On September 11, the Oxford Cross Country team competed in one of the hardest races in Oakland County – the Brother Rice Invitational at Kensington.
‘The Brother Rice Invite is as hard, if not harder than the county meet,? said Coach Ray Sutherland.
Only the top 35 runners earn medals at the event. Earning medals for the Oxford men were Adam Richmond, in 12th; Kenny White, in 14th; and German Guerrero, in 16th.
‘The competition was good,? said Team Captain Kenny White.
The Wildcats had a huge upset when Brad Haney, a great runner for the team, had to go in for emergency surgery on Saturday. Team Captain Guerrero reported that the surgery went well and Haney will be fine.
The Wildcat ladies may not have had the medal winners like the men’s team, but the team pushed themselves to the max. Lauren Cribb led the way and finished 33rd overall.
Like their male counterparts, the ladies are being plagued with injuries in some of the hardest runners. Talented freshman Morgan Stefanski is currently not able to run due to a foot injury, and Danielle Graham is out from a long-term hip problem.
Similar to the men, the ladies are just having to fight short handed. Several team members are stepping in to fill the gaps. First year runner, Shelly Musselman did a fine job doing just that this past meet.
The Wildcat distance runners next challenge is against Holly on September 22. The team is looking forward to the competition.
Germ’n, 18, is a senior at Oxford High School. He is team captain for Cross Country and Track, and a staff member of the OHS yearbook. He plans to attend college where he will study either physical therapy or sports medicine, and continue his distance running.