The Randolph Raiders cross country team made a strong impression at their first major meet of the season, competing at the "City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic" on August 31, 2024, at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tennessee. After a four-hour drive, the Raiders took on the sweltering late-summer heat, starting with the Middle School Girls' 2k race and wrapping up in the Varsity Boys' 5k race under the cool night sky.

The day's first event for the Raiders was the Middle School Girls' 2k, where Lily Pfitzer led the team with a commendable time of 9:18, finishing first among her teammates. She was supported by Katie Cofield, Madison Burgdorf Burcina, and Addy Mae Schrimsher, who completed the girls' top five. The girls' team finished 13th overall, with Houston Middle School taking the win with 46 points in a field of 202 runners.

Following was the Middle School Boys' 2k race. Tucker Lee led the Raiders, crossing the finish line in 7:29. Despite their efforts, the middle school boys did not have enough runners to qualify for a team score. James Ferguson and Michael Zhang also put in strong performances in this division, which saw Houston Middle secure another victory with 26 points in a field of 262 runners.

As the sun set, the Raiders moved on to the Junior Varsity Boys' 5k race. Landon Lee led the charge for Randolph, finishing in a time of 21:19. Harper Guasti followed with a 30-second personal record (PR), showing great improvement. Colin McFarland and Brandon Guzman also competed, but the JV boys did not have enough runners to compete as a team. Rock Bridge took the team title with a perfect score of 15 points in a competitive field of 320 runners.

The Varsity Girls Gray Division 5k race saw Anna Ragsdale lead the Raiders, clocking a time of 20:51. She was followed by Meredith Walker, Lucy Zhang, Sophia Dooley, and Miriam Tidwell, who rounded out the top five for Randolph. The Varsity Girls team finished 14th overall, with Collierville edging out the competition with 73 points among 228 runners.

The final race of the day featured the Varsity Boys in their 5k event. Keaton Schroer led Randolph with an impressive time of 17:53, helping the team secure an 18th-place finish. Eli de Oliveira, Lucas Israel, Andrew Walker, and Mason Mackiewicz completed the Raiders' top five. Rock Bridge once again dominated the field, winning the team race with 53 points in a large field of 318 runners.

The Raiders will next compete at the Chickasaw Trails Invitational on Saturday, September 7, in Oakville, Alabama. The meet kicks off at 10:10 a.m. Be sure to cheer on the Raiders and follow @RRaidersCC on Instagram and X for more updates and photos from the season.

Good luck to the Raiders as they continue their cross country journey!