Murphy – There hasn’t been much rest for Murphy cross-country runners in 2021.
With the outdoor track and field season finishing at the end of June, the Bulldogs were already behind where they are in a typical year. For those who made it all the way to the state meet, they had to jump right back into training.
“We normally start on June 1,” Murphy head coach Davis Bryant said. “So we didn’t even take a week off, we just came right in and ran and the season started Aug. 1.”
This is different from last year, when COVID-19 pushed the cross-country season back to November and finished in January, when indoor track and field is usually up and running. Unfortunately, the virus is still a concern seven months later, as case numbers have soared recently due to the delta variant.
“We’re getting to run in August and September – which it’s hotter right now, of course – but it’s been a great feeling,” Bryant said. “But it’s also I’m holding my breath for them to say we can’t do it no more.”
The Bulldogs finished third in January’s state meet behind Lincoln Charter and Community School of Davidson (who have both moved up to 2A), but graduated their top two runners from last year in Chase Pierce and Caleb Jones. The duo finished third and fourth, respectively, in last year’s state meet, and were the top two finishers at the Smoky Mountain Conference championship.
Junior Clayton Laney looks to be Murphy’s top runner this year, with senior Caleb Rice closed behind. At Saturday’s Murphy invitational, the pair finished first and second.
“It’s flipped a switch with him,” Bryant said of Laney.
Sophomores Liam Cook, Matthew Stalcup, Connor McMillian and Jake Miller join Laney and Rice as the Bulldogs’ top runners. After narrowly edging out Swain County for last year’s conference title, Murphy will likely battle the Maroon Devils again for the conference crown.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Bulldogs were able to field a full team for last weekend’s meet at Swain, but weren’t able to this past weekend as some runners were in quarantine. Sophomore Corrine Cotton, and senior Ashlyn Stroupe have been the top runners so far, with Bryant saying Stroupe and senior Faith Ann Revis have been strong leaders. Swain County looks to be the heavy favorite in the conference led by freshman Arizona Blankenship, who broke the school record in her first ever cross country race.
Hiwassee Dam has a new cross-country coach this year, with Ashley Rhodes taking over for Efrain Ochoa.
“It’s good,” Rhodes said. “I like motivating the kids, keeping them on track and making sure their academics, and sports-wise, is a positive experience.”
The Eagles had enough male runners (five) to compete as a team last weekend, led by freshman Ethan Russell, junior Preston Hyde and senior Kyle Taylor, who placed seventh, eighth and 10th, respectively. Kiera Taylor is the only Hiwassee Dam girl at the moment, and she finished in eighth place.