The Thomas Jefferson cross country team will be led by a pair of returning state-qualifiers this fall.
Junior Braden Honeywell-Lynch is expected to lead the TJ boys, while senior Sarah Mueller is the top returner for the TJ girls.
The Cavaliers will also feature a large, promising group of newcomers.
“I have very high expectations for this season,” Cavaliers coach Clayton Carnahan said. “The high school team forming this year has been a long time coming. Students have been working together since early in middle school, and they have grown stronger and stronger, both individually and as a team, every year.”
Honeywell-Lynch finished 68th at last year’s state meet after taking 15th at the district meet and seventh in the conference.
Other athletes expected to contribute at the varsity level for the Thomas Jefferson boys are sophomore James Sheppard and freshmen Jack Twiss, Spencer Long, Liam Cook, Ringo Snow and Ashan Appuhamy.
“I think you can expect great things from incoming freshmen like Jack Twiss, Spencer Long, Liam Cook, Ringo Snow and Ashan Appuhamy,” Carnahan said.
The Cavaliers will obviously look a bit different this season after the graduation of multi-year standout Kip Atteberry, who finished as the Class 1 state runner-up and the Ozark 7 champion last fall. The boys team also lost state-qualifier London Rodriguez.
Mueller is expected to lead the Thomas Jefferson girls.
Mueller finished 53rd at last year’s state meet after an eighth-place finish at the district meet and a sixth-place showing at the conference meet.
Katerina Pruitt and Macie Shifferd are other runners who should contribute for the TJ girls.
“The girls are the dark horse this season,” Carnahan said. “Very strong and capable, they put in their work every day, and getting a taste of state last year has given them high goals.”
If the team makes steady progress throughout the fall, Carnahan is confident his Cavaliers will put together a successful season.
“This season will be a great team season,” he said. “While TJ has had excellent long distance runners in the past (Chris Saladin, Edward Hershewe and Kip Atteberry), these incoming teams are great together, and they will push one another to exceed expectations. I will not be surprised if some school records and conference and district championships are close around the corner.”
For the Cavaliers, the keys to success are simple.
“We’ll need to keep upping our game,” Carnahan said. “TJ’s XC athletes are hungry for success right now, and they are willing to put in the work. We will need to celebrate small victories and successes as we progress through the season.”
Carnahan noted he’s been pleased with the work ethic of his student-athletes.
“These athletes are very willing to work hard,” Carnahan said. “They have been training and putting in the work all summer. Even these last couple of days, we have been able to start practices on a very strong note, and they will be in good shape by the first meet in Neosho.”
