East Ridge High School Girls Cross Country Season Preview

Article by Grant Mollett, East Ridge High School
   Photos contributed by David Worthington.

The East Ridge High School girls cross country team’s official practices began on Monday, August 1, 2022.  The runners have several weeks of practice to get themselves ready for their first cross-country meet of the 2022 season.  East Ridge’s summer program reached record highs in terms of the number of runners who participated! Those efforts were made in order to prepare for the challenges of daily afternoon practices and competitive meets. The team is conditioned and ready for competition!

Last season the Knights missed advancing to the regional meet at the Class 4A District 2 Championships by one team position.  The top eight performing teams out of the nineteen-team district meet qualified for the 4A Region 1 Championships, and East Ridge placed in the unfortunate position of ninth place.  They were edged out by district rival Evans High School by just twenty points.  So if the girls seem extra focused and determined than ever before, last season’s abrupt end was its cause.

Leading the Knights’ charge into the season is senior Bre Peine. Bre is a two-time regional qualifier who has worked tirelessly this summer to get herself and her teammates ready for the season! She will be joined by a cast of girls who have been training with her all summer. Returning runners include seniors Alanis Melgar, Brenna Oliveri, and Alexandra Dimitros.  Returning juniors include Lina Maldonado, Karlie Saintlot, Sarah Tingler, Kayden Page, Brittni Faber, and Bri Romero.  Returning sophomores include Hanna Warren, Neely Lugo, J’Mariana Douglas, and Isabella Stuemke. 

The Knights will also have a promising class of freshmen on the team this season, which includes Veronica Peterson, Rhyen Foley, and Shane George. This season the Knights will also be joined by sophomore Maddie McCormack and junior Reese Phipps.

This season the East Ridge Knights will once again compete in Class 4A Region 1 District 2.  Also, this season, the top eight of nineteen 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. District 2 has nineteen teams this season.  The other teams in the district will include Apopka, Deland, Dr. Phillips, Evans, Hagerty, Lake Brantley, Lake Howell, Lake Mary, Ocoee, Olympia, Oviedo, Seminole (Sanford), South Lake, Spruce Creek, University (Orange City), Wekiva, 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 their fundraiser webpage by clicking here to see their fundraising goal and progress. The fundraiser is managed by Vertical Raise, and if you’d like to make a donation, you can do so at their fundraiser webpage.  Your donations will go to the team’s travel expenses, meet registration fees, team apparel, and other costs for the team this season.

The Knights will compete in their first meet of the season on Saturday, August 27 at 8:00 AM at the Whispering Pines Invitational held at Whispering Pines Park in Inverness, Florida. See below for the most current cross country season schedule.