While no local schools managed to take top spot at this year’s Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association cross-country provincial event, there were nonetheless some impressive results from within St. Paul Education Regional Division schools.
Taking second place in the 2A division was F.G. Miller.
The championship race took place on Oct. 21 at Rundle Park in Edmonton. The weather for the race was ideal, with temperatures hovering around the +10 degrees mark, and the sun shinning, said F.G. Miller Coach Jonathan Randall.
“The course was a little different than what we are use to, as it was very open and a couple hills they had there were pretty nasty,” said Randall. “Where we train there are hills, but nothing like that, so it was tough for the kids, but they still did well.”
Randall says the team went into provincials with a pretty heft goal – finishing in the top three. With that goal in mind, the young athletes managed to excel.
“Being second in the province was quite an accomplishment, especially with how small of a 2A school we actually are. The kids worked hard this year, so it was really nice to see them get rewarded like this and a real positive note for our Grade 12s to leave on.”
Randall says he is hopeful that the school will continue to be successful in cross-country running next year, despite losing from of its Grade 12 athletes.
“We are losing some strong runners, but gaining some (that are) moving in to high school as well.”
Taking the top spot in the 2A category was Strathmore-Tweedsmuir. Ashmong Secondary also competed in the 2A category, finishing in 15th place out of 57 schools.
Also finishing near the top of the overall standings was SPERD’s largest school – St. Paul Regional High – competing in the 3A category. The team also went to the championship event with a goal to compete hard and finish near the top of the standings.
The Saints managed to place fourth out of 60 3A schools in the province. Coming in first in the 3A category was Lethbridge Collegiate.
“We are really proud of our students,” said Regional coach Hank Smid, following the event. “Our best finish was Dustin Dubrule who got 30th. Our best female finish was Hannah Faucher who got 83rd.”
Overall, Regional finished in eleventh place out of all schools in the province, said Smid.
Competing in the 1A category was Mallaig School. Last year, while a number of schools opted not to attend cross-country provincials, a group of Mallaig students and their families weathered a winter storm to compete in Cochrane, and brought home the school’s tenth consecutive 1A provincial championship.
This year, that streak was broken, and the school finished in 15th place in the 1A division.
Also competing in the same category was Two Hills School (39th place), and Glendon School (42nd place). This year’s 1A champion was Breton.
