The Reynolds men’s cross country team has consistently made great strides this season and has come to be known as one of the strongest teams in the area.

    Officially starting the season off at the Norman Trzaskoma Invitational on August 30, RJR established dominance among Forsyth County runners with John Tatter and Holbrook finishing in the top five.

    On October 18, the team boasted an impressive six runners (John Tatter, Jack Holbrook, John Paynter, Anderson Ward, Jeff Echols, and Andrew Rawlings) in the top 15 at the Central Piedmont Conference Championship, notoriously known as one of the most competitive conferences in the state of North Carolina. The Demons won the meet with a total of 24 points, 31 more than West Forsyth who took the second place title.

    Ten days later, the team brought home the 4A Midwest Regional title for the first time since 1985. This win was solidified by Tatter, Holbrook, Paynter and Ward, who placed first, fourth, fifth and tenth, respectively.

    “The season has gone exactly how we planned it. We won conference, we won our regional, which were two of our big three goals,” RJR history teacher and men’s cross country/track and field head coach David Wainwright said.

    Closing the NCHSAA competing season at the 4A State Championship on a very dreary November 4 morning at Ivey Redmon Park in Kernersville, senior John Tatter tied for the day’s record time, finishing first and winning the 4A individual championship with a time of 15:20.11 helping the team to winning sixth overall. An impressive feat considering competing against 18 others and with the issue of sick runners coming into the meet.

    “We’ve had a couples setbacks this week, especially with one of our guys getting sick which made us nervous about finishing in the top ten. We should definitely finish in the top ten but top five would be above and beyond,” Wainwright said prior to the state championship meet.

    Finishing first in nine of the 12 meets that the team competed in this season, Tatter has been a runner to watch. Ranked 18 in the Flo50 national rankings as well as no. 2 in the state of North Carolina and running a state record of 15:00 5K this season, the Michigan commit has lead the Demons for the majority of his four years at RJR.

    “We’ll have a gaping goal with John leaving especially and in terms of their leadership there will be huge shoes to fill. But I am so confident in our juniors, sophomores, and our freshman. I think we have potential to be great next year, if not even better,” Wainwright said. “It’s always hard losing really great guys but it seems like the tradition is not going to be graduating any time soon.”