By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
Before the start of the season, Lake Orion girls cross country coach Debi McDonald knew her team would be experienced, young, and looking to make a solid dent in the leader boards.
Heading into last Saturday’s invitational at Kensington Metro Park, the Dragons have been consistently putting up numbers that have left McDonald impressed.
Leading up to last Saturday, McDonald’s top two runners, senior captain Emily Fluent and junior Bellina Gaskey, placed in the Top 20 at the OAA Red Jamboree.
The two girls had individual run times of 20 minutes 44 seconds (Gaskey) and 20 minutes and 50 seconds (Fluent) which helped the Dragons clinch 5th place.
McDonald’s runners had solid performances at the 2015 Averill Memorial Cross Country Invitational which, like the Jamboree, they placed 5th giving them three consistent weeks of top five finishes. The Dragons tied with Flint Powers Catholic High School with a score of 150.
Their next meet, the Nike Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races is scheduled for Sept. 19 in at Springfield Oaks County Park. The race will draw close to 100 teams from around the state and according to McDonald, the timing is perfect.
‘Holly is one of our favorite courses and I look for them to be easily with in the top five teams yet again,? McDonald said. ‘We’re stronger on a hilly course and there’s nothing that really repeats so it feels like it goes by pretty fast.?
Looking deeper into the season McDonald is looking at placing a heavier emphasis on lower times as she builds the team’s speed. Being that she’s returning more than half of her team of 42 runners, she knows the foundation is there to support the team.
‘Most of them now have a good endurance base so now we want to turn that over and get some speed.? she said. ‘We’re going to start adding some speed work so they can start seeing their times get a little faster.?