Decatur cross country teams enjoy banner year
DECATUR — One Decatur sport which gets little attention is cross-country. Because of the distances and terrain the races cover, it’s hard for spectators to view the overall scope of each race. Only at the finish line does the determination and drive manifest itself in the faces of each runner as they complete the grueling races.
Shane Holland, who coached both cross-country and football for the last six years, decided to give up football and concentrate on cross-country and track this season. He put together four cross-country teams this season — the seniorhigh boys’ and girls’ teams and the junior-high boys’ and girls’ teams.
Thr Decatur High School senior boys and girls have participated in five regular season events, including meets in Tahlequah, Siloam Springs, Magazine, Rogers and the Chili Pepper Run in Fayetteville. Leading the pack this season are veteran runners Taylor Haisman and Desi Meek.
During the Rogers Mountaineer Meet Oct. 24, Haisman finished in fifth place for the boys, while Meek finished 15th for the girls. Both earned medals for the Bulldogs. Jimmy Mendoza and David Davila finished 41st and 42nd out of a field of 56 runners.
The final race for the 2017 senior high cross-country team will be the state meet in Hot Springs Nov. 3. Holland will take several of his top high school runners, including Haisman and Meek, to this event.
The junior high teams have also participated in five events this season, with several individual runners finishing in the top 20 and earning several medals throughout the regular season. These experiences, coupled with individual efforts, enabled the junior high team to bring home the District 1A/2A West cross-country championship Oct. 27, ending the season on a high note.