After a disappointing seventh place finish last year at the New Prairie Semistate, the Chesterton girls cross country team is driven to avoid that fate this season.

“We don’t want to be seventh again,” Chesterton coach Brian Carden said. “Our goal is to get back down to the State Finals.”

The Trojans open the 2012 campaign on Saturday when they travel to Carmel for the Greyhound Classic.

“I think we’ll be near the top of the best teams in the area,” Carden said. “On paper, we look pretty good. Now we just have to see how we run. Several of out kids have the experience and know what to expect now.

“It’s up to them to process that and use it to their advantage.”

The Trojans will have a pair of seniors near the top of the lineup in Melanie Buckmaster and Hannah Hoffman.

“The seniors, Melanie (Buckmaster) and Hannah (Hoffman), have put in a good summer and are doing a good job as leaders for us,” Carden said.

They’ll get help from a group including Haley Cushway, Rosie Biehl, Kassidy Scott and Josie Tolin.

“We have a lot of kids back from last year and added Rosie (Biehl),” Carden said. “They’ve all put in good summer’s and a solid pre-season so far. I’m really interested to see what kind of start we get off too.”

The Trojans also have a quartet of talented freshman that could find their way into the mix before the season is over too.

“We have some freshman I think can help us after they get used to the difference between middle school and high school running,” Carden said. “Leah Sink, Vanessa Krause, Allison Burch and Abby Witte all have talent and can help us out as the season goes on.”

Posted 8/16/2012