The high school boys and girls cross country season begins Aug. 30 at schools across the state.

The Fountain Hills Times Independent asked the Fountain Hills High School coach about her teams. Here are her responses.

Fountain Hills Falcons

Boys and girls coach: Andrea Hall (second year at Fountain Hills head coach, ninth year overall)
Section: Division IV East
Who are your top returning runners? We have Colby Wright and Alli Guerrette returning for their senior year. They are stronger than ever and I expect them to return to the state championship in November. They continue to improve with each year. Their work ethic along with their consistency makes them excellent student athletes as well as leaders for our team.
Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? There are three freshmen that I have been watching for the past three years in middle school cross country. I’m very excited to have them on my team and to see what they can do — Nate Schlossberg, Levi Lara and Ellie Prescott. We have a fourth freshman, Tristan Tsosie, a natural talent that will be a major factor in our success as a team. Rounding us out is senior Mathew Gonzalez. He is returning after a couple years away but has been on the Falcons’ soccer team. Mat is looking very strong and his strength and competitive experience will bring a lot to the team.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Experience. We have three seniors but we also have four freshmen that have been competing for several years. Nobody is a beginner and they are competitive athletes.
What are the primary team and individual goals for this year’s team? My number one goal every season is to have healthy runners by sectionals. I am focused on having a strong healthy team ready to compete and fight for those state qualifying spots. We have to train smart and take care of our bodies and the results will be there. I want to return to state with Alli and Colby. I’ve been with them since their freshmen year and it will definitely be a special moment for me as a coach. Looking at this team on the first day of practice, I thought they have a chance to all qualify for state. We are a small team but we are a very good team. The boys could qualify as a team and Alli and Ellie can qualify as individuals. I really believe in this team’s abilities. Our season opener is Aug. 30 in Peoria at the NoPo Invitational. We also host one of the largest cross country meets in the state. The Fountain Hills Cross Country Invitational will be Sept. 13 at Fountain Park. As of Aug. 12, we are up to 68 schools attending the meet.