Getting Faster

by Nathan Price

It was another successful day for the NR-S Cross Country team on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Grahams Island.

It was the Rockets’ best participated event yet, with a total of 11 runners representing NR-S at the meet, including Levi Greiner, Amelia Smith, Teddy Smith and Luke Greiner who all did a great job in the Elementary 1k “fun run.”

There were seven NR-S runners in the timed events, and many earned their personal best times at the meet.

Making his first appearance for NR-S Cross Country this season was Vinnie Ruppell, and despite not having run until Saturday, he had the fastest time of anyone on his team with a time of 13 minutes and 3 seconds (13:03), enough to place 9th overall.

Gabe Smith also improved, crossing the finish line in 13th place with a personal best time of 13:57.

Seth Greiner and August Meier rounded out the boys’ race for the Rockets, with times of 14:57 and 16:29, respectively. Those times were also their personal bests, and earned them 16th place and 22nd place, respectively.

For the girls, meanwhile, there were also a few personal best times.

Neecie Swart led the way for the Rockets in the girls race, taking 25th place overall with a personal best time of 16:20. Just seconds behind Swart was Elise Guler, who took home 27th place with a time of 16:28.

Makaya Heskin later crossed the line in 38th place with a personal best time of 18:40.

The Rockets’ next cross country meet was held on Thursday, Sept. 21 at Cavalier.

In a future scheduling note, head coach Joe Greiner has said that the team will no longer be traveling to Minot for a meet on Oct. 7.

Instead, they’ll travel to a meet in Rugby going on that day, in an effort to compete against schools more their size.