The boys and girls cross country teams placed second and fourth respectively in the Golden Grizzlies Invite on Aug. 31. The Golden Grizzlies invite is a four-kilometer race hosted annually by Oakland University to begin the cross country season. Seniors Lauren Fulcher and Donald O’Keefe finished first for Troy and sixth and fifth respectively in the whole race. Fulcher is satisfied with the results given the point in the season.

“I think the race went pretty well,” she said. “It takes a few races to actually get into a good rhythm for me, but I was happy with how the race went.”

O’Keefe, however, wishes he would have raced a bit differently.

“My time was a little slower than I wanted, but I was constantly passing people the entire race,” he said. “The only thing I would do differently is pushed the pace the last 800, but otherwise, it was a good race.”

The girls team placed first in the state last year with graduates Megan Worrel, Hannah Palomino and Meghan Monaghan leading the squad. This year, Fulcher is hoping to lead the team in maintaining a good standing after losing nearly half their varsity squad. Fulcher also wants to test her abilities.

“I’ve only competed in one cross country season so I’m really looking forward to seeing where another year of experience will take me,” she said.

O’Keefe, on the other hand, has more quantitative goals for the boys team. Last year, the Colts placed twenty-first in the state. This year, they hope to be in the top eight. O’Keefe himself wants to beat the school five-kilometer record of 15:22.9 and qualify for Nike Cross Nationals, a meet where the top twenty teams in the nation compete, or Foot Locker Cross Country Championships as an individual.

The Colts’ first five-kilometer race is on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at Troy High.