Cross county season starts

The Mountain Home Tiger cross country team opens its season Friday at the Camelsback Invitational at Camelsback Park in Boise.

The Tiger thinclads ran at a non-scored Mud Run in Firth last Saturday.

Tiger cross country coach Doug Root is pleased with the turnout he has for cross country this season.

"We've got 35 kids out, counting about three football players that say they're going to run with us. They won't be running with us these first couple weeks -- but after that, they should be working with us."

The Mountain Home's girls cross country team has qualified for state the past two seasons. Root says he's missing some of those athletes this season, but still feels good about his girls team.

"We've got four of the girls coming back this year who've been on the last two state qualifying teams, so I expect them to be fairly good," the coach said. "We've got three slots to fill for our varsity, but we've got some kids that are coming up and improving."

Coach Root remains equally optimistic about the quality of his boys squad.

"It's really hard to say, just running against ourselves in practice, but right now I'm very pleased.

"Mike Price is running well, and we have a kid named Jeremy Wusso, who's doubling in soccer, but he's going to help us out, and right now I think our boys, with what we have coming back, I think we're going to be very good."

Coach Root expects a big test at Friday's Camelsback Invitational.

"That'll be a tough race. Last year we dominated it, but this year Mountain View and Rocky Mountain are also going to be there, so it should be a much tougher competition than we had last year."