Huskey Advances to Class C State Cross Country Meet in Kearney

“I'm very happy and I feel very blessed,” said Ashton Huskey, Johnson County Central’s only state qualifier. The Nebraska State Class C Cross Country Meet is scheduled for Friday, October 23 at the Kearney Country Club.
“I feel that this district meet was my best race this season. I feel that I ran my best considering the cooler and windier conditions,” Huskey said. He added that JCC's Cross Country runners didn't have any previous meets with those conditions this season. “The high level of competition at the district level pushed me to run hard the entire race.”
Huskey’s finishing time at the district meet was 18:01.0, a time he also achieved earlier in the season during the Falls City Invitational, where he came in second place. Overall, Huskey medaled at six out of eight competitions this season.
When it comes to preparing for the state cross country meet, Huskey said he plans to take practice seriously and try his hardest. He also plans to make sure he's eating right, get rest and keep a positive mindset.
Huskey, a sophomore at JCC, is currently in his fourth year of running cross country. He started running cross country in seventh grade. During the summer months Huskey works out and runs on his own quite a bit. He added that his mom, Angie Huskey, who is the assistant coach for JCC's Cross Country teams, encourages him to keep running during the off season.
“I enjoy the company of my friends,” said Ashton about his participation in cross country. “They help me stay consistent and competitive. I also really enjoy the team activities that we do in practice and before and after meets,” he added.
Ashton is not yet sure what plans he has for attending college, but hopes that running will be part of his college career.