Adam Figgins, Nederland.   Despite the cross-country season reaching an end, the Nederland girls represented their school in Arizona at the Nike Cross Regionals.

For the vast majority of the nation’s cross-country runners, the season’s state meet signifies later wake up times and a few weeks to rest before the winter sports begin. For the Nederland High School girls’ cross-country team, the state meet is followed by another harrowing race. Despite the large pool of competitors and the long trip to Arizona, the Panthers came together and fought on through a few more weeks of practice.

According to the racers, the decrease in elevation was very helpful in allowing them to excel in the competition. Last year’s state champion Helen Cross, said, “It was a difficult but interesting race. I enjoyed racing against new people and all of the oxygen was amazing!”

She ran a 19:11. Helen was not the only Nederland girl that was praising the decrease in elevation. Running a personal best of 20:57 Megan Feeley said, “It was so fun, there was so much oxygen down there.” Ely Nitsch and Meagan Figgins also participated in Nike’s 5k and ran a 22:25 and a 25:30 respectively.

Megan Feeley will be the only graduating senior from Nederland’s cross-country team this year, so strong performances are expected from the athletes next year as well.

(Originally published in the December 6, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)