By Kate Taylor, ’11, Contributor

Coach Merle Black certainly has a lot to be excited about this cross country season. Not only have both teams won first place trophies, with a boys team victory at the CCDS Invitational and a girls win at the Goshen Invitational, but he is also coaching two of the most talented runners in the city: Alanah Hall, ’11, and Kyle Kistinger, ’12. Both Kistinger and Hall won the Goshen Invitational, with Hall helping to bring home the trophy for the girls team. Further successes include Kistinger’s personal record of 16:48 at the Milford Invitational, and Hall’s second place out of 150 runners at what Coach Black calls the “prestigious” Mason Invitational. Recently, both Hall and Kistinger finished second at the CHCA Invitational. At the same meet Hall also ran a personal record of 19:52.  “It had been one of my goals for the season,” said Hall.

Regarding the rest of the season, Coach Black has said that he “had hoped to win the league, but it looks like Summit is stronger. Hopefully, we can qualify as a team or individually for regionals.” Both Hall and Kistinger hope to qualify for state, a goal into which the two runners are putting their wholehearted efforts. “They are working very hard,” says Coach Black. “They are two highly motivated and talented individuals.” Another goal Hall and Kistinger have set their sights on is competing at the collegiate level. “I would like to run either cross country or track in college,” said Hall.

With such challenging goals ahead of them, Hall and Kistinger will need to practice hard for the upcoming meets. After a first place finish for Hall and a second place finish for Kistinger in the MVC on Oct. 13, the phenomenal duo and the rest of Coach Black’s team is gearing up for an important district championship meet on Oct. 24.

Header photos by Ilana Habib.