The road to state for cross country starts Thursday with the District 13-5A meet at Warren Park at 7:00 a.m.

“Well district is really just the opportunity for the team to show what they’ve done throughout the whole season,” senior Gaby Leyva-Montiel said. “It’s the last chance for us to reach the goals that we’ve been shooting for the whole season. Also, especially for varsity it’s a step to regionals and then to state so it’s really important for us to do good.”

For the boys, losing sophomore Luke Small to a broken arm suffered in a skate boarding accident, will put extra pressure on the team, but nothing they can’t handle.

“I’m feeling pretty confident,” senior Kirk Niekamp said. “We did lose one of our top guys to an injury so I’m little bit worried about whether we are going to make it to regionals as a team but overall we have some amazing talent on our team, we have a lot of potential of just younger guys that are coming up through the ranks. So I believe that we will do really good and hopefully next year even better.”

For Leyva-Montiel, Thursday is her last district meet.

“I’m less nervous than I’ve been in the past years,” Leyva-Montiel said. “This is year number four so with more time you do it you get less nervous but definitely still. It’s the good type of nervous the one that makes you want to do good.”

High standards have been set for girls cross country as they are keeping state in mind.

“I am hoping for a District Championship in both the varsity girls and JV girls teams with several girls in the top ten in both divisions,” head girls cross country coach Amanda Zambiasi said. “I know these are big goals but I believe that our girls can accomplish it. This group of girls has such an incredible work ethic, drive, and team chemistry. Tomorrow will be fun!”