Bishop Park will be filled with cross country runners this evening but it won’t be for the[more] annual Bryant Invitational. That’s not until Sept. 13.
No, this will just include the entire Bryant cross country program which, from seventh through 12th grades, includes over 175 athletes. The annual intrasquad meet will begin with the girls’ run at 5 p.m. The boys will follow upon completion of the girls race.
Coaches Danny Westbrook and Steve Oury have split the runners into three teams for the competition.
The Lady Hornets are led by senior Hannah Raney and junior Melinda Murdock who both qualified for the Arkansas All-Star meet last year. Both finished in the top 15 at the Class 7A State meet last year.
Sophomore Caitlyn Bell and junior Kat Bolton who both scored for the Lady Hornets at State in 2011 are back as well as junior Marley Adams, sophomore Lauren Ackley and senior Stephanie Cyz, who all ran at State.
Raney, Cyz and Skylar Combs are the Lady Hornet seniors.
The Hornets return four of their scoring five from State, sophomore Connor Wilson, junior Tyler Purtle, junior Clifton Hampton and junior Spencer Adami. Senior Damian Kropp, junior Alex Houpt and junior Austin Middleton return after representing the team at State as well.
Along with Kropp, the Hornets seniors are Chris Gjestvang, Connor Goshien, Tyler Hayden and James Tyhurst.
The Bryant teams will officially open the season Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Ouachita Baptist University Invitational in Arkadelphia.
