After three years of dedicated training, Mattoon Middle School's Camden Hedges has realized his dream of qualifying for the State Cross-Country meet. The eighth-grader placed 15th at the Sectional G meet in Taylorville, clocking in at 11:41 for the 2-mile race.
Hedges' journey to State has been fueled by his passion for running, consistent training, and the support of his coaches, Jacob Fryman and Holly Thompson. Inspired by his older sister's participation in cross country at Mattoon High School, as well as his parents' athletic backgrounds, Hedges has consistently pushed himself to achieve his goals.
The IESA State meet will occur on October 19th at Maxwell Park in Normal, Illinois. As Hedges prepares to compete against the best runners in the State, Mattoon CUSD#2 rallies behind him, wishing him all the best.