Upcoming Events
  • On Friday, Andy Brown Park East hosts a Sunset Social: Movie in the Park, airing Moana at 6:30-9 p.m.
  • On Friday, Coppell High School Junior World Affairs Council holds Heritage Night from 7-11 p.m. at CHS Large and Small Commons.
  • On Saturday, Coppell Historical Society holds Hop Into Spring at Coppell Historical Museum from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media

The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media

The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media

Business Spectacle: Lilys Hair Studio (video)
Business Spectacle: Lily's Hair Studio (video)
October 26, 2023

Cross Country Varsity Review

By Michael Pankonien

Staff Writer

Top Boys: The top runners for the boys varsity are all familiar faces. Seniors Jordan Williams and Travis Huffmaster have been at the front of the pack since they both first joined the program in their freshmen years. Junior Weston Sandfort has also been a familiar name on the varsity team for courses. However this year is the first in which Sandfort has been able to devote his full time to Cross Country; for both his freshmen and sophomore years Sandfort participated in the CHS Band. All three runners are captains. And while Williams and Huffmaster may be looking more towards the future and college with their running while Sandfort is looking to make a bigger name for himself, all three have one thing in common: when asked of a hobby they prefer outside of cross country, each runner had a difficult time thinking of an answer.

Jordan Williams, senior

Best Time – 16:40 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – McKinney “[What I like about it is that] it’s out of the way, there isn’t a whole lot of traffic. Also it’s a nice park; it’s generally flat with a few inclines.”

Food before a race – Bagels with peanut butter or cereal with soy milk

Luck charm – Pins registration number with three buttons instead of four. “Makes me a little different.”

Aspirations – “Make state; we should definitely make region for sure. I’d like to keep running as a hobby although I’m not so sure about [running] in college.”

Hobbies – Music; “I’ve been listening to a lot of Dubstep lately. Besides that I also like to listen to electronic, Jazz, and collect old vinyl records.”

Travis Huffmaster, senior

Best Time – 16:24 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – Lubbock; “Lubbock’s a hilly course [compared to most other courses] and I do really well on those kinds of courses.”

Food before a race – “Eggs or peanut butter toast; I generally try to eat a light breakfast.”

Warm up – “I try to visualize the course; I like to go over it in my head and think about what I’m going to do here and there.”

Aspirations – “We have a fine chance at region this year; I really want to hit state of course. Past that, just keep on running as a hobby.”

Other activities – Engineering, Debate

Weston Sandfort, junior

Best Time – 16:32 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – Lubbock; “I ran really well at Lubbock and the hills didn’t seem as bad as last year so it means I’m getting better.”

Food before a race – Half a bagel with peanut butter and two hard boil eggs for an early race; oatmeal for a later race.

Pre-race – “I try to psyche myself up during warm-ups. Some kids like to zone out with music or something but I’d rather get my blood pumping early.”

Favorite video game – Halo: Reach

Aspirations – “Right now, I’m just focusing on breaking 16:30 and going to state. I’ll pick it up from there once I’ve done that.”

Top Girls: Although CHS has continually shown a very strong girls varsity lineup, it is usually dominated by one name: Kim Kirby. However because of tendonitis in her foot, Kirby has yet to compete with the team in any races. And so with a new year bring new athletes to compete: competing neck and neck for second place for the team in almost every race, sophomores Katie Sandfort and Jenna Hernadez show amazing potential for the future. Junior Kaleigh Ervin has filled the gap left by Kirby’s absence and has consistently placed no lower than second overall in the many races Coppell has competed in this year. What’s even more exciting about these runners is their age; because the team’s runners are some of its youngest members, the CHS Girls Varsity team is only going to get stronger.

Kaleigh Ervin, junior

Best Time – 11:19 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – Marcus Invitational; “Nice and flat. Also there’s always a lot of good competition.”

Food before a race – Oatmeal and a banana

Pre- Race – No music; “I try to just calm down before a race. I just want to zone out.”

Outside Cross Country – Swimming; swam for the CHS swim team.

Aspirations – “I want to make state as an individual. Also I want to run in college.”

Jenna Hernandez, sophomore

Best Time – 11:47 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – Marcus Invitational; “It was nice and flat. I did really well there early in the season so it was kind of a confidence builder for me.”

Food before a race – Egg whites

Pre race – “I always get nervous before my races so I try to just calm down, chill out, and listen to my iPod.”

Aspirations – “I want to place in the top 10 at district and then move on to state. That’s what I’m thinking about right now.”

Katie Sandfort, sophomore

Best Time – 11:49 (Lubbock Invitational)

Favorite Course – Marcus invitational; “Nice, flat course; that’s where I feel I went fastest.”

Food before a race – “I try to eat a light breakfast; a banana, oatmeal.”

Pre race – “[Before a race] I join in the team cheer and then after that I sit back and get quiet, try to calm down.”

Road to Cross Country – “My dad started running when I was in the fifth grade. We’d go out and run somewhere between one and four miles and eventually I ran in my first race with my dad and brother.”

Aspirations – “Beat [Jenna Hernandez] since she’s my biggest competition. Also make top 10 at district.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Coppell Student Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *