Bell runners aim to improve on 2014’s ‘average’ season
The Beatles once sang, “Get back to where you once belonged.”
That’s what the L.D. Bell girls cross country team has in mind as it begins the 2015 season. After reaching the regional meet from 2009-2013, the Lady Raiders missed making the trip a year ago, though they did have an individual qualifier in Araya Fetters.
She is now a senior, and as she seeks to make a fourth straight trip to regionals, Fetters is hoping to once again take her team with her.
“I would describe last year as an average season, neither boys team or girls team had a stellar year as a team, but we were not a bad team either,” said Gerald Smith, who is entering his 23rd year as cross country and track coach at Bell.
“The past couple of years have seen us trying to develop new runners at the varsity level.”
Along with Fetters, the Lady Raiders return sophomore Madelynn Plauche and junior Mikaela Firasek.
Despite qualifying for regionals, Fetters battled a knee injury much of the season. However, Smith said she is back at 100 percent and ready to begin her final high school season.
Plauche narrowly missed joining her at regionals. She finished 12th in her first district meet. Firasek qualified for regionals as a freshman and did not run cross country last season, but has rejoined the team.
Boys returning runners include juniors Colton Sizemore and Liam Leonard, along with senior Nick Hinojosa.
“All three were getting their first taste at running at the varsity level last year,” said Smith. “Now they know what to expect and we are expecting them to step up to the next level.”
Among those runners developing are some subvarsity competitors who could find their way to the varsity this season, Smith said.
“Only having three runners on both the boys and girls varsity teams returning this year, I am sure hoping we have some kids step up to make an impact,” he said.
“For the girls, I’m impressed by freshmen Alexis Cortez and Haven Sizemore. Makenzie Reeves (senior) has also worked hard over the summer, so I’m hoping she can make the jump to the varsity level.
“For the boys, freshman Eddie Villarreal has looked strong. We have several other young men who are pretty close together right now, so I’m waiting to see who is going to step out of the pack.”
As in all sports, Bell competes in one of the toughest districts to be found, 7-6A. The region is also perhaps the toughest in the state.
The 2014 boys individual state champion, David Strome, was from Colleyville Heritage. The boys state champion team was Southlake Carroll.
The girls state team champion came from Region I, Lewisville Hebron.
“This is one tough district. If you can be successful in District 7-6A, you are going to do very well at the regional and/or state meets,” Smith said. “There are teams that won’t make it out of the district meet in 7-6A that could possibly win a lot of other districts.
“I would say Region 1 is among the two toughest in the state.”
One major thing that has kept Smith’s program competitive over the years is a strong corps of participants each year, and this year is no different.
“We consistently have good numbers of kids participating in cross country, so that gives you the opportunity to develop runners,” he said. “I am proud that we field competitive teams and keep a large number of kids involved in the sport.”
This story was originally published August 17, 2015 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Bell runners aim to improve on 2014’s ‘average’ season."