After weeks of practice, time, diligence, and commitment shown by the Bulldogs Cross Country team, Palisade crushed their first meet of the season despite the nerves and pressure that it brought the team. On August 23rd Palisade made their first meet of the season a memorable one and one that many of the team won’t forget.
Although it was 7:30AM on a Saturday, hundreds of spectators and competitors lined the fields where the competition took place. Unlike most years, the weather was hot, and the ground was mostly dry, which made it easier to run on, but harder to run as fast.
Despite the warm weather, many Palisade Cross Country athletes performed exceptionally. Senior Hank DeFord won second place with a time of 15 minutes and 44 seconds. DeFord recalls about the race, “I felt really good. Going into it I was really nervous but I knew that I trained hard over the summer. I was confident it was going to be a good race, and right off the line, I just felt really really good.”
Aspen Johnson, a senior, whose time for the meet was 22 minutes and 53 seconds remarks, “ It was really good, the team did really good, and I mean Hank did really great. I think it was a really great start to the season.” Johnson states, “It was hot, but a little cooler than normal which is nice, it was tough, but we did it. The team did great.”
While the Bulldogs did an amazing job at this meet, it’s just the start of the season, and everyone is optimistic about future Bulldog cross country races. Johnson comments, “I think we’re going to do really good, especially for the boys team, I think they have a chance at state, which I think is really cool, or at least placing again. I think the girls’ team is also really good, we’re small but mighty. I think [we’re gonna have] a lot of growth.” Palisade’s cross country team keeps on pushing forward. With many more meets to go this season, the Bulldogs wish to keep improving and challenging their limits, as well as each other with teamwork, determination, a positive mindset, and goals they will chase personally and as a team to keep on nailing the season.
