Hunter Kelley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Higley High School for AZPreps365.com

Higley High School’s cross country team had 11 runners set new personal bests at the Ojo Rojo Invitational in Chandler on Saturda as the Knights finished fifth among 19 teams.

Of those who set a new personal best, Laci Simmons placed eighth out of 142 runners in the 5K girls varsity run in 20 minutes, 14 seconds.

“It feels really good because I'm not really a cross country runner, like it’s not my main sport, but it feels good to PR and to know the training I did paid off,” Simmons said.

Simmons showed off her athletic abilities on the course despite the fact her main sport is as a sprinter in the 400-meter and 800-meter events during the track and field season.

Simmons found running with her teammate was key in order to have success at the invitational. 

“I like to stay behind our second runner, Grace Whitman," she said. "I like to stay with her or a little behind her and then finish strong.”

Whitman, a sophomore, also a strong finisher, placed 12th with a time of 20:27.

With Simmons and Whitman leading the way, the fifth-place Knights had an average time of 21:18 and finished with 154 points.

Second-year coach,Devin Green keeps his runners prepared with a schedule-based training routine when closing in on race day.

“We work through the week," Green said. "We usually go in two-week cycles. First week we call it our off week. Lot more distance and strength stuff. Going into the second week, we try to speed things back up a little bit, some quick intervals, some quick miles like training fast.” 

For Green the preparation his runners went through ultimately pleased him and he was happy with his team’s performance on Saturday.

“We had a few surprises on our girls race," he said. "Laci Simmons, she's our number one runner right now. She and Grace Whitman have been working really well together. They raced great today, but on the boys side I think everyone in our program just about PR’d today, which is awesome especially this early in the year. We're looking really good so as a team I think we did a really lot of good stuff today.” 

All four freshmen boys were among those who set new personal bests in Saturday’s meet: Ethan Morgan with a time of 21:14; Bronson Sluiter with a time of 21:31; Spencer Pospisil with a time of 22:25; and Donovan Flowers with a time of 24:47.

Higley cross country teams will compete next on Sept. 27 at the Nike Desert Twilight XC Festival at the Grande Sports Complex in Casa Grande.