There will no sleeping in for the girls’ cross country team this weekend as they take part in their first meet, the Frisco ISD Invitational, Saturday at 7:00 a.m. at Warren Park. But while a new year has started, the team’s goals have remained the same.

“I am expecting big things from this season,” head girls’ cross country coach Amanda Zambiasi said. “Definitely to be able to take the team to the state meet and see what we can do there. Every year we want to get to that state meet and then make sure we are meeting our checkpoints throughout the season so that our times are where we want them to be.”

Practicing since August 1, the team has had nearly a month to get ready for the season with new leaders emerging along the way.

“Carrie Fish is a senior this year and she’s been on varsity all four years so she will definitely be a leader,” Zambiasi said. “I have a handful of other seniors that have been working hard and been here for all four years. They know what’s expected of them and they know what we need to do in every practice and every meet to reach our goals. That senior class is a really great group and we are going to miss them all next year.”

With the team finishing third in state in 2016 and Fish taking 7th individually, she hopes for a return to state.

“I am expecting us to be really good,” Fish said. “So we haven’t really talked about goals, but my personal goals for our team is to make it to state and place top three on the podium and just qualifying for state.”

Although Fish is a known quantity, Zambiasi says there will be help from some underclassmen.

“I have a lot of young, but really talented athletes,” Zambiasi said. “I’m excited to see what they can do throughout the whole season.”