Since the season’s inception in June, NC’s cross country team has trained through blood, sweat, and tears for one event: November 8th’s state meet in Carrollton, Georgia. The varsity boys team, which qualified at Regions on October 29th, competed with unmatched dedication as they braved the hills of Carrollton High School.

The team of seven set lofty goals for the race, but nerves and the topography of the course affected the boys’ pace. Official times ranged from 17:40 to 18:50. Forerunners from North Cobb included junior Stephan Gardener and seniors Nick Nasr, Jordan Wehner, and Josh Wehner.

After the race, choruses of “I’m so proud” and “Why do I do this to myself” rang throughout North Cobb’s tent.

Assistant coach John Huff offered the team words of wisdom after the race.

“Don’t be upset. Take this experience, put it behind you, and move on,” he said.

Five of the seven varsity boys are seniors, meaning Saturday marked their last high school cross country meet.

Nasr stayed positive through the bittersweet end: “This was one of those races where I realized the gravity of the situation. I wouldn’t race again as a North Cobb Warrior, and I told myself about a thousand times before the race that I’m racing for God first and foremost, and I’m racing for my team. If I didn’t finish that race feeling like I contributed enough to make us do well, then I hadn’t succeeded, and I think I did that.”

Though the girls varsity team did not qualify for state, they attended the race and cheered on the boys with homemade posters adorned with encouraging phrases for each of the boys, including “Caleb is a lean, mean running machine” and “All it takes is all you’ve got.”

The end of the season also signifies the end of Coach Massey’s successful first year of managing. She took over the program after former coach David Stephenson retired for more time with his family. Since the beginning of the season, Massey has supported all of the runners and pushed them to new heights.

Massey finished the meet by giving the team a pep-talk on the bus ride home: “I know that we did not come out with what we expected, but I want you to appreciate this time now. Never again will you be on a bus with some of your favorite people all stuck together. When you move on and you go to college, things change and it will never be exactly the same as right now. Even though today wasn’t the best, I want you to enjoy right now.”