While most varsity sports consist of many upperclassmen, especially seniors, the girls varsity cross country team is composed of half underclassmen, and not a single senior is on the team.

This fall, the varsity girls cross country team is run under a senior-less squad. The team is composed of four juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman.

Lauren Bode, freshman, made the varsity squad in her first year at Parkway South, following the footsteps of her older brother, Ryan, who graduated in 2017.

“I got into cross country from my brother, who was really into it and that got me interested in it as well,” said Bode

Although the girls may not have as many upperclassmen as most varsity teams, the team still has a lot of experience. Six of the eight girls on the team are returning runners from last year–one being Samantha VanEssendelft. VanEssendelft, is reportedly the fastest on the squad and is hoped as a key piece for the team moving forward in each of their meets and eventually districts.

Although experience may help, the girls team faces a tough schedule ahead of them with considered powerhouse programs of Lafayette, Eureka, and Kirkwood, who also are in the same district with them.

However, junior Jordyn Haddrill said feels confident in the team’s ability this year.

“I feel the team could take it past districts and possibly sectionals later,” said Haddrill.

Head Coach Matt Roach said he hopes to achieve those goals, but his main goal is to improve the times of the girls,

“Whether it be the slowest girl, or the fastest girl, I want to improve to their times from where they started the season at,” said Roach.

Roach said he looks to achieve this goal by a hard practice, easy practice, strategy for each week.

“Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we take it much easier and the Tuesdays and Thursdays we run to Manchester Park and work as hard as possible,” said Haddrill.

Coach Roach said he got into cross country by his own interest in the sport of running and his fondness that it requires you to work together as a team.

“I love to run. Running is a team sport because you’re always pushing each other to improve and keep up or go harder. Most people think of Cross Country as a individual game, but really your scored as a team,” said Roach

So far throughout the season the girls have placed third, sixth, ninth, and ninth once more as a team. The girls have five more meets before their districts meet comes up and they look to enhance their placements even better and break past districts.

“It’’ll be tough, this team’s in the middle of the pack, but I believe this team has a lot of chemistry and a chance to making something happen,” said Roach.