While Isaac Rankin was having his season, the rest of the Knoxville Boys Cross Country Squad was running its season and trying to improve times. Coach Michael Splavec tells KNIA/KRLS Sports for the most part they did just that, including Cael Cook that stood out, who became the 2nd runner for the boys early in the season. Splavec adds an early season reset to put his team on the right path for success.

Michael: “We improved a lot through the season. We reset some things as a group and I felt like we ended up in a really good spot.”

Splavec adds the runner-up finish at the South Central Conference meet was the highlight of the season as far as the team is concerned as the Panthers finished well above everyone’s expectations. Meanwhile, the girls had a strong pack of five to six runners that Coach Mikayla Splavec could rely on, and when injuries invaded the team other girls stepped up in the varsity roles.

Mikayla: “We had a really solid 5 at the start of the season. At season’s end we had some injuries and fatigue but some of our freshmen took the initiative and took over those spots.”

She ads the seniors were good leaders, but they were also the ones who suffered the injuries as Natalie Collins and Janae Baker were nursing injuries at the end of the season. Splavec says the freshmen like Halle Baker and Camryn Willis were able to run a few varsity races at the end of the season and show their potential.