.10. Sophomore Logan Leiker was third among the sophomores with a time of 18:50.60. And, freshman Bladyn Werth fifth among the freshmen with a time of 19:55.00. In the girls race, Anne Wintch placed 18th among the seniors with a time of 32:10.10, Ava Briggs was 10th in the junior race with a time of 29:29.50, Jayliegh Weilert placed 14th among the sophomores running a 29:57.80 and Madelyn Wilkins finished eight with the freshman with a time of 24:45.0.

Heading into the home meet on Sept. 19, the Indians were hoping to improve their times. The boys finished in third place. Maupin and Leiker were the two medalists for the Indian boys, with Maupin finishing seventh with a time of 17:06 and Leiker ending 13th with a time of 18:11. The only girls medalist was Biggs with a time of 18:11 for 14th place individually.

“As someone who’s competed in cross country every year of high school, it’s both a sentimental, yet exhilarating, experience to run at our home meet one last time,” Maupin said.

As teams, the Indians hope to continue to improve at their next meet on the Sept. 28 in Lawrence.