REVIEWS
SPORTS
By Nell Warnock and Jordan Sienkowski
Boys cross country looks to continue its dynasty.
Led by Providence Day alumn Ben Hovis, the Providence Day boys cross country team hopes to extend their 16 conference title and 5 state championship streak for another season. Although the makeup of the team looks a little different, they hope to continue their complete dominance.
Having recently lost two cross country stars Ben Huffman and Nick Linder, the boys will need to take a different path to get to the same destination they have learned to love. For the first time in many years the team is not favored to win the state championship. When asked what the team’s strategy is to gain another title, Hovis simply said, “There are guys who are going to have to step up who haven’t hadn't had to step up before.”
While it seems like a difficult task, he believes they have what it takes to reach their goal of state champions. One key runner who will play a big factor in leading the team this year is senior John Murdter. Hovis explained that Murdter's leadership during the current season has played a major role in the success of the team. "He is very serious but at the same time he has a really good time. He loves pumping up the guys and that makes it fun.”
The first meet of the regular season took place on August 29th at the WNC CC Carnival in Hendersonville, NC. There were over 50 schools in attendance with schools from all around the state, including Tennessee and South Carolina. The boys were predicted to finish 9th out of 50, a rank the first place team is not used to. After great runs from the lead runners of the team, Noah Dolhare and Elias Eskind, and great runs from Alex Smith, Vance Ayscue, and Dylan Riddell, the boys placed 6th. Dolhare and Eskind both ran faster than they did last year, while Alex, Vance, and Dylan also stepped up and scored for the Chargers for the first time in their cross country careers.
Hovis was very excited about the meet. “They have exceeded expectations in a lot of ways. We weren't sure what we were going to have initially, but the first meet of the season outdid what we thought they were going to do.”
While Hovis admits he obviously wants to win this year, he says that the main goal is to “see everyone improve and run their best by the end of the season” and to “not put limits on what they can accomplish as a runner.”
Boys XC:
Striding for States
PICTURE?
“They have exceeded expectations in a lot of ways."
– Ben Hovis
Noah Dolhare finishes first in the Conference Meet.
Photo courtesy of the Providence Day Athletic Department