The Lake Orion High School cross country teams started their season on Aug. 25, running in the Rochester Adams Invitational.
No teams scores were kept, but returning Orion senior Rob Shinouskis finished second overall, with a time of 16:55.
Returning senior Drew Collette finished in seventh place, with a time of 17:26.
For the girls team, returning senior Sara Lieblein finished in sixth place, with a time of 20:33.
Boys Cross Country
The Dragon boys return an experienced group of seniors this year, with 35 runners on the team.
Besides Shinouskis and Collette, Lake Orion also returns seniors Jayson Lawton, Max Hock, Kyle Lawton, Colin Motley, and Matt DuFresne.
‘They’ve had a great summer,? boys coach Stan Ford said of his returning group. ‘They are in real good shape.?
Ford said he also has a lot of promising freshmen on the team this year.
‘We have 11 freshmen this year,? he said. ‘There will be a lot of competition for them to break into varsity.?
Ford said the team is looking forward to the season ahead, after finishing second in OAA I to Bloomfield Hills Lahser last year.
‘We finished first in the regional, and seventh in the state finals,? said Ford.
He said last year’s team had less returning runners, and that summer runs held on Monday and Thursday nights this year were well-attended.
‘We had about 34 boys and girls attending each one,? Ford said.
The team hasn’t set too many goals for themselves just yet this season, but they know they will be seeing Lahser at the league and county meets this year.
‘We’d like to give them a run for their money,? said Ford. ‘We hope to repeat as league champions.?
Ford said Rochester graduated heavily since last season, and that Rochester Adams is returning with a stronger team.
‘I don’t have any injuries…they know they should do well,? he said. ‘We have lots of depth.
‘I think our depth will be our strength,? Ford added. ‘We’ll be able to absorb an injury here and there.?
Girls Cross Country
Lieblein and Kat Kline return as the sole seniors on the Dragon girls varsity, while seniors Sarah Cummings, Heather Widgren and Marilyn Colt will be on the junior varsity squad.
Junior Renee Reilly also returns to the team, after being out last season with a knee injury.
Other returners are sophomores Dana Prainito and Christine Widgren.
Coach Debi Sherman said the five seniors will be the cross country captains.
‘They’ve all put in four years,? she said. ‘We have six freshmen on the team this year.?
The girls cross country currently has 28 girls this season, although Sherman believes she will end up with closer to 30-31.
‘Last year, we had 22 on the team,? she said. ‘But we only ran 14.?
Sherman said right now, everyone returning is healthy.
‘Our returning girls went to a lot of camps over the summer, Sara Lieblein attended two herself,? she said.
‘They’ve told me they’ve run (over the summer), and I can tell.?
Sherman said she sees this season primarily as a rebuilding year.
‘We graduated our top three runners,? she said. ‘Last year, we won two meets and finished fifth in the league.
‘It wasn’t what we were hoping for, with injuries? said Sherman. ‘This year, we’ll look to increase our record and stay healthy.?
In the league, Clarkston will be tough, and Troy Athens was strong last year, she said.
‘One runner can make the difference,? Sherman said. ‘Some didn’t get to race last year, so they’re nervous, but they are ready.?