by Coach Grant Mollett
The East Ridge High School girls cross country team’s official practices began on Monday, July 29, 2024. The runners have until mid-August to get themselves ready for their first cross-country meet of the 2024 season. Many of the runners have committed themselves to East Ridge’s summer conditioning program and those efforts were made to prepare for the challenges of daily afternoon practices and competitive meets.
Last season, the Knights reached unprecedented heights in their individual and team goals. That historic season resulted in the girls team earning its second district title by winning the Class 4A District 2 Championships last October. Additionally, last season the girls team advanced to the regional championships – the eighth team in the school’s history to do so. Their third place team finish at the Class 4A Region 1 Championships last season qualified the team for the Class 4A State Championships – making them the third team in the school’s history to do so. The Knights finished fifth out of thirty-one state-qualified teams last November. With six of last season’s team’s fastest seven runners returning, this season’s team aims to settle some unfinished business at the state championships this November! The Knights look to charge forward by three-peating as district champions and pursuing a regional and state title.
Leading the Knights’ charge into the upcoming season is a core group of returning athletes. Seniors Hanna Warren and Neelyanis Lugo, juniors Rhyen Foley, Veronica Peterson, and Adriana Mustin, and sophomore Taylor Walker have put forth a champion’s level of effort into their summer conditioning in order to help raise the bar for this season’s team.
Warren, last season’s co-recipient of the team’s breakthrough performance award, recorded the third fastest 5K time in the school’s history with her performance at the regional championships last year!
Peterson, last season’s other co-recipient of the team’s breakthrough performance award, recorded the second fastest 5K time in the school’s history with her performance at the regional championships last year!
Lugo, last season’s recipient of the team’s most improved award, is primed for an even better upcoming senior season!
Walker, whose performances from last season clocked the second fastest time of any East Ridge freshman in the last twelve years, is also primed for a breakthrough year!
Mustin, whose efforts last season landed her as the ninth fastest runner in the school’s history, has also taken on the team’s challenge of pursuing district, regional, and state titles!
Foley, last season’s team MVP, who is coming off stellar indoor and outdoor track seasons, is the reigning fastest girl in the school’s twenty-two year history, and has worked at unprecedented levels to lead her team to its highest goals!
This core group will be joined by a cast of athletes who have also been training hard this summer. Senior J’Mariana Douglas has worked hard throughout the summer, and will help push the team to new levels.
Other returners include juniors Alyssa Schact and Shane George and sophomores Lexi Whitehead and Jessie Volz, who have all put in work this summer to push this team forward. Other returners include sophomores Yeidy Diaz and Nicolly Silva.
The Knights will benefit from some newcomers this season, to include senior Allie McCleary, junior Avery Post, and freshmen Kori Lindley and Jessielys Rosario-Cruz. Post and Lindley, who have impressed their coaches and teammates with their efforts this summer, have proven themselves to be valuable additions to the Knights!
This season the East Ridge Knights will compete in Class 4A Region 2 District 3. The top eight of twenty-one total teams will advance from the district meet to the regional meet. Additionally, the top three individual runners who are unattached from qualifying teams will advance to the regional meet. The FHSAA did a lot of reorganization of Class 4A’s regions and districts, and District 3 is a result of that reorganization. The other teams in the district will include Boone, Celebration, Cypress Creek, Dr. Phillips, Freedom, Harmony, Horizon, Lake Minneola, Lake Nona, Melbourne, Oak Ridge, Olympia, Osceola (Kissimmee), Poinciana, South Lake, St. Cloud, Tohopekaliga, Viera, West Orange, and Windermere.
The East Ridge High School boys and girls cross country teams are also involved in a fundraiser this season. Please check out our fundraiser webpage by clicking here to see our fundraising goal and progress. Our fundraiser is managed by Vertical Raise, and if you’d like to donate, you can do so at our fundraiser webpage. Your donations will go to the team’s travel expenses, registration fees, team apparel, and other costs for the team this season.
The Knights will compete in a preseason meet on Saturday, August 17 at 7:30 AM (varsity boys race is first) at the National Training Center in Clermont. See below for the most current cross-country season schedule.
