The ETSU Cross Country team has gotten off to a rough start this season with two major injuries hampering the Bucs’ success.
Freshman standout Jeffery Crane fell off a ladder before arriving at ETSU this semester. Earlier this year Joshua Hicks pulled his groin and knee. Since Crane’s injury happened over the summer ETSU was able to red shirt him so it doesn’t count against his playing time.
“We are trying to cover for the injuries,” said ETSU cross country coach Dave Walker. “Luckily we have got some good numbers.”
In better news, Peter Dalton is still with the team.
“Peter is doing a pretty good job,” Walker said.
In recent meets, Dalton has been leading the team to good finishes, including a third-place finish personally earlier in September at Virginia Tech.
This season for the Bucs have been solid for the team’s future. With Crane and Hicks out for the season the rest of the team has been able to compete, previewing the talent for the future.
In a preseason cross country coaches’ poll the Bucs have been picked to finish third behind Appalachian State and UT Chattanooga who tied in the poll for first place.
The tie represents just how hard these two teams compete against one another.
Last year Chattanooga took home the Conference championship with Appalachian State coming in second. In 2002, Appalachian State beat out Chattanooga for the conference’s top honors.
This season the Bucs have recently had finishes at 10th in the Lou Onesty Invitational and seventh overall at Virginia Tech.
Upcoming meets for the Bucs this month include some solid competition.
Later this week the Bucs will head to South Carolina for the Furman Invitational.
Also later this month cross conference rival Appalachian State will hold the Blue Ridge Open.
Finally to finish out the season the Bucs head back over to Furman to compete in the Southern Conference Championships on Oct. 30.

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