Over the Weekend, Northside’s Cross-Country Team went down to Saluda Shoals Park to
support Leo’s Pride, a non-profit organization that works to be inclusive and one of their biggest projects is Leo’s landing (an adaptable playground at Saluda Shoals Park) that is accessible for all children/individuals. The organization was founded in honor of Leo Bugenske, the son of Leo’s Pride co-founders Adam and Meredith Bugenske. Leo was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
The team members were divided up and raced head to head against one another in the Leo’s Pride Virtual 5K. The team was broken up into two teams consisting of five runners on one team and four on the other. The team wearing their black uniforms consisted of Kendall
Murray, William Cochrane, Natalie Walke, Madison Gause, and Chloe Jones. The team wearing their red uniforms consisted of Noah Greene, Ella Jeffrey, Bayleigh Womack, Trenton Manzi, and Coach (Jake) Turner. Kendall Murray, William Cochrane, and Natalie Walke helped their team coast to an easy victory in the head to head matchup. The trio took the top three spots in the race, and received medals for their outstanding efforts. Murray finished in 1st place with a time of 21:56. Cochrane finished in 2nd place with a time of 22:46, while Walke finished 3rd by posting a time of 23:19, her best time of the season. Madison Gause finished 5th overall with a time of 23:58, and Chloe Jones finished with a time of 25:27, her best of the season while finishing 6th overall.
Bayleigh Womack led NCA’s other team at the virtual meet, and while Womack raced well,
finishing with a time of 23:22 and a 4th place finish overall, she and teammate Trenton Manzi
who finished 7th overall with a time of 27:35 were the only members of the team able to
complete the 5K.
A few parents and other students jumped in to join in on the run or help the team in various
ways, while Leo and his family participated in the event as well!
More information about Leo’s Pride can be found here: https://www.leospride.org/
The team will wrap-up their season this coming Saturday, October 30th when they compete in the State Meet at Heathwood Hall. The Girls are scheduled to start at 10:45 A.M., with the Boys following at approximately 11:25 A.M. The SCISA 2A State Championship Meet will conclude with an Awards Ceremony on the football field at 12:00 P.M.
