There is no offseason for the cross country team.

The boys cross country team is ranked among the top five in the 4A class and first in the Farwest League. According to head coach Doug Landrum, they are continuing to improve and work hard.

“We have certainly improved throughout the season, and we are excited to see how the hard work is paying off,” Landrum said.

The boys varsity team includes seniors Colby Gillett, John Hampton, Dakota Pittullo, juniors Cody Harkins, Sawyer Heckard and sophomore Ian Emlet.

According to Landrum, the cross country team must train throughout the summer in order to be successful. He said the athletes need to dedicate themselves to the sport and run as much as possible outside of organized practice.

“We have a lot of athletes that have put a lot of work in over the summer and are starting to see it pay off,” Landrum said.

Pittullo said he expects good results this season.

“I feel like we have a good solid team this year,” Pittullo said. “Everyone is working really hard, and we should get some pretty good results at districts and the state meet.”

According to Pittullo, cross country is a much more difficult sport than most people think. The training is rigorous, and runners must give it their all every day in practice to be successful in meets.

“The sport requires a lot of mental toughness. It isn’t, ‘Can you jog three miles?’ It’s, ‘Can you sprint three miles?’” Pittullo said.

According to Gillett, the team will fulfill their potential if they continue to work hard.

“We want to go to districts and state and give it everything we have, and hopefully come back with some hardware,” Gillett said. “But the ultimate goal is to take home a state title.”