Our First Race of the Season

Tuesday, September 27 was our opening cross-country race of the 2022 season which also served as our home meet. This is easily the most difficult course in the league, if not the province. While that makes it challenging for a first race, athletes now have the confidence that all other races will be much easier.

 

In the 3 km junior girls race, Lillian Blois ‘27 set aside her swimming goggles and laced up the running shoes and led our girls in top placing with a fifth place showing. Donning the KES cross country singlet for what I predict will be her first of many years of races was Chelsea James ‘29 cracking into the top 10 with a ninth-place finish. Supporting each other all the way and crossing within a second of one another were Renata Villanueva ‘29 and María José Pedroza ‘27. 

 

Carlos De Los Santos ‘27 was our top junior boy over three kilometres today by placing fifth among 43 competitors. After leading the first kilometre, Harvey Hadley ‘27 fell back a bit to ninth, and just behind him was second year Highlander, Ken Hojo ‘27 in 12th spot. It takes four to make a scoring team, and if they find one more junior boy, this could be a team battling for a podium spot at provincials!

 

Known for his sprint speed and his prodigious scoring ability on the soccer pitch, Vinnie Armstrong ‘25 is looking to make a name for himself in the endurance ranks. With a sixth-place overall finish, and second among intermediate runners, he is off to a good start. Wesley Oulton ‘25 finished 15th overall and sixth in his intermediate division for a solid first race of our season. Again, with these two doing the grunt work, they just need two more intermediate boys to make a provincial run. August Henrici ‘23 is back for a second year of determined effort, finishing just inside the top 20. Among many who wore their first KES jersey today for their first ever cross-country race was Max Stulberger ‘24. We have run this course a few times in practice, and today was by far and away Max’s best run. Keen-eyed readers of these recaps may remember big sister and KES cross country alumna, Nadia Stulberger ‘19.

 

Our Highlanders have a busy schedule over the next week. Five are heading off to Belfast, Maine, for the Festival of Champions and 2000 other runners. On Tuesday, we will be running at Northeast Kings Education Centre, and Wednesday the Grades 6-8 athletes will be in Hantsport. Further details are below, much further below.

 

Without the support of Ms. Teresa Sanford and the Gladys M Manning Memorial Home, along with Mr. Danny Dill and Dill Farms (a great place to buy a pumpkin or five), we wouldn’t have the trails and space for these races. Thank you.

 

There are a couple of dozen people to thank today, but a special thank you to Marshall Davidson and his maintenance crew for clearing three trees and countless branches left by Fiona so that we could have a safe race. Thank you, John MacKay, for going above and beyond. A very special thank you to our finish-line crew of Paula James, Pam James, Ian Shaw, Donnie Armstrong, Sandie Armstrong, Jennie Weisner and Shari Hadley. Thank you for Monday night race set-up to Ed James. Thank you to Judy DesRoches ‘02 for last minute help. Thank you to our Head of School, Mr. Joseph Seagram for photographs and keeping the runners safe. Thank you to Ms. Kyla Walsh ‘15 for also keeping the students safe. There were another dozen student helpers, but special recognition to Owen Donaldson ‘29 and Mitch Williams ‘29 for just being outstanding. Thank you to Coach Pledger for being a coach today, and to Coach Robinson for doing so much from far away the past couple of days.

 

October 4: Northeast Kings Education Centre

October 5: Hantsport, Grades 6-8 only

October 11: West Hants

October 17: Western Regional Championship (location to be determined)

October 24: Provincial Championships, Point Pleasant Park, Halifax