The Panthers are on the run.  Senior captain Dori Turnier and her fellow cross-country runners have been practicing this summer, and are excited to get back and win for the school.

“Hopefully this season ends with a state championship,” Turnier said. “We got second last year to a very talented Dunwoody team, but we gained a lot of talent this year and I believe we have the potential to walk away with the title. We just have to keep training hard.”

The team and fans are  hoping for a repeat of what the Panthers did last year, including third in state for the boys, and state runner-ups for the girls.

“We have a lot of great returners,” cross country coach Chris Kesterson said.  “They are in a lot better shape than they were in the last two years. If we keep them healthy, we have a good chance of them doing really well.”

The team lost three boys captains last year and one girl captain, creating the chance for returning runners to step into a leadership role. Some candidates include seniors Nick Bryant, Reed Livingston, and Will Dearman for the guys, and seniors Sarah Phinney and Dori Turnier and sophomore Mary Vali for the girls.

“I enjoy being captain because I like to help out the team wherever I can,” Phinney said. “By being captain, I am able to lead the team. As a team, I want to win state in November. If we do not win, then I want us to make the podium and us all to race our best in the end.”

She is already demonstrated her leadership on the course.  When her team went to the Providence Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., she ran her 5,000 meter race in 20:48.

At the Invitational Vali, who was one of the best runners last year, ran her 5,000 mile race in 18:53. Vali not only placed fourteenth overall, but she also placed first on for the girls team.

Expectations are high on the boys’ side as well. The boys also ran at the Providence Invitational.

“On the boys’ side we have returning runner Reed Livingston, and then we have a newcomer Harrison Fultz,” Kesterson said. “Both are bound to be a couple of the top runners in the state.”

At the Providence Invitational, freshman Harrison Fultz ran 17:38 in the Open Invitational 5,000 meter race, while Livingston ran 17:48.  They placed 86th and 137th overall.  

In the JV Invitational, Arthur Elrod ran 18:27, placing 40th overall.

The Panther runners will be back at their next race on Saturday Sept. 12 in Carrollton, Ga.