BY BRIAN COOTE

Half way through their season, the boys and girls cross country team held its senior celebration on September 19. Due to COVID-19, what usually would be senior night became a senior celebration before a meet to honor the seniors. 

Before the meet, underclassmen arrived at Wadsworth’s home course to hang senior banners on the tents and then created a tunnel. Once seniors arrive, they spray paint their names onto the start line. Then the seniors were lined up and walked through the tunnel, escorted by their parents.

“Walking through a tunnel of your friends and teammates was a really nice sendoff,” said Laney Corell, a cross country senior. “This wasn’t what we have usually done in the past but it was a great substitute.” 

 As they walked through, coaches announced each senior’s plans after high school and favorite memory that they have made at cross country. 

“My favorite memories were the times I ran with Brian and Elijah on the horse trail with all the leaves falling,” said Cole Points, cross country senior. “It has been a great four years and it’s nice to reminisce on all the memories we have made.”  

After the ceremony, each senior got a picture with their parents and a cross country blanket with their last name on it. After the celebration, the boys team started to stretch and get ready for one of their last meets on their home course. Right before the race, the boys team spread out into a circle and did a pre-race chant. 

“Getting the team to come together and hype each other up before a race is one of the best experiences,” said Ryan Sieber, cross country senior. “Being a senior means you get to lead and it’s amazing firing up the underclassmen. 

Shortly after the boys race, the girls team got into a huddle and got energized to music and then headed to the start line. 

Wadsworth competed against Cuyahoga Falls and both boys and girls won boys 23-28 and girls 15-50 to finish out the senior celebration.