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Sreehitha Moravaneni

Coppell senior runner Asheer Jiwani crosses the finish line with a time of 17:07.41 at the Flower Mound Invitational at Shadow Ridge Middle School on Sept. 10. Jiwani placed 12th overall in the varsity men’s 5K race.

Despite the Coppell cross country teams’ success throughout its season so far, the team’s down-to-earth, ambitious attitude is what head cross country coach Landon Wren is most proud of. 

“They’re very focused, they’re in tune with the training,” Wren said. “We’ve encountered success before, but this is still something new to them.”

Currently, the varsity boys’ team is ranked No.2 in Texas according to the CCCAT poll. Out of the seven meets the team has competed in this season, the boys have seen only gold and silver (first in five of the meets and second in two meets). The JV boys have also won five of its meets. 

“We’ve gotten closer as a group this year,” senior Andrew Mullen said. “When you’re running with someone that you really know, it helps a lot in races.”

The varsity girls are not ranked, but similarly encountered success with top six finishes in four of its meets. The JV girls also have finished in the top five at three of their meets. 

On Saturday, the cross country program competed at the District 6-6A Cross Country Meet at North Lakes Park in Denton. The boys’ team finished first, regaining the title after finishing third overall in the 2021 District Championship and first in 2020. 

“[Coach Landon Wren] really puts the athletes first, and he’s able to recognize that the athletes are the backbone to the program,” senior Vedant Bhattacharyya said. “He follows along with the needs of the team, and is able to use that to both his and the team’s advantage. We work really well with each other.”

The varsity boys’ win on Saturday qualifies the team for the Class  6A Region 1 Championship in Lubbock on Oct. 24. 

“Though we still advanced to regionals last year with our third place finish, I could tell that the kids wanted more,” Wren said. “That desire to prove themselves is one of the greatest factors towards our success this year.”

While the varsity girls and both JV teams concluded their seasons with Saturday’s meet, Wren is appreciative of the seniors’ commitment to the program and is looking forward to the future of the cross country at Coppell. 

It is continued dedication despite outside influence, after all, that Wren emphasizes in the athletes. 

“I don’t want them to get a big head or get overconfident,” Wren said. “We try to look at each day in a new light. How are we going to get better today, that’s what I want them to think about.”

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