This is the next part of our series of previews of fall sports. For our other previews, click girls golf, volleyball, tennis, football or softball. Also, make sure to pick up a copy of Issue One of the Lance, which comes out Friday, Sept. 12, for a more in-depth look at new cross country coach Andrew Easton. 

With a new coach, Andrew Easton, the cross country team prepared for the season by running a record total of miles.

“This summer the team collectively ran 7,000 miles,” Easton said. “There hasn’t been a time in school history when that has happened.”

After a season in which Westside lost talented seniors Jordan Wheeler, Max Knight and Stuart Willett, the leadership is now in the hands of current seniors Aaron Duin and Mitchell Cozhair.

“I think the teams ready,” Duin said. “We have a lot of experienced guys from last year, and even though we lost some important people, I think everybody is going to step up as a unit.”

The idea of team unity is going to be an important philosophy for Easton this season.

“For our game plan, we’re really going to want to run as a pack,” Easton said. “As a whole, we need to run well. We don’t really have a guy who can take first place, so our teamwork and cohesion is going to be big.”

The team’s first meet was the Seward meet Thursday, Sept. 4 at Concordia University. The boys won the meet.