OR cross country ready for season opener
With two weeks remaining before the start of the 2024 season, Oak Ridge High School cross country Coach Ed Wright took the opportunity to better understand his teams.
The Wildcats and Lady Wildcats spent last weekend at a camp to prepare for the campaign.
Both teams will kick off their season on Saturday, Sept. 7, in a race at Norris Dam, hosted by Anderson County.
While both squads return several veteran runners, Wright said he used the camp to evaluate where newcomers might fit in.
“We have some freshmen coming in, and we’ll just have to see about them and where they’re going to be,” Wright said on Friday. “We’ll have a camp this weekend, and I’ll know a little bit more after that.”
The Wildcats and Lady Wildcats both return runners who qualified for the state championships in Hendersonville last season.
The Oak Ridge boys also have a state track champion on their roster. Junior Mason Greenhalgh won the Class AAA championship in the 800-meter run at the TSSAA Spring Fling in May.
“I expect Mason to be in the mix to win the region championship,” Wright said.
Another junior, Rhett Hovater, may also compete for a region championship.
“Rhett finished in the Top 10 at the region last year, and he qualified for the state as an individual,” Wright said.
The Lady Wildcats also have a returning state qualifier as Dylan Job begins her junior season, and Wright has high expectations for her as well.
“I expect her to compete for the region championship,” Wright said.
Other key returners for the Wildcats include junior Evan Biewer and sophomore Nolan Riden. The Lady Wildcats’ other key returner is senior Emily Edwards. A notable newcomer for the Lady Wildcats is senior Lily Tice, who transferred from Oregon. Tice ran track for Oak Ridge in the spring and previously ran for Heritage; she has lived in Oak Ridge before.
