Saints eye return to state

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Xavier girls' cross country team, led by junior Jenny Dickes, looks to make it back to state this season after a successful finish in the 2013 state competition.

Dickes and sophomore Emiko Coffey led the 12th place finishing Saints with times of 15:27 and 15:35.4, respectively.

Hampered by injuries this season, Dickes is trying to get back into her old form. She suffered a broken hand on Aug. 19 and is in the process of recovering from a strained abdomen.

'I still do not feel 100 percent, and some of my injuries have caused me to not be able to participate in practices or meets,” Dickes said. 'I have been running inconsistently after my injuries, depending on how badly they feel or affect me the day of the race.”

She is ranked 24th individually in the state for Class 3A.

Coffey, the second fastest runner on the team, has high expectations.

'My goal is to make it to state and finish better than 20th,” Coffey said. 'I hope each team member beats their personal record and we go as a team.”

After Dickes and Coffey, the varsity runners are sophomore Kiana Stanek, juniors Sydney Oakley, Lydia Brown, and Alaina Marti, and senior Maddy Bailey.

On Oct. 9, Dickes placed 13th at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet in 15:27. The state qualifying meets at Thursday. Xavier runs in Manchester.