![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
Each year, cross country has nearly 7,000 male and female participants across Oregon, making it one of the largest sports in the state. The school is no different when it comes to athlete engagement.
The team has just about 100 runners each year, with seven to ten girls and boys on their respective varsity teams, depending on the meet. With high placement from certain athletes each week, the high school continues to place high in Oregon 6A rankings.
Kendall Atwood, sophomore, is the school’s top placing female runner, with a season record time of 19:38 for the women’s varsity 5k. Three out of her five attended meets, Atwood has placed in the top 20.
“This season has been very intense,” Atwood said. “There are lots of good runners in our league so practices have been difficult, but it’s good because it pushes us to be better.”
Atwood believes support from teammates and coaches is also one of the things the team is best at executing.
“[The cross country team] does a very good job at cheering each other on,” Atwood said. “We will always try to meet our teammates during points of the race to motivate one another, which is always really encouraging.”
Emma McCurry coaches the women’s team, and Jay Schrotzberger coaches the men’s team.
“Our coaches have worked on a ton of mental stuff with us,” Atwood said. “They always make sure we have a good mindset when running, because if your mind is not set when you run it can make it way more challenging.”
Ryan Lippert, junior, is currently ranked fourth in Oregon’s Three Rivers League (TRL). Lippert has placed in the top 20 runners in four of his five attended races, earning first place his second meet of the season with a time of 16:32 against two other TRL schools.
“I want to be top five in the district and make it to state, while achieving a 5k [personal record] under 16 minutes,” Lippert said.
Cross country teams can either qualify as a varsity team for state by placing first or second at the district meet. Individual runners can qualify for the state meet by placing in the top 14 at the district meet as well.
On Oct. 25, the cross country teams will compete in the district meet at Clackamas Community College. The womens varsity race starts at 4:30p.m while the mens race starts at 5p.m.
Earlier in the season, the cross country teams competed in the annual Ultimook meet at Hydrangea Ranch in Tillamook. To gear up for the district meet, take a look back on the highlights of Ultimook.
![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
