The Freed-Hardeman Cross Country teams opened their season with the men’s team finishing first and the women’s team finishing second place at UT Southern Athletic Complex on Friday August 2.
Freshman Carter Welch, from Chester County High School, started his collegiate athletic career strong at the Firehawk Invitational as he led the pack in the men’s first-place finish. He won first place in the meet overall with a time of 17:13.
Senior Matthew Ray would take the second podium position after Carter in the meet. He was followed by freshman Blake Brown and junior Nathan Mangram who finished sixth and seventh in the race. The fifth finisher for Freed-Hardeman’s team would be Bo Scott who finished seventeenth overall in the race.
The women’s team also had a great day with a second-place team win overall. The Lady Lions’ total team time was 1:56:07 just six seconds slower than the total team time of Bethel (Tenn.) University who won the Firehawk Invitational first place team finish.
Sophomore Zena Dorris would take the second podium position, and freshman Eliza Poe would take the third position overall in the race for Freed-Hardeman. Freshman Megan Lampley finished fourth in the race followed by junior Allison Walker who finished tenth overall. The fifth finisher for the Freed-Hardeman team was Elizabeth McKeeby.
