A Change of Pace for LaGrange High Cross Country

Jared Boggs

Editor

This year every race counts.

That’s the message from LaGrange High cross country seniors. For them, the memories of schoolending COVID-19 shutdowns are still fresh.

‘When we left last year, we thought it would be for two weeks,’ said Chloe Morman, a senior on the LHS cross country girls team.

Instead, school ended early for students across Troup County as COVID19 lockdowns gripped the nation. And while the shutdowns didn’t affect the cross country season, they left a mark on the team’s seniors.

‘We’re running every race like it could be our last,’ said Will Allred, a senior on the boys team. “We don’t know if we’ll get another chance.”

For the Grangers, this means running harder, faster, and better this season. To do this, members of the team are pushing to improve their times.

‘I want to get to 23-minutes and something,’ said Morman. Sisters Zenay and Zamya Rhaney have even loftier goals.

‘I want to get under 20,’ Zenay said. For the LHS boys team, these goals fall under the 18-minute mark. And though the season remains uncertain, the teams still believe they have a shot at state and regional prominence this year.

‘We think we can get top ten in state,’ Morman explained. The boys echoed their hopes.

They’ve been working hard to improve their ranking.

Both teams, which are packed with region and state talent, returned to practice in June–with just a few COVID-19 induced changes. Practices started on alternating days for the boys and girls teams as coaches looked to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19.

But it’s not just practices that have been affected. The Grangers will have fewer chances to make their mark this year as they navigate a truncated fourmeet competition schedule.

For LaGrange High seniors, this is just another reason to give it their all.

And that’s exactly what they plan to do.

The author of this article can be reached via email at jboggs@troupcountynews.net.