By April Irving
Students will get to enjoy cross-country team in action this coming Friday when the school plays host to the Troy Trojan Cross Country Invitational.
The women’s 3K run will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the men’s 5k race at 6:30 p.m.
Something that fans will be able to enjoy is that this year’s race is at a new location. The starting line will began at the practice field, which is where the pep rally for football will be held.
Fans will be able to cheer them on as they began their race and also they will be able to swipe their I.D. card to gain points for the Trojan Affinity Program.
The competition on Friday will be at an all time high with returning runners Enoch Kirui and Julia Ostendorf, who both placed third at the Troy Invitational last year. Coach Jeff Jenkins has been pushing the cross-country men and women teams to go even harder this year.
“The difference between last year and this year is night and day,” Jenkins said
Both cross-country teams have gained a lot of talented freshmen to their respective rosters.
Jenkins is confident they will do well placing at least in the top seven.
On the women’s team Marsel Mosley from Niceville, Fla. is an incoming freshman who has, according to Coach Jenkins, been outright number one number two day in and day out, and she has been looking really good.
But Mosley is not the only a freshman who has impressed the coach.
Freshmen Mikayla Hodges from Panama City, Fla. and Samantha Smith from Sonora, Calif. are both coming in with great times in the 5k runs from high school and are looking to finish with good times to begin their season in cross country 3k run. Aside from the freshmen that will be competing, two returning female runners Haley Davies and Kendall Harris will be competing also.
Jenkins said that both Davies and Harris are looking good this year and that they trained all summer and that they are looking forward to a good season.
In the coach’s opinion, the top two teams for the women to look out for are UAB and Auburn.
The men’s cross-country team will be having returning top runner Enoch Kirui.
Kirui will be running beside Sam Ammons, another returner for Troy’s cross-country team.
Ammons also trained all summer and, according to Coach Jenkins, he is looking really good and ready to compete.
The incoming freshmen, Sean Kent from Dothan, Travis Lucas from Tampa, Fla. and Shakiel Parker from Opelika, are excellent runners.
They are looking to finish in the top seven as well.
“There are so many freshmen in the top five, it goes to anybody,” Jenkins said.
The top teams for the Trojans to look out for during the men’s race are Auburn and South Alabama.
“The three most important words in cross country are June, July and August and those three words are gone,” Jenkins said. “Our teams has been working really hard to compete and represent as a Troy Trojan, so come on out and support your fellow Trojans.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.