As the girls cross country team ran its most difficult meet Saturday, due to the trying course, they finished with freshman Lauren Coleman only three spots away from medaling. Placing 43rd, Coleman feels she still had a successful race, as the course, Sioux Passage, was very hilly.

“[The course] had a lot of hills. It was pretty intense, but I felt like I did good,” Coleman said.

While Coleman felt good about the race, she was also upset because she missed getting a medal by so few spots. Had she known how close the race would have been, Coleman feels she may have put forth more effort before it was too late.

“I was frustrated because if I knew I was so close, I would’ve tried to go faster at the beginning of the race. The hills just killed me,” Coleman said.

As a freshman, Coleman did not expect to be the fastest runner, but she has been the top finisher for the team. Coleman is just one of the four underclassmen on this year’s varsity team.

“I didn’t expect to make to make varsity and I didn’t expect to be the fastest one. I thought that there would be older people that would be faster,” Coleman said.

Coleman’s focus is on advancing past districts, making it to state her freshman year. She feels his will be possible through hard practices and striving to improve at the meets leading up to districts.

“I want to try to really push it at these next two races before GAC’s and make it to state,” Coleman said. “I can try to improve my time so I will make it to state.”