MORGANTOWN — Returning only six total runners from last season, the Trinity Christian cross-country team has achieved some impressive feats in 2025.
There are zero seniors among the top five on the girls’ team. Among the top seven on the boys’ side, there are also no seniors. Trinity head coach John Barnett said this season has been important for the confidence and maturity of his roster.
“We’re a very young team, and early on, we were still learning what it means to train and race at a high level. As the season progressed, the athletes really began to believe in themselves more,” Barnett said. “They’ve learned how to handle adversity, support one another, and show up ready for big moments. Watching them transform from a group with potential into a team that expects to compete and succeed has been one of the most exciting parts of the year.”
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams captured Region II Class A titles last weekend and will head to Cabell Midland High School for the state cross-country championships on Saturday.
“Our young runners have performed the way they have because they’ve fully bought into the process,” Barnett said. “They show up every day willing to work, listen, and learn. We focused on establishing a strong culture, consistent training, recovery habits, and holding each other accountable. They also benefit from great team chemistry. Even though we have no seniors, our team captains, Miles Steptoe and Bri Blake, have done a tremendous job leading by example, and our younger athletes have followed right behind them.”
Blake and Steptoe each led their teams at the regional meet, with Blake finishing second overall and Steptoe taking third. The rest of the girls’ team followed in third, fourth, and sixth, while Steptoe was followed by his teammates in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and ninth.
Barnett says that while there wasn’t a specific moment that he could pinpoint to cite a significant turn in the season, there were times when he saw some breakthroughs among his team.
“For our girls, an early-season performance at the Chick-fil-A Invitational was a turning point. They put together a complete team race, and I think that was the moment they truly realized what they were capable of when they trusted each other and competed with confidence,” Barnett said. “For our boys, the OVAC Championship was a major step. Finishing 3rd behind strong programs like UHS and MHS gave them the belief that they belonged in a championship conversation and that they could compete with anyone when they stayed committed to our approach.”
Come Saturday morning, Barnett knows his team will need to be prepared to run their best races of the season against the toughest field of the year on one of the toughest tracks in the state at Cabell Midland.
“The course in Ona is very fair, but it definitely presents some challenges,” he said. “We know the field will go out fast, and everyone will be pressing hard in the final mile, so for us, the opportunity lies in the hills.
“What I hope they hold on to is the understanding that belief matters: hard work and commitment matter. When you trust the process and trust each other, you can outperform expectations and surprise a lot of people, including yourself.”
The Class A girls’ race will begin at 11:00 a.m., with the boys’ race at 11:45 a.m.
