GDCI cross-country team finish amazing season

Novice girl team.

The Grade 7 boys team won the overall District Championship and had two runners in the top 10 at the meet.

All four of our scoring runners were in the top 20, a very difficult feat.

Hugo Crane was the GDCI team’s first runner and earned third, followed by Charlie Moran who earned ninth place.

Other scorers included Bronson Swan and Leo Day.

Other team members included Rowan McGill, Jace Koestler, Jaron Hunt, and Landon DeJong.

Coach Goddard says that the team has a bright future in the sport, and she is looking forward to watching them develop over the years.

“The boys trained really hard,” noted Goddard.

“They often did extra kilometres and even went on a 10-km long run one day. The boys came out rain or shine and always encouraged each other.”

The Grade 8 girls team won the silver medal at the District Meet. The team was led by Molly Macaulay, followed by Arabelle Garland, Nola Gillard, Lily Hamilton, Rachel Hunt, Paisly McMillian, Sarah Evans, Storm Dines and Emma Vanstone.

“It was refreshing to have so many Grade 8 girls out for cross-country,” Coach Kleuskens said.

“They were a fantastic group of girls, very easy to coach.”

The high school team also saw a great deal of success at Huron Perth, sending 20 runners to the WOSSAA Championship held in Strathroy.

Novice boys team was led by Miles Hallman, who won the bronze medal. Team members included Easton Connelly, Tanner Allen, James Vanderburgh, Arlo Stecca and Thor Lindstrom.

“All the boys on the team are great athletes as well as good runners, and it was nice to see so many of them out this season,” added Goddard.

“Every member of the novice boys team came up through the elementary program at GDCI.”

The junior boys team, led by Hudson Ireland, came up with a silver medal at Huron Perth. Both Hudson and Magnum Szarvas were in the top 10 at the race.

Dylan Cudmore and Trent Pottruff made up the rest of the scores to secure the silver.

In the senior girls division, Autumn Anderson was the overall winner of the race.

Also scoring for the team were Gillian Anderson, Mia Haggit, and Emily Overholt. The team was rounded out by Danica Jeffries, Dana Croteau, Siobhan Kleuskens and Amelia Bissett.

The team came out with a silver team medal. Kleuskens noted that Autumn had a commanding win at the championship. She had a good 100-metre lead when she crossed the tape.

Individual qualifiers included Sam Howard in the senior boys race and Aliya Haggitt in the novice girls category.

WOSSAA proved to be a very challenging event this year with over one hundred athletes competing in each category.

Our lead novice boy, Miles Hallman missed going to OFSAA by one place.

“Miles is such a talented runner,” Goddard said.

“It is amazing to watch him compete as he is a very gutsy athlete. It was tough watching him come so close.”

Coach Goddard and Coach Kleuskens are very proud of the hard work of the team. The future looks bright for this sport at GDCI.