Cross-country coach Julie Fink and the Zachary High cross-country team are already hitting the road and putting in the miles for the 2024 cross-country season.
Fink has a large group of runners this year with 21 boys and 28 girls competing in the fall sport. Fink also emphasized the work that new coaches Justin Doherty and Meggan Franks at Northwestern Middle School and Copper Mill Elementary, respectively, are doing to train and build future ZHS competitors.
“They are committed to their athletes and are investing in the future of Zachary cross-country and track and field programs,” Fink said.
On 2024, Fink noted that “there are those teams that wish for success, who want success, and then teams that are willing to put in the work to make success happen. The 2024 team is made up of athletes who have the mindset and work ethic to make success happen.”
Fink relayed that though the competition is tough, “we will be stepping on to the race courses throughout the season getting stronger/faster each week and reaching for better finishes and times.”
ZHS will have three of the seven girls who raced in the state championship last year — Alaysia Wolf, Nala Mitchel and Anna Melius — returning.
Fink said that the three returners are juniors, bringing great leadership, commitment and a strong work ethic to the team.
On the boys side four — Max Gennaro, Marcus Coates, Jesse Ellis and Connor Conachen — of the seven that raced in the 2023 State Championship return. Coates is a senior and will provide leadership with Ellis and Conachen, who are both juniors. On her four returners, Fink indicated that similar to the girls, “all four are great leaders and are race ready for the upcoming season.”
Based on the current LHSAA All Class top 100, ranked boys include Coates, Conachen, Ellis, Carson Southall and Gennaro. Genarro, a sophomore, is currently ranked seventh overall in the state.
ZHS girls currently in the LHSAA All Class top 100 are Mitchel, Wolf, Melius, Yvonne Harms and sophomore Destiny Thomas.
Fink identified a girl and boy from each squad for “dark horse” status. For the ZHS girls Fink identified Mitchel who “will be making a name for herself on the course this season after logging hundreds of miles over the summer.” Fink continued, “She is fit, competitive and will be a surprise to other schools.”
Fink identified Will Nelson, a senior and four-year team member, as the ZHS boys dark horse. “He made up his mind last spring that during his senior season he was going to be all in and prepared to give his very best, and I am so proud of the work he has put in during the off season,” Fink said.
Fink added that “Will is going to be a difference-maker for our team. He is focused, has run countless miles on his own and is more than ready to chase his fastest times this fall.”
“We have a great crew of seniors who are focused on leading and investing in the success of our team and their teammates,” Fink commented.
The action is already underway with both ZHS teams competing in the West Feliciana Relays on Sept. 7. They will travel to Highland Road next Saturday for the EHS Roundtable. After a week break, they will travel and compete at Nicholls State on Sept. 28, followed by two races at Highland Road Park (SJA Invitational on Oct. 5 and CHS Invitational on Oct. 12).
On Oct. 19, they will host the Annual Bronco Cross-Country Stampede at the Port Hudson State Historic Site.
November is honors month with opportunities for championships at the EBR Metro Championship Nov. 2, which Zachary is hosting this year at Highland Road Park, followed by the Division 1 Regional Meet also at Highland Road Park on Nov. 8.
As with previous years, the LHSAA State Championship will be held on Nov. 18 at Northwestern State University.