Ravenscroft cross country
Ravens seek conference XC title
Ravenscroft cross country coach Leslie Payne has set the bar high for her girls' program this fall, predicting the Lady Ravens are capable of success on the state level.
"We should make quite a statement in the state this year," the coach explained prior to a Ravenscroft practice last week.. "Wesley Frazier, a freshman, should contend for a state championship this fall, and the rest of the team has a lot of potential."
The Lady Ravens lost only two runners to graduation from last year, and with Frazier and stellar sophomore Lexy Bader leading the way, the team has plenty of capable athletes.
"Depth should not be a problem with us," Payne said. "We have a lot of girls who are around the same amount, and we should have a good top seven."
Frazier, who owns a personal record around 17:40, will be the Lady Ravens' No. 1 runner, and maybe the best in the North Carolina. With the types of finishes she puts up, she will be on everyone's radar by the end of the season.
"I think she will definitely make a name earlier on," the coach said. "She would have been Top 3 in state last year, and maybe No. 1."
Pairing with Frazier is Bader, who returns after a fantastic freshman season, placing eighth in the state meet. Payne believes Bader is just scratching at her potential, too.
"I really look for her to move up," the coach said, adding Bader had an outstanding track season as well.
With usual conference forerunners Cary Academy and Durham Academy likely depleted due to graduation loses, Ravenscroft could be the league favorite.
Though the two academies, plus North Raleigh Christian Academy and St. Mary's, shouldn't be overlooked.
"Those teams are not as deep as they have been, so the girls have a great shot at the conference championship," Payne said.
As for states, the coach can only guess at Ravenscroft's chances this early in the season.
"I'd like to say we're in the top 5, but that's without knowing what everybody else has right now," she said. "What we need is some of our other runners to step up and really surprise us. If they could do that, it could really help."
On the boys' side, Ravenscroft likely won't be in conference title contention, despite having a solid group of runners back and making great strides last year.
"We made tremendous growth last year, and the team came back motivated and ready to go," Payne said. "But we are in a really tough conference. Not only do Cary Academy and Durham Academy battle No. 1, No. 2, in conference, they battled No. 1, No. 2 in the state. I'm obviously not going to say we are going to be conference champs because it may not be realistic."
But overlooking the Ravens would be a mistake.
Ravenscroft consists of a solid group of seven runners, who "on any given day, anyone can beat anyone," the coach said.
The runners most likely to be in the lead pack are Marshall Reid and Kyle Kittelberged.
"We graduated just one senior, and these guys have returned with a mission to improve their finish from last year," Payne said. "I'd like to say the Top 8 in the state, but they haven't broken the Top 10."
While a state title might elude Ravenscroft this fall, Payne has set her sights on being a bigger influence locally.
"We want a strong showing in conference," she said. "Last year we had one person make All-Conference, but I expect more this more.
"We want to have more of a presence."
The Ravens kick off their season Thursday, Aug. 20, hosting Cardinal Gibbons and Wake Christian at 5 p.m.
