Neither Leiana Thornell nor James Sanders found the sport of cross country as much as it found them. Both Vicksburg High runners, however, have found success in their second sport.

The two juniors are expected to contend for an all-state spot in Saturday’s Class 5A state meet at Choctaw Trails in Clinton.

It could be the highlight of a breakout season for both runners that has included a top-20 finish at the Clinton Invitational in September, and a string of other solid runs.

“I feel like we’ll do pretty good. We’ve been practicing really hard, and I think we’ll probably have one of our best times,” Thornell said.

Thornell was a late arrival to Vicksburg’s girls’ cross country team. A soccer player first and foremost, she was talked into running cross country by a former coach.

“He said it would help me with soccer, with all the running,” Thornell said. “I made the team in 10th grade and I fell in love with it.”

Thornell finished 72nd out of 116 runners at the 2013 state meet, with a time 20 minutes and 42 seconds in a 3-kilometer run. She’s vastly improved this year, however.

Thornell finished 17th out of 139 runners at the Clinton Invitational, with a 5-kilometer time of 23:03. It was a personal best, but she’s slipped a bit since then. She was two minutes slower a couple of weeks later on a more difficult course in Starkville.

Thornell was hopeful a return to Vicksburg’s “home course” at Choctaw Trails will bring better luck Saturday.

“I’ve been trying to pick up my pace and I’ve started out a lot stronger than I’m used to. So I haven’t been able to keep my pace and I’ve worn myself out the first two miles,” Thornell said. “Plus, we’ve been at some new courses lately. You’re not used to running up those (hills). Hopefully when we’re back in Clinton we’ll be used to it.”

While Thornell made the move to cross country to help with soccer, Sanders made the transition to help his track career.

Sanders was a sprinter at his old school in Florida, but when he moved to Vicksburg in ninth grade he realized he had a better chance to succeed in distance events.

“I was pretty good, but when I came back to Mississippi, I decided to just do distance,” Sanders said. “When I got here, we didn’t have too many distance people, so I thought I’d give it a try. It turned out I was real good at it.”

Indeed he was.

Sanders made it to the Class 5A North State track meet in the 3,200 meter run last spring. He was 59th out of 140 runners at the 2013 cross country state meet in his first year in the sport.

He finished 16th at the Clinton Invitational, and third at last week’s Division 2-5A meet.

Sanders said he views cross country as good training for track season.

“It’s more difficult running a 5K in cross country, due to all the trails and hills. When I get on the track it’s more level,” Sanders said. “It’s a training situation, really. Cross country really helps me a lot during track.”

That hardly means Sanders is simply passing time on the trails. He has big goals for Saturday.

“I think I can place top 30. Last year I finished 59th, so hopefully I can do better,” Sanders said.

MHSAA state cross country meet

Saturday

At Choctaw Trails in Clinton

Class 5A – 10 a.m. (includes Vicksburg)

Class 4A – 11 a.m.

Class 3A – Noon

Class 2A – 1 p.m. (includes St. Aloysius)

Class 1A – 2 p.m.

Class 6A – 3 p.m. (includes WC)