The Lone Tree Cross Country team lost a lot of numbers from graduation but bring back some strong leaders.

On the girl’s side the Lions lose state qualifier Ella Feldman, along with two others, but do bring back track stand out Julie Wehmeyer, Paige Dohrman and Allie Heitman. On the boy’s side, they also lose about half of their team, but bring back Jacob Quigley and Carson Simonsen to help out.

Lone Tree head coach Caylon Devaul said this first meet will be a good tester, but come mid-season his team is going to be really conditioned and ready to go.

“[We have] three full weeks to get kids kind of prepared, I’d like to say that we would have worked on a lot of pacing by then, but we won’t have, it is just not enough time,” Devaul said. “I hope to see some good things, I think we’re going to see some good things, but come mid, toward the end of September we’re going to be in shape and we’re going to be ready to attack conference and districts.”

Lone Tree starts things off with the IMS early bird meet on September 3, and will run four more meets in September. On October 1 the Lions will go up to Iowa City West for a meet, and will take a day off before the WMU meet on October 3.

Lone Tree will run conference at WMU on October 10, and regionals on October 24.