Tallulah Falls School’s cross country program turns the page from the Evan Prince era. Now at the U.S. Naval Academy, Prince was a two-time region champion, and holds the TFS record for best time in cross country meet. The girls also move on from its lone three-time state qualifier in Lucy Alexander.
However, that leaves immediate openings and opportunities for the next great TFS runners.
Aside from Alexander, the girls graduated key runner Caroline Ball from last year’s team. Key returning talents Miranda Chapa and Dani Prince will anchor the team.
“Our overall foundation is always to create a season of significance,” said coach Scott Neal. “The working theme for this season will be ‘Disciplined Fire,’ which portrays a relentless quest to ‘Be Great’ by developing a culture where discipline is a good habit to help each person’s fire grow and be utilized as a source of positive impact and influence. Team leaders will actively create this culture by utilizing distinct leadership opportunities, exploring mountain trails and waterfalls during training runs, bond for lifetime by designing numerous themed practice days and traditions, and to be a light for each other. We strongly believe this engaging process will lead to memories that last a lifetime. This group of girls seems to fuel each other.”
The girls finished third in the region last year, and 13th at the state meet. Entering an all-new Region 8-A Division I, it remains to be seen where TFS fits into that lineup.
The boys, who also were third at region last season with Prince winning individually, were also 13th at state behind Prince’s third-place finish.
The Indians will be led by such runners as Jackson Shadburn, Canon Brooks, and Timothy Beck.
“This team’s focus will be on the moment-to-moment and day-to-day discipline and proactive choice to be uncomfortable in training, in team situations, in taking chances, and in purposeful actions to create intentional outcomes,” said Neal. “The quality of sacrifice – or exchanging things that are worth less for outcomes that are worth more – will be ongoing and led by the runners while in pursuit to see who we can become as a team.”
The TFS teams opened the season with an all-new Gorge to Beach meet hosted by Tallulah Falls on Tuesday after press time, and the annual TFS Quadrathlon at Tallulah Falls beach will be Thursday, Aug. 25.
TFS will host the Gorge to Beach meet, as well as the annual “Cookies ‘n Quotes” meet on Sept. 6, the “TFS Heroes Invitational” on Sept. 24, and the “TFS Harrier Harvest” on Oct. 18. Also, the Region 8-A Division I meet will take place at Tallulah Falls this season.
– Brian Carter