While most AHS students found themselves relaxing on the beach or spending quality time with family over fall break, the AHS girls cross country team utilized the break to work hard and break boundaries at states this year.

Over fall break, AHS sent the top six runners to compete in their final meet this year at states in Colorado Springs. Despite the hardships of a year unlike any other, the girl’s cross country team excelled at both regionals and states.

Cross country was one of four sports CHSAA allowed that were able to actually compete while abiding by COVID regulations. New regulations and protocols had the possibility to damper the season, but the team defied the odds. The six girls included four seniors: Kylie Kenny, Kendall Clark, Eva McDonough, and Edie Sherlock and AHS sophomores Elsie Weiss and Michaela Kenny

“As a senior, I’d say that the highlight of my season was definitely winning regionals. having gone 4, 3, 2 starting from freshman year we sort of had this running joke of, “oh we got 4th now we have to get third. oh we got 3rd, now we have to get 2nd. dang we got 2nd let’s get 1st.” none of us thought that it would actually happen but winning the region in addition to beating basalt was sort of the cherry on top,” Sherlock said.

The graduating seniors are sad to say goodbye to the last four years, but have left the future of the AHS cross country team in good hands. They have also had a breakthrough this year which is likely to be remembered throughout future seasons for the AHS cross country team.

“Our performance at states brought Aspen cross country into the light a little more, and I think in future years other teams will remember us as a strong competitive team,” Clark said.

Graduating seniors this year hope nothing changes about the team dynamic in the future and they hope everyone on the team is inspired to do well but maintain a great group dynamic. This year for the AHS cross country team was extremely successful, however, that’s not all that matters to them.

“Hopefully they’ll keep having fun first and foremost and continue working hard as an entire team,” Sherlock said.