In addition, this season will represent the first year Jamie Noll takes over the cross country program.

Noll, who is a Jefferson County North graduate, will conduct two-a-day practices through Thursday. The practices took place early in the day and later in the evening because of the heat.

“We’ve also been trying to get used to the heat because our first meet is (Thursday),” Noll said about the meet at Jefferson West. “We really don’t have an option. We’ll have to run in the heat the whole time.”

Grant Smelser and Steven Nowlan are the two seniors on the team.

The Bulldogs run three to four miles a day. Noll has switched the locations from flatter surfaces in McLouth to surfaces that contain more hills, like the River Trails in Lawrence.

McLouth also has participated in speed interval training. The athletes run speed intervals on the track and sprint up hills.

“I’d like to see them improving and place in a couple of meets,” Noll said.

The Bulldogs will field a boys team, but won’t field a girls team this season.

Junior Gelia Gardner is the lone girl on the team. She will compete individually this season.