October 1st marked the end of the regular season meets for the Ord Chanticleer cross-country program. The 2026 season has been nothing short of great for all areas. Head Coach Jackson Barnes said, “We have one of the largest groups of athletes running cross-country this year, with thirty-one total runners! Not only do we have phenomenal numbers, but we also have a core of experienced runners combined with talented newcomers. Our high school programs are looking to do something that has not been done for the program since the early 2010s, and that is to have both boys' and girls' teams finish in the top 10 rankings of the state. This was something the teams decided they wanted to do before the first day of practice in early August.” The program is looking forward to their final guaranteed meet at district on October 15th in Neilgh (Antelope Country Club). “We are starting to cut back mileage for the runners so by the day of districts, we will have the freshest and fastest legs possible.”
The girls program is led by four-time letter winner and returning state qualifier Avery Bruha. Bruha has medaled in the top 10 at almost every meet this year, and looks to not only beat her state mark, but to do so with a full team behind her. Following close behind Bruha are sophomores Daisy Shafer and Claire Petska, both of whom have also medaled at almost every meet this year. “These top three have been amazing this year. Avery has devoted her entire junior-high and high-school career to this program, and she is running better than I have ever seen her. Claire is coming off a solid freshman season that was cut short with an injury, but she put in a lot of work this summer and is excited to get her chance to run in the postseason. Daisy has been an incredible addition to this year’s team. She has not only demonstrated a natural talent for cross-country, but also a competitive drive. Rounding out the varsity squad are freshmen Piper Zangger and Evie Weber. “Piper and Evie have shown massive improvement throughout the season and have rounded out the scoring core for the girls at the first part of this season.” The girls' team is also made up of junior Kenna Hernandez, sophomore Macy Sitz, sophomore Brennan Littrell, and senior Sophie Zangger. “Kenna has joined the cross-country team this year and has shown great talent from her track career. Kenna’s season has not been as we have hoped. She ran great in our first meet and medaled right behind Claire, but constant injuries have taken her out of the majority of the season. Macy has started to become more confident in her ability, and we have seen evident changes in her performances in both practice and meets. Brennan is a new face to the program as well and has pushed herself farther than she thought. Sophie has also had a season with a number of injuries that we have had to face, but she continues to show up to practice and work through these obstacles.”
The high-school boys program has returned every runner from last year and has added a handful of new faces. The boys team is led by sophomore Finn Reilly, sophomore James Piskiorski and senior Gavin Whited.. “These three boys have anchored our scoring core all season, and the gap between them has started to shrink. All three have shown what the combination of talent and work ethic can do to a performance.” Finishing the varsity roster off are juniors Jaxson Sanders and Kyptan Scheideler. “These two boys have given so much for the program this year. They both ran the most miles over the summer and have matured as runners. They have bought into the process of training and doing what needs to be done for the team to thrive.” Junior Jacob Medina, sophomore Max Waterman, junior Mason Bauer, freshman Bond Blair, and freshman Quentin Lansman round out the entire boys program. “Jacob and Max keep improving in practice, and it is going to be nice to see what they can do with fresh legs when the final meet rolls around. Mason is another new face to the program. He decided to join after he ran distance events in track this last spring. He has shown tremendous support for the team and continues to show that there is more in him than he thinks. Bond and Quentin ran cross-country in junior high and had success, and it has been a pleasure having them on the team. As they mature and become more confident with the distance, they are going to be important in the future years.”
In closing, Coach Barnes said the following, “This has been one of the most fun seasons I have had the privilege to coach. This team has a lot of great qualities that reach far beyond the sport. The coaching staff is excited to see what this crew does at districts and, hopefully, the state meet, but we want the community of Ord to know that no matter what the outcome is, we will represent our home with pride and grit! We would not be who we are without your support!”