Richards Wrap

The Richards High School cross country teams have been training diligently. But through mid-September, the squads had not competed. “We’re having fewer meets. Meets were kind of hard to come by,” said Travis Tennison, athletic director who oversees the teams. “We were looking for meets all summer.” Five boys return from last year’s team that finished fifth among 14 schools in the UIL 1A Region 4 Championship. Junior Ryan Wrobleski led the Panthers by placing 24th in the regional 5,000-meter run and has returned. Other returners include seniors Noah Bay and Tanner McCarty and juniors Elijah Bay and Liam Wilson. Two juniors and two freshmen make up the girls roster. Tennison said the runners have been training Monday through Thursday. He said they run on time, such as 20 or 25-minute runs, not mileage. “They’re running hard,” he said. “They’re doing a good job.” GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: The Lady Panthers improved their record to 10-8, including 2-2 in the district, by beating Dime Box 3-0 on Sept. 21. Alayna Francis led the team with five kills and three service aces, while Cadence Nance had five aces and three kills. Adison Hawthorne had four kills and Abigail Fletcher three aces. The junior high team also beat Dime Box. Eighthgrade setter Abigail Bay and eighth grader Joleigh Ellis led their come-from-behind victory. In addition, volleyball coach Bobby Conner said he assembled a group of freshmen to compete in a Sept. 18 tournament in Navasota. Richards won the freshman tournament, he said, defeating Huntsville, Navasota and Giddings.