Every championship run has its obstacles, but for Summerfield's girls track and field team, the biggest hurdle wasn't on the track—it was getting to the meet on time. When coach Raymond discovered his team was without a bus for their crucial league showdown against arch-rival Whiteford, the Bulldogs had to think fast. With a quick carpool system, they covered the 10-mile distance and arrived ready to compete. Their improvisation paid off in historic fashion as Summerfield clinched its first league title since 1990, defeating Whiteford 75-62 in a thrilling Tri-County Conference dual meet.

The victory didn't come easy. Coach Raymond had mapped out the meet beforehand and saw his team trailing by three points on paper. He challenged his athletes to find extra firepower, and they delivered in the longest races of the day. "Distance runners Allison Ost and Makenzie Wolfe were the heroes," Raymond said. The duo went 1-2 in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meters, while also anchoring the winning 4x800 relay alongside Grace and Abby Raymond. It was Wolfe's victory in the 3,200, with Ost close behind, that sealed the championship before Whiteford could even take the track for the final 1,600 relay.

Summerfield's depth was on full display across the event list. The Bulldogs swept the hurdle races with Abby Zilka, Kaleigh Scott, and Hayley Kohls taking the top three spots in both the highs and lows. Zilka won the high hurdles, while Scott claimed the low hurdles. Elena Miller added a win in shot-put, and the 400 relay team of Emma Jacob, Abby Raymond, and their teammates rounded out the scoring. "I told the girls everything," Raymond reflected. "We had to make up ground somewhere, and they found it." It's a championship 35 years in the making, and for a team that nearly missed its bus, the ride home was certainly sweet.