Challenger

10-mile runs once a week. Gut-wrenching practic held in 95 degree weather. A summer taken over by a sport of fatigue and perspiration in place of the usual beach-trips and everyday stops for pleasurable, greasy junk food to Sonic and McDonalds. Sound like the ideal summer fun to you?

Yeah....didn't think so. Well, for a seldom few here at Apollo, this is the normal teenage summer they enjoy, and they have definite reason to.
Cross-country season is something only the tough-minded , extremely hard working athletes can physically and mentally endure. To be physically fit to compete and be a great cross-country runner, you're forced to make several tough sacrifices that would be difficult for almost all teengagers to make. Runners are forced to eat extremely healthy during the season to stay in top physical shape. Also, runners can drink none to very limited amounts of soft drinks and caffeine for the fear of dehydration. Friday night weekends are strictly forbidden by coaches from partying or staying awake late hours, s o that the runners can get a surplus amount of rest for the early morning races on Saturday.

So far, the Eagles have proved to be very successful, especially considering the typical top five runners are made up of one senior, one junior, and three freshmen. A combination as mixed as that can sometimes lead to an overload of competitiveness and tear a team apart. But Apollo has stayed true to the blue and has come out in high standings in every meet ran thus far.

At the Daviess County Invitational, the weather was humid and stale, but it didn't keep senior Mitch Sharber from an impressive 46th place finish in a large field of 198 runners. Sharber ran a 19:02 time to lead Apollo. Following was freshman Chris Stodghill with a 48th place finish and a great effort for the last 800 yards to come from behind. Also placing for the team was junior Josh Broadley (68th), freshman Todd Dickinson (75th) and junior Rob Gleason (76th). Apollo placed 11th as a team with 272 points.
The next weekend, the boys traveled to Madisonville to compete and came home much more satisfied with a third place team effort. Leading the Eagles was freshmen Tyler Dickinson (11th) and Stodghill (15th). Sharber placed 17th while Todd Dickinson came in 23rd. Junior Rob Gleason ran to finish 33rd.

The Eagles placed 4th at the Owensboro Invitational with Sharber regaining his top spot for the team with his impressive 7th place finish. Tyler Dickinson ran well, placing 8th, followed right behind with Stodghill's 9th place finish. Todd Dickinson was 20th and Gleason was 24th.

Seniors Nathan Crabtree and Justin Shwartz and junior Justin Bratcher round out the rest of Apollo's team.

The E-gals cross-country team has also had an impressive season so far. Lead by freshman Ashlee Brown, the girls have a great chance to see many positive results happen from all the hard work and dedication they've put into the season so far. Junior Makenzie West and seniors Christina Stodghill and Beth Ewing have also proven themselves competitive in every meet with their lowered times and great work ethic.
At the Daviess County meet, Apollo came in fourth place. Brown led the team with a fifth place finish in a time of 16:24. West placed an impressive 13th place and Ewing and Stodghill ran neck and neck with 26th and 27th places. Senior Sheridan Johnson came in 42nd.

At Madisonville, the E-gals ran very well earning second place and placing three runners in the top twenty racers. Brown ran for 4th, while West placed 9th and Stodghill finished 18th. At the Owensboro Invitational, the E-gals, lacking their number one runner, overcame the barrier and placed third as a team. Beth Ewing stepped up and placed seventh with a time of 22.00. Stodghill came in 14th to edge herself in the top 15, while West ran 16th closely behind.

The city-county invitational is almost here, so come and support your Apollo runners!