The race is on.

Greenway runners led the pack in the Shawn Kerr Memorial Cross Country Meet last Friday night at halftime against Cortez.

For the boys team, Junior Jon Abel finished in first; Junior Geoff Olson finished in second and Senior Edde Venzor finished in third.

For the girls team, Freshman Shea Albecht received first place, Senior Stephanie Wilson got second and Senior Courtney Quinn got third.

The demons dominated.

“We are the only school in Arizona that does a cross country meet at halftime at one of the football games,” Coach Scott Giddings said. “It is very exciting for the runners.”

On Sept. 28 the cross country team competed in the Glendale District Jamboree and both the boys and girls team won.

The boys won for the third year in a row, and the girls got the lowest score ever in the 15-year history of the jamboree.

Medal winners included Venzor, Olson, Abel, Quinn, Albecht, Wilson, Nick Mitchell, Nicole Williams and Sophomores Colton Alexander, Ryan Dirren, Nick Long, Kensie Brown, Paloma Ontiveras and Emily Rodela.

This season has been outstanding, assistant coach Julie Stockwell said.

Both the boys and the girls have only lost to one team.

“I feel that we have got a shot to improve even more,” Senior Edde Venzor said.

This year’s team is very competitive, Giddings said.

“The team is definitely getting better by dedication, enthusiasm and wanting to succeed,” Giddings said.

The team has definitely gotten stronger as well.

“Everyone tries to know and help each other,” Venzor said. Success also makes the team stronger, Stockwell said.

It feels really good to win and when Venzor runs, determination and focus on the person he wants to pass ahead of him is what is running through his mind, he said.

The team is gaining momentum for regions with their confidence and ability, Stockwell said.

On Sept. 17 the cross country teams went to California for the San Diego Mount Carmel Invitational.

They competed with the best in California and 13 out of 18 of our runners came home with medals, Giddings said.

Both teams have been outstanding, Stockwell said.

“I am very pleased with the dedication, camaraderie and performance of both teams,” Giddings said.