MEEKER I The Meeker High School cross country team opened up its distance running season this past weekend at Crown Mountain Park in Basalt, competing in Basalt High School’s Longhorn Invitational.
The Meeker girls raced first on Saturday, and Julia Eskelson had a strong start to her third season, capturing 10th place for a medal and a 22:20 finish.
Eskelson is joined this year by freshman runner Briar Meszaros, who had a solid 37th place, and a 25:15 for her first competition.
The boys’ race followed with Austin Russell, a junior this year, leading the Meeker team – and most of the pack—with a second-place finish with a time of 17:30.
Marshal Pool, the only senior on the team this year, finished in 18:27, good enough for 10th place and a medal.
Josh Cochran, another junior, was Meeker’s third finisher, with a time of 20:59 for 32nd place. Sophomore Christopher Strate was next to cross the line, in 33rd place, with a 21:21 finish, and junior Clay Anderson was just a few places behind, finishing in 21:34, for 36th place.
Freshman Pake Burke ran well for his first cross-country race, crossing the line in 22:01, good enough for 40th place and sophomore Matthew Beck finished soon after, in 43rd place, at 22:18.
The Meeker boys scored a third-place team finish.
“It was a great day for races, and our runners went out there and went after it,” MHS head coach Marty Casey said. “We had some very good early season times and I am excited to see what our kids can do this year!”
Meeker travels to Delta on Friday with the girls’ varsity race starting the day at 10 a.m.
