Photo courtesy of MIFFLIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT Members of last year’s Mifflin County Junior High School cross country team included Craig Whitenight (from left), Anthony Palopoli (back), Colton Leister, Corrine McConahy, Layla Breneman, Bailey Bishop, Andrea Staub, Carys Morgan and James Ketchum.

LEWISTOWN — High school cross country programs throughout the Juniata Valley have excelled over the years.

Despite their successes, those programs have been at a disadvantage because they lacked a junior high cross-country program. Last year, Mifflin County field a team to even the playing field with other schools.

Now, in its second season, the running Huskies are looking for a few good harriers.

“The junior high program’s primary purpose is to prepare runners for the high school teams, introducing them to training and competition,” explained Mifflin County junior high school boys coach Gary Ishler.

“We also want to foster in them a love for running, hoping they’ll discover how it can be both rewarding and fun,” Ishler added.

The Mifflin County junior high school girls squad is coached by Kim Bennett.

“The big thing is giving them more experience so they know what it’s like running against these big schools when they get to high school,” Bennett said.

Previously, the Juniata Valley Striders acted as a feeder program of sorts for the high school program. Not all of the runners joined the Striders, so “this is their first big running experience,” Bennett added.

Most of the other high school programs, including soccer, football and basketball, have junior high teams, creating one for cross country helps to even out the playing field with other schools that Mifflin County faces.

Bennett recalled taking her daughter to different levels for basketball and traveling to youth soccer games for her son.

Last year, the Huskies had six girls and four boys out for the program’s inaugural campaign. Ishler said ideally there should be at least seven runners on each squad.

“Several are now entering ninth grade, so they’re moving up to the high school level,” Ishler said. “Scoring in cross country requires five runners.

“But the sixth and seventh (runners) serve as tie-breakers,” he added. “Last year, other schools were fielding teams of 10 and as many as 20 on both the boys and girls. As with any sport, depth fuels improved competition and performance.”

The bottom line: “The more runners, the better,” Ishler said.

The main difference between high school and junior high races is the two-mile course, as opposed to 3.1-mile courses for high school distances.

The junior high runners do also train through the summer months. Typically, workouts are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8 to 9 a.m. at Mifflin County Middle School, Lewistown. Every other Thursday, the Huskies meet at Indian Valley Elementary Center, Reedsville, to work out on the cross-country course.

“In addition, we also want the kids to run one to two days per week – depending on current fitness level – for at least 20 minutes each day,” Ishler said. “Some are joining the high school teams’ morning runs on Mondays and Wednesdays.”

By August, the junior high runners will be expected to run five days a week to prepare for preseason workouts, which start Aug. 12. Once the season begins and racing starts, the young Huskies will run five days a week, though the volume each day and the intensity will increase.

All of the preparations are geared toward the regular season, which kicks off at the Big Valley Invitational at Indian Valley Elementary Center on Aug. 31. There will be a junior high race in addition to the high school races.

While the Huskies call the course at Indian Valley Elementary Center their home, they only have one home meet. “Dual and tri-meets are on Wednesdays,” Ishler said. “Also on the schedule is an invitational at Altoona in September and the PA Middle School Championships to end the season in October at Lock Haven University.”

More information for parents and athletes is available on the Sportsyou app. Anyone interested in coming out for the sport should download the app and join MCJHS cross country, using access code, “NXTL-EZLD.”