Cross country season opens

The Mountain Home Tigers open their 2005 cross country season tomorrow (Thursday) at Caldwell.

Mountain Home cross country coach Doug Root is happy with this year's turnout.

"So far I'm pleased. I still wish we had a few more boys and girls, but we have a full boys team, and for the first time in many years, we have a full girls team. In fact, right now we have more girls out than we have boys. I don't think that has ever happened at Mountain Home, so right now I'm pleased with our numbers, but we're still trying to recruit a few more."

Coach Root is especially impressed with the boys he has out, and hopes for good things for the team.

"We should have a pretty good team. We have three of our top four runners from last year back, and there was one that we missed last year for various reasons who's back to fill in for the fourth runner. Right now we look real strong with our first four.

"Our fifth is still shaky, but Victor Warner is coming on right now and doing a pretty good job, and I think we'll have a stronger team than we did last year."

Root is looking forward to this week's meet at Caldwell so he can get a chance to see his squads in action against other competition.

"We haven't run there in the last two years that I know of, so I don't know what the course is about, but it's going to be a good early season meet, and this year we'll at least have a full team for our first meet instead of going over there with only two runners that can compete because we haven't had enough practices.

"They've been working hard. We've had good numbers at practice every night and every morning. We've been going two-a-days since the 12th of August, and so far I'm very pleased with the season and the group of kids we have."

The Tiger runners will be at Caldwell tomorrow (Thursday) for the Caldwell Invitational Cross Country Meet.