Fast start for Aubrey Rogers High School girls cross-country opening season

Author: ZACH OLIVERI Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Aubrey Rogers
Aubrey Rogers girls varsity cross-country team. CREDIT: MASON LADERER

A winning start to the cross-country season for a brand-new school in Southwest Florida. Aubrey Rogers High School opened about a month ago in Naples, and the girls’ team finished in first place in their last two track meets.

The runners on the Aubrey Rogers girls cross country squad saw an opportunity with a new school, program and a clean slate where they could etch their own history.

“It was just how exciting it would be to be the first. And everyone would kind of look back at this school and memorize like this team of who they were and. I knew I wanted to be a part of that,” said Emily Thornburg, a sophomore runner for Aubrey Rogers.

Sprinting out of the gates in the program’s first three meets of their opening season. The school came in first place in the Lehigh Lightning Invitational and the 3D Sommer Invitational in Estero.

Aubrey Rogers sophomore runner Addie Gurick, finished in fifth place, and four other runners finished in the top 25.

“We all have very high expectations for ourselves and for the team,” said Gurick.

Those wins put the first two trophies into the school’s trophy cabinet.

Aubrey Rogers
Varsity girls cross-country first-place trophies. CREDIT: WINK News

“It’s a different kind of feeling. Because there’s no one that’s come before us. So we are like making history,” said Gurick.

“It’s cool. And it’s unique and it’s unforgettable,” said Olivia Boncelet, a junior runner for Aubrey Rogers.

“Cross country isn’t necessarily the sport,” said Aubrey Rogers girls cross country head coach Mason Laderer.

In the Dunbar Tiger Jamboree, Aubrey Rogers first ever meet, the Patriots posted a top-four finish. The school’s next meet will be for the Fort Myers Invite on Saturday.

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