The Mathews High School cross country team started its season last Thursday, Aug. 30, with a race at Beaverdam Park, joined by runners from King William, Northumberland, Essex and Washington and Lee.

As both the boys’ and girls’ squads enter a highly anticipated season, energy levels were high among runners. Due to concerns about weather, the boys and girls raced simultaneously instead of separately.

On the boys’ side, all five teams had the minimum of five runners to score, which allowed all teams to count for points. The girls’ side had only three full teams (Mathews, Essex and King William).

Freshman Cameron Stearns was the first runner to cross the line for any team, with a time of 18:38. He was followed by a procession of seven more Blue Devil boys: Will Hutcheson (19:22), Calvin Kramer (19:50), Austin Wood (19:52), Josh Rosadino (19:55), Kirk Casper (20:13), Isaiah Bivins (20:14) and Dylan White (20:25).

The number-one runners for Northumberland and King William then crossed the line at 20:29 and 20:54, respectively. Next to cross was Mathews’ runner Aaron Miles (21:14), closely followed by the Washington and Lee number one, who ran a 21:15. Another group of Blue Devils then crossed the line: Finn Ciszewski (21:23), Blake Atkins (21:32) and eighth grader Greg Hutcheson (22:09). The team was rounded out by Brian Robinson (23:47), Carson Brown (23:52), Presley Murphy (24:00) and Solomon Hess (27:54).

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