After a lot of hard work, intense preparation and a difficult offseason, the Coppell boys cross country team placed third at the Class 6A State Cross Country Meet on Nov. 4 at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock. 

This feat comes after a difficult season last year, not making it to state. 

“We didn’t make it to state last year and we really wanted to rewrite that season and get there this year,” Coppell senior runner Vedant Bhattacharyya said.

Last season was a difficult one for cross country as it failed to make it to state and it left morale feeling low.

“The boys were determined and they didn’t want to feel like that again,” Coppell coach Landon Wren said. “They were very committed to making sure everyone was working hard together.”

This year, there was extensive preparation and training to make sure they’d come out on top this season.

“We try to get our miles up a lot. We usually run around eight to 10 times a week and once we get to the season we keep our mileage up and then detox a little for state,” Bhattacharyya said.

The expectations going into this season were very clear to the team; make it to state.

“We definitely thought we could get to state, but I don’t know about [placing] and we didn’t know how well we could do. [Going to] state was expected but placing was a pleasant surprise,” Bhattacharyya said.

This season, the Cowboys got off on the right foot dominating in the beginning of the season with their wildly successful SLC invitational in Southlake, Texas, setting the tone for the rest of the season. They had spent quite a while training over the summer.

“I don’t think we knew how good we are until we started getting into the meets,” Wren said. “The second meet was really competitive and we started doing well in the rankings.”

Even though the Cowboys were advancing to state, the reaction wasn’t celebratory, it was determined.

“A lot of people would’ve thought we were on top of the world, but honestly we weren’t because we knew we could make it,” Bhattacharyya said. “It was less excitement and more of we knew we had to stay locked in.”

Right before a big meet, a lot of teams participate in unique traditions to boost morale. The cross country team is no different.

“We dyed our hair, it’s a fun little thing to distinguish ourselves from the other teams and it lets other teams know that we are from Coppell,” Bhattacharyya said.

The Cowboys could finally celebrate after its third place finish. The moment was met with many emotions and medals.

“There was hugging and maybe even a few tears because we had accomplished what we set out to do,” Wren said. “As a coach it just makes you so proud because I see what they go through day in and day out, what they put their bodies through, for them to be getting medals around their necks is a pretty cool experience.”

The moment wasn’t only meaningful to the coaches, the members of the team were definitely feeling its importance as well.

“It was validation that the work we did really amounted to something and it was really meaningful,” Bhattacharyya said.

With this third place state trophy, the goal for next season is clear.

“I want us to make it to state again, that’s the sign of a good program when your expectation is state or bust,” Wren said. “It’s always the sign of a good season when you end your season at state.”  

Follow Nyah Rama (@nyah_rama) and @thesidekickcoppell on Instagram.