Harriers stumble at district

It wasn't Friday the 13th, but it almost seemed like it to Mountain Home cross country coach James Gilbert.

It started out last Thursday, when Tiger cross-country runner Daniel Kaiser injured his ankle in a PE class.

Then, Friday, while warming up, Tiger runner Lee Pierce injured himself. Pierce ran in the race, but finished 37th, and the Tigers, who were hoping to make the top three teams to qualify for state, came in with 139 points.

Brandon Sloan had his best effort of the season, coming in 16th, with a time of 18:08, and missed qualifying for state individually, by just two places. Tim Whitmarsh came in 26th, running his best time at 18:36. Alvaro Salas started strong, but finished 27th. Melvin Snyder stepped up and ran a 19:39, which Tiger cross country coach James Gilbert indicated was 35 seconds better than his previous best.

Snyder came in 33rd. Lee Pierce was 37th, Scott Riley was 39th, and Nate Bundy finished 40th.

"The younger kids stepped up and really helped us out," said Coach Gilbert. The kids and I were disappointed we didn't make the top three to make it on to state, but there were just things we had no control over. Had Kaiser and Pierce both been healthy, it would have been tough, but looking at the results, I think we could have made third."

In the girls race, Bethany Glidden finished 28th, and Cathy Gilbert came in 35th.

Coach Gilbert loses just three boys to graduation, in Alvaro Salas, Daniel Kaiser and Nate Bundy, so is excited about the next two years.

"Our goal for next year is to make it to state, and with the runners we have coming back, that is a very realistic goal. It's really exciting to see a group of kids that are fired up about cross country."