Cross Country heads into the second half of the season, and optimism about the largely young and inexperienced teams is grow- ing. No wonder. The Musketeers’ boys’ team placed in the top half of Nashville’s 20 team meet Sept. 17, avenging early season losses to seven schools.

Front-runner Eddie Miller showed his teammates the way on the 5K course at Washington County Conservation Lake, dip- ping below a six minute pace per mile for the first time this season. Backing him up was a distinctively young-looking cast: Nick Fehr, Brentyn Brunkhorst, and Issac Miller are all freshmen. Senior Jack Simpson scored as the fifth Musketeer. Sophomore Brandon Voss, regaining his “running legs” after a spring and summer of baseball, was Red Bud’s sixth, and Ethan Summers, yet another freshman, was seventh.

Red Bud’s girls’ team also enjoyed improved performances and placed ninth in the 16 school race. Predictably, Calyn Hart-mann was the top Musketeer finisher (23rd), and Mary Wagner regained her #2 spot, placing 47th, just ahead of teammate Adrienne Vallett at 49th.

The teams return to the Ches ter Invitational today (Thursday) after last year’s absence to ac- ommodate an IHSA change. Another just announced change will send the Musketeer teams to IHSA Regional competition at Freeburg on October 20.

Red Bud’s schedule intensifies the next two weeks, featuring two meets each week. Pinckneyville hosts its invitational Thursday, and the EAWR (individual competition, by class) meet is Saturday. Les Coureurs des Bois is scheduled for Tuesday, October 9 at Fort de Chartres, and the Cahokia Conference Cham-pionship meet is the following Saturday at New Athens. The IHSA state series meets occupy the next three Saturdays.