Coach Yvette Greene’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats and Lady Cats cross-country teams are set to open their seasons Saturday against the Pelham High School Hornets and Lady Hornets on the road.

“We have some young men and young ladies who are working very hard to get ready for the season,” Greene said. “If our runners do the work, they will improve. Running rewards perseverance. If runners do the work, they will improve. Distance running has a community of its own. Runners look out for and support one another.”

The Bearcats and Lady Cats second meet will be Saturday, Aug. 29, when they travel to Tallahassee to compete in the Godby High School Cougars and Lady Cougars Cross-Country Challenge. On Saturday, Sept. 5 they will not compete because of the Labor Day Weekend Holiday. The annual Bearcat and Lady Cat Invitational Meet will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Bainbridge High School track.

Seniors returning this season to a Bearcats team that finished second in Region 1-AAAA and advanced to the State Class AAAA Meet in Carrollton are Brenden Greene, Perry Waddell, Grayson Graham and Bennett Enfinger.

Juniors Nathaniel Lambert and Weight Cook also return for the Bearcats this season.  Freshman Caleb Harris has also qualified for the team.

Also qualified to run for the Bearcats this season are the Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats and Lady Cats cross-country teams, coached by Gina Conley. The date, time and place of the middle school championship are to be determined.

Returning this season for the Lady Cats, who finished fourth in Region 1-AAAA and advanced to the State Class AAAA Meet in Carrollton, are Uriyah Davis, Camry Fillingame and Caitlin Shepard.

Also scheduled to run for the Bearcats this season are Connor Christopher, Efrain Diaz, Jordan Davis, Haydn Griffin, Lawson Humphrey, Carson Inlow, Jaylon Martin, Pancho Lennard, Jihn Willis Maples, Colby Nix, Quang Pham and Dalton Savage.

Joining Davis, Fillingame and Shepard on the Lady Cats roster will be Aida Diaz, Chloe Enfinger, Makayla Ingram, Lani Jackson, Sarah Johns, Hannah Klock, Aileen Meija, Alaiya Schuyler and Julia Wells.

Coach Greene’s Bearcats and Lady Cats teams practice at Bainbridge High School. They practice Mondays and Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cross-country community coaches are Daniel Graham and Greg Waddell.