MHS runners to regionals

MEEKER I It was not the course cross country teams will race on during the regional meet, scheduled for later this month in Aspen but Meeker cross country coach Kris Casey enjoyed the setting last Saturday.
“What a beautiful day it was in Aspen,” Casey said. “The course was truly a cross country course, of which our athletes have not seen yet this season. So far this season our athletes have been running on extremely flat courses, so Aspen was a great challenge.”
Casey said she prepared her runners, telling them their times would probably be at least three minutes slower because of the amount of hills they would face.
Illness and injuries have plagued the Cowboys this season and only four of the seven runners on Meeker’s team competed in Aspen.
“William (Scoggins) had a great race and a fantastic finish too,” Casey said of the freshman from Rangely, who has consistently led the Cowboys with the best time each week this season.
“Lathrop (Hughes) also had a strong finish and Alex (Smith) had a close finish,” Casey said of Meeker’s other two male runners.
Ean Barrow was kept off the course because of shin splints, and illness kept female runners Erica Roybal and Savannah Johnson from competing last week.
“Perye (Walter) was our only girl to compete this week,” Casey said. “The flu has plagued our girls and Perye herself was sick this week but still ran.”
“We are very proud of how they ran,” Casey said of Meeker’s runners.
The Cowboys will run in Rifle today and return to Aspen, this time to race in the state-qualifying regional meet, which will be held on a golf course Oct. 24.