On Saturday, Jan. 23 Kaysen Krieger and Eli Roberts headed to Kernersville to represent Hayesville High School in the state championship cross country meet.
The pair missed the podium, but had solid showings with Krieger finishing 25th in the ladies competition with a time of 21:46 and Roberts' time of 19:05 landing him in 44th in the men's race.
"Eli Roberts and Kaysen Krieger both represented Hayesville High well this past weekend. I am encouraged for the future of cross country at Hayesville High," said head coach Zach Moss. Moss also addressed the season as a whole, saying, "Many of my athletes were totally remote and some were on a hybrid schedule. This was difficult to navigate. We tried to schedule voluntary practices that worked for most athletes. Under COVID conditions we went from a team of 32 in 2020 to a team of 18 athletes in 2021. Some of this was due to transfer, some to student jobs, and others to transportation hardships."
According to the coach, the schedule changes and different looks of the meets are challenging, but did not deter his team. "This is a sport that demands perseverance, commitment and positive outlook. I am proud to be the coach of such amazing young people."