BAKER — It can’t be easy fielding a team sometimes for Baker School cross country coach Sherry Brewer.
Cross country is a fall sport, and in Gator Country football is king for the boys and volleyball is queen for the girls.
But Brewer isn’t complaining as her Gator girls are one of the favorites to win the District 1-1A championship next week and the Baker boys are showing improvement.
The meet will take place Oct. 30 at Blackman Speedway with the girls running at 4 p.m. followed by the boys at 4:45.
Brewer’s face lights up when she talks about the girls team led by seventh grader Maya Espinosa.
“We are doing great this year,” she said. “We have high expectations of making it all the way to the state meet with Maya leading the team.”
Brewer said Alexis Havens and Ivy Findley are young runners that are having strong years as well.
With a team filled with young runners it’s important to have upperclassmen that will help show the way. Brewer said that’s where juniors Anna Scott and Sierra Brannon play an important role on the team.
“They (Scott and Brannon) are strong leaders, although their times aren’t as low as they would like them right now,” Brewer said. “They will try to get them (their times) down before the regional meet.”
Brewer admitted that the younger runners doing well might have caused some resentment early in the season, but now everything is falling into place.
“They understand they need the faster girls to come in.” she said. “And they want to go into their junior and senior years competing on the state level because we haven’t gotten past regional yet.”
Although the Gator girls have risen to the top of the pack, the Baker boys have yet to hit their stride.
“My boys are struggling right now,” Brewer said. “But they did take first in the Paxton meet.”
Gregory Chaitha, a freshman, has emerged as the top Gator boy. Cole Roper, an eighth grader, is not far behind Chaitha.
Brewer said first-year runner Isaac Kimbrell has provided a spark for the team.
“Isaac Kimbrell is a junior,” she said. “He just joined the team this year and has been a superstar for us coming in.”
Ian Espinosa, who came to the team after finishing junior varsity football, and Tyrone Adams, who recently joined the team, provide some depth for the Baker boys.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Youth well served on Baker cross country team