The Oakdale High School Boys Cross Country team recently participated in the Frederick County Championships held at Middletown High School on October 27, 2022. This was a big meet for them as they were racing against all other teams in Frederick County.

Zachary Lesieur, head coach of the team, helped to lead the team to a great performance during the meet. The practices and meets before the championships helped allow runners to improve their speed to the best of their ability. Lesieur shared, “In order to run varsity for the postseason, runners were the top seven fastest available runners for the postseason.” 

Preparation for the meets is a very important part of being on the team. Senior, Abhishek Mudireddy, informed that hydrating and eating well is a major part of preparing for the meets: “In general we just drink a lot of water, and to stay hydrated, like, we’ll try and get our electrolytes in.” 

During cross country, “Everything depends on the day,” Coach Lesieur explained. 

In the end, Mudireddy was one of the fastest runners there, following a very close second to James Partlow from GTJHS.

Mudireddy’s racing is an inspiring moment for all students and athletes at Oakdale and around FCPS. His determination and speed, “Sets the tone for other runners to want to compete and race and have their chance,” Coach Lesieur voiced. 

Mudireddy is looking to get recruited to any D1 college for his running ability. He commented, “I’m looking to see where it takes me after that.” 

Participating in sports at Oakdale can lead students to a strong future with their athletics. Mudireddy shows strong leadership and motivation for other students and athletes.

During the championships, one of the hardest things is mental block. Athletes must stay positive during this time to be able to race well and do their best. Mudireddy noted that his biggest motivation to keep going is, “Wanting to do well and just wanting to be the best.” 

Participating in the championships is a huge excitement for the team. Mudireddy claimed, “We’ll get into a huddle right before our race starts and we hype eachother up and motivate each other to do well.” This can be a very fun time for athletes, and allows them to be with their friends and get motivated for their upcoming races.

Coach Lesieur voiced that at the championships there is a lot of energy. “Everyone is excited to show what they can do after putting in a lot of work over the season,” he stated. 

Thanks to Mudireddy and the other seven players, Oakdale Boys won the Regional Championships on Thursday, November 3. The championships are a great opportunity for Cross Country runners to put their hard work and dedication into one big meet against other FCPS schools and athletes.