On the road again.
With a second place finish during the Region 1 Small Schools Meet last week at Daniel Boone, the Lady Warriors cross country team earned themselves their second straight trip to the TSSAA Small Schools Meet at Percy Warner Park in Nashville this Saturday.
For Happy Valley, Holly Moore, Aubrie Caldwell, and Olivia Absher were named to the All-Region team after their performances at the region meet.
“There was a lot of points in the season where I didn’t know if we would make it back,” said Happy Valley head coach Matt Estep about the state meet. “We were bitten by the injury bug, and there was even one meet where we had just two girls running. I didn’t even know if we would have seven girls at the regional meet. Luckily we got healthy at the right time, and that was our best meet of the year.”
The Lady Warriors will be sending down eight girls to the meet as junior Kalee Roark, junior Chelsea Arnold, freshman Holly Moore, freshman Emily Fisher, junior Kalee Lane, junior Aubrie Caldwell, sophomore Olivia Absher, and junior Madison Wagner are set to make the trip.
Lane will not get to compete due to an injury.
Excited for the trip
Junior Chelsea Arnold
“It is pretty cool, and I have been running since my freshman year. Every year since last year, we have got to go to state. It is a good experience to have. I just love getting to run with everyone and having a family bond.
“Our strategy is pace ourselves so we will have a good set pace the whole race”
Freshman Holly Moore
“This is going to be such a great experience getting to push myself to the limit.”
Freshman Emily Fisher
“This is really cool, but I am still really nervous about running at such a high level. I really want to make my family proud. I would love to PR again.”
Mentality heading to state
Junior Kalee Lane
“We hope to do better than last year. Last year was our first time going to state after 14 years. We didn’t really know what the course is like. We hope to place better and get better times.”
Junior Aubrie Caldwell
“Running at the state meet gives us a good view of what we are heading into and what to expect this time. During the region meet, we weren’t doing so well. We were in third, but we finally got our momentum up and made it back to second.”
Sophomore Olivia Absher
“This year, we will use our knowledge of the course to our advantage. We know how things are going to go down and what to expect. I think we are going to make a mark on the course and succeed. Last year, we didn’t know what to expect, but this year, we are more determined.”
One-upping her brother
Junior Kalee Roark
“I am so excited, and we get so pumped going down there. We all hang out and just have fun on the way down.”
“Well, my brother (Austin Roark) went to state once. So I am planning on going three times because I am better than him.”