Myrtle Cross Country

Photo courtesy of Kelly Hall 2020 Myrtle Cross Country: Front row left - Westlee Ash, Cody Adair, Brady Rakestraw, Kaitlyn Fulcher, Riley Meyers, Caylie Streitch, Micah Gray, Victoria Mejia, Caleb Thomas, Gabe Mejia. Back row left - Will Greer, Abigail Fulcher, Morgan Greer, Carley Harlow, Dream Carnell, Lexie Senn, Maggie Moody, Aubrey Henderson, Marley Floyd, Hunter Page.

My rtle girls hope to run

Myrtle girls placed three runners in the top 13 and came away with second place in the 1A Girls State Cross Country Meet at Choctaw Trails in Clinton last year with 58 points. Coach Chris Greer has the luxury of all three of his top runners returning in 2020.

Maggie Moody was the top runner for the Lady Hawks as she placed sixth in a time of 22:33.8. She won the 1A state championship in 2017 as an eighth grader. Aubrey Henderson came in 11th in her time of 23:28.5 and Lexie Senn was 13th with a time of 23:51.8. All three runners were recognized as All-State with their performances.

“We like having Maggie back in girls with three 9th graders - Aubrey, Lexie and Dream Carnell, Greer said. “We also have Victoria Mejia, eighth grader Carleigh Harlow coming back, also Abigail Fulcher and it’s good to have junior Caylie Streich back.”

Streich has run previously for the Lady Hawks, but she may be best known for her pitching prowess for the Myrtle fastpitch team.

Myrtle boys placed sixth overall at state last season and Greer will be replacing several of his top runners after graduation depleted the ranks.

“Hunter Page (sophomore) and Will Greer (junior) will lead us and we look for juniors Ethan Neal and McKinley Lindsay to contribute,” Greer said. “We have two eighth graders that will help us after the middle school championship, Westlee Ash and Caleb Thomas.”

Greer believes both of his teams will be competitive in 2020. He points to the meets at Saltillo, Pontotoc and his own Myrtle event as great meets with plenty of competition.

“Our girls team is young, but

for 1A title

experienced while our boys team is young, no seniors,” Greer said.

Greer is in his 28th year of coaching and 22nd year of coaching cross country at Myrtle. The Myrtle cross country program was actually started by him.

Myrtle has plenty to look forward to in the future with their younger runners as abound for the Hawks.

“Our boys middle school team should be great contenders with Westlee Ash, Gabe Mejia, Ray Moody, Brady Rakestraw and Cody Adair,” Greer said. “Our girls that are competing for the junior high championship on October 13 are Kaitlyn Fulcher, Morgan Greer, Marley Floyd and Riley Meyer.

Myrtle is doing their part to take the necessary precautions by following the state protocols during the coronavirus and are attempting to social distance as much as possible