By Skip Weaver
Contributing Writer
EATON – Assistant cross country coach Tom Bloomberg said he likes what the future holds for both the cross country and track programs at Edgewood.
Speaking at the Southwestern Buckeye League cross country championships on Saturday at Fort St. Clair Park in Eaton, Bloomberg said this cross country season has been a continuation of the building he and head coach Brady Richmond started three years ago.
Richmond was absent from Saturday’s league meet due to illness.
“Coach Richmond and I both do track and field for the high school and we’re still growing, trying to get things established,” Bloomberg said. “Our track numbers are getting a lot bigger than when we started three years ago and we have the same philosophy of coaching in wanting to make this a running program that competes with all these bigger schools.
“That’s the whole goal and I think it’s been really good,” he continued. “I’m happy and I like what the future holds for cross country and also track and field at Edgewood.”
As for how the cross country teams fared on Saturday, the boys team finished in 14th place with 393 points. The youthful squad was led by freshman Caleb Taylor (20:44.2) in 87th place. Freshman Caleb Snyder (21:10.4) was next in 91st place and he was followed by junior Eli Hall (21:12.9) in 92nd place, senior Logan Penny (22:19.9) in 105th place and freshman Zach Krazl (22:58.2) in 107th place. Also competing for Edgewood in the meet were junior Ben Truitt (22:59.3) and freshman Leo Mann (31:01.3).
“I was happy with all of them,” Bloomberg said of the boys team. “Caleb Taylor, Caleb Snyder and Eli (Hall) were neck and neck coming up the straightaway and looked pretty good.
“And Logan Penny, our only senior, it was his last league race,” he continued. “We’re really going to miss him. He’s a workhorse. Always has been. He is just one of those kind of guys that just sticks with it, does what you want, and just puts everything out there every time. You gotta love him.”
Penny said he was sad that it was his last league race.
“I’ve had a lot of great memories running and it’s just going to be a lot of change after I graduate,” he said. “I feel like I could have ran a little better, but it was cold and I don’t usually do well in the cold.”
On the girls side, the Cougars only had four runners which is one shy of what is needed to earn a team score, but senior Makayla Allen led the rest of the underclassmen by placing 59th with a time of 23:46.0. Junior Ruby Robson (24:59.6) finished in 68th place followed by junior Alexis Niehardt (26:23.6) in 80th place and junior Hassania Murillo (27:39.0) in 85th place.
“Makayla had been a staple for us for quite a while, a very great runner,” Bloomberg said. “She had a great, great time today and then Ruby Robson was after her with Alexis Niehardt and Hassania Murillo after that. We only had four today, but it’s been kind of a neat thing to see them improving every week which is what we want, you know.
“That’s kind of the way the season has gone and you can’t ask for more than to give your best every time out,” he added.
Next up for the Edgewood runners will be the Division II district meet this Saturday at VOA Park in West Chester.
