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Bernie runners fare well at C1D1 Meet, continue on to State
Following a one-year hiatus, the Bernie High School boy’s cross country squad is returning to the MSHSAA Class 1 Cross Country State Finals on Friday.
The Mules advanced with a third-place finish in Saturday’s MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 Meet at the Arcadia Valley Sports Complex.
“This year,” first-year Mule head coach Curtis Miller said of his boys, “it seems like they are a closer team. “Going into this season, we had talked about (advancing to state). I tried to motivate them and all of them wanted it. They wanted to do well, so all year, we have made that a focus.”
The Mule boy runners won’t be alone.
Bernie junior girl runner, Ella Harris, won the District championship, so she will compete at State, as well.
The Mule boys were paced by a pair of sophomores, as Hunter Massey placed fourth and Cane Hobgood took sixth overall.
“Hunter has drive,” Miller said. “He wants to be good. At every practice, he goes for it. There is not a practice where he doesn’t strive to do well.”
The Mules also got good runs from seniors Taven Owens (11th) and Cade Arnold (24th).
Owens competed at the State Meet as a junior and placed 109thoverall while Hobgood has burst upon the Bootheel running scene.
“This is Cane’s first year running cross country,” Miller said. “Honestly, at the beginning of the year, he really didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to act. As this season progressed, he just kept getting better.
“He has a natural talent for it.”
Having the proper mindset has been a requirement for the Mules. With Bernie being a smaller school, its athletic base is limited. The same kids needed on the cross country squad are also needed on the volleyball team and even in fall baseball. To accompany everyone, the Mules practice before school at 6 a.m. and then compete in other sports after school.
“It takes a special kid,” Miller said of his athletes. “And especially, a special kid to do this well. I’m just happy when I have them and we work hard whenever we can.”
Harris fits that “special” category.
The junior has won five consecutive races and is returning to the State Meet for the third consecutive autumn.
“Ella has always been a good runner,” Miller said, ‘and she has quite a bit of talent.”
Freshman Alisyn Simpson placed 28th on Saturday.
Harris placed 12th at the State Meet as a freshman and 18th last fall. Miller noticed a change in her, however, midway through this season.
“About halfway through this year,” Miller said, “she really became focused on getting better. Her confidence during these last few weeks has just skyrocketed.”
The third-place finish was a program best in program history for the boys.
Bernie’s girl’s roster also includes sophomore Kylie Allen while the boy’s roster includes sophomores Creed and Braxton Arnold.
The girl’s race on Friday will be at 9:45 a.m. with the boy’s running at 11:15 a.m.