Capping an unusual and drastically shortened season, high school athletes from Southern Arizona will drive up Interstate 10 Thursday and Friday for the much anticipated cross country state championships.
In past years, the state meet has taken place in Phoenix on a Saturday and drawn large crowds, with hundreds of runners, coaches and family members turning out for the event.
But like most things in 2020, this year’s race will look quite a bit different.
The state meet has been moved to Crossroads Park in Gilbert, where it will take place Thursday and Friday. Divisions I and III will compete Thursday, and Divisions II and IV will run Friday.
The top one-third of the state’s cross country teams made the cut this year, down from the usual 50%, as did all runners who qualified as individuals. The crowd will be greatly diminished, too; each runner has been given two wristbands for parents or friends who want to watch them compete.
Runners have mixed emotions about the big race.
“I’m feeling nervous, but also very excited,” said Tucson High sophomore Briana Levengood, who is making the trip to state as an individual. “We have all worked very hard to get to state and I am very grateful that I’ve made it.”
Levengood is one of two Badgers runners to qualify for state. Junior Joseph Moreno also made the cut.
Tucson High girls coach Bridget Barber is excited to cheer on Levengood and Moreno, though she’ll be attending the race in a different capacity: Proud parent. Barber’s son, Rincon/University senior Jonah Barber, will also be competing as an individual.
“I’m grateful I can finish my cross country season after four years at the state meet, especially under the given circumstances,” Jonah Barber said. “I’m nervous for the race, especially since it will be cold, but also determined to place high.”
Jonah Barber said he’s thankful to his coach, parents and teammates for helping him to make it to this point.
Bridget Barber is feeling good about the race, both for her students and her son.
“It’s always really exciting to see the best runners in the state,” she said. “It’s a really quick race, and the hard thing is to get the kids to realize that this is it, and really don’t leave anything in the tank.”
Tucson High took part in sectionals at Crossroads last week, giving them a chance to try out the course. Crossroads includes asphalt, playing fields, a boat ramp and a dusty, desert area.
“It has every type of surface,” Bridget Barber said.
“It’s not super hilly, but there’s lots of little rolling hills that your legs have to be ready for.”
The competition this year will be fierce. Still, runners and their coaches are just grateful simply to have had the chance.
“It wasn’t our normal season,” Bridget Barber said, “but we had a season.”
