EVHS looks to young harriers to lead the way

Ron Counts
Published: August 20, 2008

The Eastern View High School cross country team has a lot to get used to. There’s the new school, a new course to run, being called Cyclones instead of Blue Devils and not having the veteran leadership many of them had gotten used to.

“It’s kind of cool being part of something brand new,” EVHS sophomore Charlie Bayne said. “But it’s going to be tough because we don’t have the experienced juniors and seniors that we had last year.”

The Cyclones’ young team is led by Bayne, who was one of the top runners on last year’s talent laden team at Culpeper County High School. EVHS head coach Paul Lutz, who coached the girls team at CCHS last year, is expecting big things from him again this year.

“I don’t know how well we’re going to score at our meets, but I think Charlie is going to be one of the top runners in the district,” Lutz said. “I’m hoping he’ll be a role model so the other guys can see how he runs and how hard he runs.”

Bayne and his teammates worked hard during the summer to get ready for the upcoming season, and Lutz said that it has paid off in practice thus far.

“The guys are in better condition than I thought they would be at this point, especially Charlie,” Lutz said. “I’ve really been trying to work him, and push him to the limits, but it’s been difficult.”

The EVHS girls team has more members than the boys, but they don’t have very many experienced runners either. Despite that fact, Lutz feels like they have a legitimate chance to compete for one of the top spots in the tough Battlefield District.

Freshman Taylor Smith and senior Logan Clore are the Cyclones’ top female runners, according to Lutz.

“Taylor and Logan run with a real smooth, fluid form, and they came out in great condition,” Lutz said. “So I’m looking for them to be the leaders early on and hopefully some others will step up as the season progresses.”

With so little experience on both of his teams, Lutz knows that he has his work cut out for him if his young teams are going to be ready to compete when the season begins.

“Right now they just have to learn what cross country is all about,” Lutz said. “They think they’re just out here to run, but they have to learn that it’s a race and we are training to race.”

Cyclones Schedule
Date           Opponent           Time
August 27     at William Monroe         4 p.m.
September 3 at James Monroe 4 p.m.
September 10 at Chancellor 4 p.m.
September 13 at Woodberry Forest Noon
September 17 at Spotsylvania 4 p.m.
September 20 at William & Mary Inv. 9 a.m.
September 24 Courtland, King George 4 p.m.
October 1             at King George 4 p.m.
October 8       at Culpeper TBA
October 15       Caroline, James Monr. 4 p.m.
October 23 Battlefield District TBA