Focus on the fall

CEDAR RAPIDS - Xavier juniors Steven Culpepper and Jenny Dickes represented the Saints at the state cross country meet on Nov. 1 and both battled tough elements, including gusty winds and cold temperatures.

Culpepper placed 97th with a time of 18 minutes, 17.2 second in 3.1 miles. Dickes crossed the finish line 29th with a time of 15:50.5 in 2.5 miles.

'I don't want to blame the cold weather, but I also know I don't run very well in cold temperatures,” Dickes said. 'State wasn't my best race, but I'm still happy about getting to run at it.”

This was Dickes' second trip to the state meet.

The girls' cross country team qualified last year as a team and finished 12th. Dickes was the top runner for Xavier, finishing in a time of 15:27.0.

Dickes and Culpepper are looking forward to next years' team. The girls have several returning varsity runners, including sophomores Emiko Coffey and Kiana Stanek.

'Next season my goal is for the whole team to qualify for state,” Dickes said. 'I also want to finish in a better place individually.”

This also was Culpepper's second state appearance. During his freshman season, the entire boys' team qualified and he finished 74th in 17:25.15.

The boys' team also is returning many top runners, including Culpepper, junior Jonathon Francois and sophomore Nick Koechner.

'My goal for next year is to get the team together over the summer and run so we can all make it to state and have a chance to win state,” Culpepper said. 'We have the talent. We just need to put in the miles over the summer.”