The 1998 runner-up in the state for the 4A has faced some tough challenges this season. Despite graduating their top two runners, Brian Major and Casey Issac, the team was quite optimistic. With a great coach and three very talented runners Hernando looked to return as one of the powers in the new 2A.
Thus far in the season, however, everything that could go wrong has. First it was David Wilkins, last year's three man behind the two seniors. Early in the summer it was found that he would probably not be able to run until at least the second nine weeks due to grades. Later events confirmed the fact that Wilkins would not be wearing a cross country uniform at all this season.
Then word came that Joel Tierson, who was projected to be a sub-16:00 runner this year, would be out for a substantial ammount of time and probably the season with an ankle injury. The season started to look bleak, and Hernando dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in anyone's memory. Yesterday John Emmerson, Hernando's ace and ranked 13th in the just released 2A ZONE Poll, fell with an injury of his own. The star runner was forced to go to the hospital after he broke his foot in a pickup game of football. And his year is done.
In all likelihood Hernando will not be found in the next ZONE Poll of the top 16 in the 2A. Can we however count the team out for the season? As a top 5 challenger, I would say yes.. however they are not done. Andrew Sufficoul will move to the team's 1-man position, he is a talented runner who if all goes well could find himself under or around 16:30. Backing him up are Chad Watson, Adam Boyer, Mike Lemmerman and Robbie Pritz. The new Hernando top five will have a lot of work to do to make up for these incredible losses but don't count them out entirely of the state picture.