South Haven News

By Jayden Woodfin

South Sumner’s Cross Country Team has had an exciting season, with athletes putting in hard work and dedication on and off the course. We sat down with two team members, Carlee Heater and Owen Strickland, to learn more about their experiences.

Heater, a high school runner, has been part of cross country since sixth grade, making this her fourth year on the team. When asked about her favorite part of cross country, she admitted she doesn’t have one, but she still enjoys being part of the team. Her coaches, Joe Halling and Jonathan Pettyjohn, have guided the team to overall success this season.

Heater says she’s happy with how she performed and that the team did “good” overall. While she didn’t point out any areas for improvement, she shared a fun fact her favorite dessert is coconut cream pie.

For Strickland, this is his first year in cross country. While he isn’t sure about his official position yet, he says he joined simply because he enjoys running. His favorite part so far? “The car ride,” he joked.

Strickland’s coach, Halling, has led the team to solid results, especially among junior high runners. When asked if he was happy with his performance, Strickland responded with a confident “yeah.”

Both athletes show that cross country at South Sumner is about more than just running it’s about building memories, supporting teammates, and finding personal victories along the way.