Despite low numbers, Robbinsville set to make impression in conference
* Robbinsville cross-country season preview
Robbinsville – No excuses here.
When the Robbinsville High School cross-country program hits the course for its first meet after press time Wednesday, the Knights will return just one girl and six boys from last year’s campaign.
Yet when speaking with head coach Kaitlyn Carringer-Adams, optimism is high.
And for good reason.
“These boys worked very hard and every single one PR’d (personal record) at least once – some almost every race – during the season,” Carringer-Adams said. “When every boy on the team PR’s – especially up to five minutes – there is nothing more you can ask, because that shows how hard these young men are working.”
Returning for the Black Knights are juniors Phoenix Brooks, Sully Shanahan and Hayden Stewart, as well as sophomore William Cable, who has kept busy competing at AAU events all over the Southeast during the lengthy break from high school events.
New to the line-up is freshmen Zeb Stewart and Xander Wachacha.
“Last year, the boys were all at different times, but during practice this season, Hayden, Sully, William, Xander, Zeb and Phoenix have all worked together and helped each other to push their times,” explained Carringer-Adams. “I think if the boys keep doing what they have been doing, then everyone is going to PR again and place higher in the races, as well as the conference.
“I look to see these boys continue to bring down their times this year, because they have grown as runners, are learning how to control their pace and are already running faster times in workouts. Our goal for this season is to keep improving those times and to work as a team to do so.”
Ava Barlow shares the dubious distinction of being both the only senior and the lone girls runner for Robbinsville’s varsity line-up this year. But the 2019 All-Conference Honorable Mention will no doubt shine in her final year with the program.
“Ava has been running since middle school and is an experienced runner,” Carringer-Adams pointed out. “She has been training all year and her hard work has been paying off. She has already ran times in practice that she has never ran before and her running form is the best it has ever been, which makes us all excited about how far Ava can go this season.
“This year, we see Ava working towards another All-Conference award, as well as a chance to run at regionals and hopefully, state.”
Robbinsville will host three meets this season, with a limit of 100 spectators per event, due to COVID-19 guidelines set in place by the N.C. High School Athletic Association: Tuesday, vs. Murphy and Rosman; Wednesday, Dec. 2, vs. Highlands and Tri-County Early College and Wednesday, Dec. 16, vs. Cherokee.
Look for results from Wednesday’s meet in the Nov. 26 edition of The Graham Star.