Demons to take on WACO cross-country runners

WASHINGTON ? After WACO?s cross-country program was cut as part of an effort to slash the budget, the school will send its runners to Washington this fall.

?Our board dropped our cross-country program, so we were looking for a program to take on our girls,? WACO athletic director Chad Edeker said. ?It gives our upperclassmen a chance to compete, and the younger kids can run JV or maybe step up and help the varsity, too, depending on how they do.?

In the spring, the WACO school board made $300,000 worth of budget cuts, and the cross-country team was eliminated. But WACO still had runners who wanted to compete.

?I?m just glad they found a place,? Edeker said. ?We had four girls who wanted to run, and you hate not giving them an opportunity.?

WACO needed another school not only to take on its runners, but also the extra fees involved.

Washington will not provide the transportation from Wayland to Washington, but will take care of everything else.

?They?ll have to get to Washington to run,? Washington athletic director Bryce Smeins said. ?We?ll provide the uniforms and all that.?

Edeker said that there may be more than four WACO girls who end up running at Washington ? a couple more high schoolers have shown some interest, as well as a few girls in junior high.

The situation seems to be a win-win for both schools. WACO?s runners now have an opportunity to compete, and the Washington cross-country team now has a deeper squad.

?It gives the WACO girls a chance to run and helps our numbers,? Smeins said. ?I think it?s a good situation for both schools.?

?We?ll add some new blood to the program,? Washington head cross-country coach Steve Roth said. ?WACO?s traditionally had a good track and field program.?

Along with cross-country, WACO?s golf team was cut for the upcoming year. Edeker has been talking with Smeins about sending WACO?s golfers to Washington next spring as well.