The girls’ cross country team earned bronze at state this past weekend while senior Arin Rice placed second overall and varsity boys’ cross country runner senior Mesa Allison placed seventh.

“The race started out really fast,” junior Ashli Melton said. “It was pretty windy and within the first 200 meters almost an entire team fell down so I had to slow down so I could start jumping people. “

While Rice ran for an individual win, the rest was a team effort.

“Everyone knows Arin is good,” Melton said. “But part of what will make or break a race is the 4th and 5th runners so it can’t just be one person. Every person matters; it has to be a whole team.”

Melton said that the team wished for a state championship but was still proud of how they finished.

“It’s disappointing to a point because we were so close, but you can’t be mad because you got the opportunity,” Melton said. “It’s great to be a part of a team that is that good. I wouldn’t trade my team for the world.”

The state meet was Rice and Allison’s last appearance at state and their last opportunity to impress college scouts for a chance to run cross country in college and receive scholarships.

“During the race I was thinking about how this is my last chance to show everyone what I’ve been working for,” Allison said. “I knew that if I wanted scholarships this would be the race they would be looking at and that I had to get top ten to impress them.”

The team plans on working toward another year at state and hope to finally win a state championship.

“Don’t give up,” Rice said. “Set your goals high and work your hardest to achieve it.”