Bull Run returns after year’s absence   

Following last year’s cancellation of one of the nation’s three most challenging cross-country courses, the Bull Run was back in full swing on Saturday, September 18. Over 100 schools participated in the event and the conditions proved difficult as ever.   

Hereford students showed out well at the event, both on and off the famed course. The class of 2023 organized volunteers, who handled parking endeavors, and over 40 students worked together to collect funds and direct spectators around various parking lots.   

The Hereford boys’ cross-country team competed in the Medium Schools Division and placed sixth out of 25 teams. The top four runners for the Bulls were as follows: Jack Nicholson (’23) placed 19th at 18:28, Justin Brown (’23) placed 42nd at 19:33, Liam McCue (’24) placed 48th at 19:42, and Matt Campbell (’22) placed 60th at 20:00.  

“It was a great experience and having the community turn out to support us created a lot of energy,” Nicholson, a top runner for the Bulls who ran the event for the first time in his high school career, said.  

The Hereford girls’ cross-country team placed second in the Elite division, which is the most prestigious group in the event. Estelle Snider (’23) led the Lady Bulls with a 3rd place finish in 19:57, which put her 17 seconds off the lead. Her sister, Silvia Snider (’25) earned a 13th place finish with a time of 20:48 and was the top performing freshman in the Elite division. Piper Lentz (’22) finished the course in 21:10, which was good enough for 18th place and a third top 20 finish for the Lady Bulls. Rebekka Hillier (’24) placed 29th at 21:48, Madison Ward (’24) placed 31st at 21:51, Sophie McGee (’22) placed 35th at 22:04, and Megan Warrenfeltz (’23) placed 55th at 22:56.   

“The feeling after you finish is so rewarding to know you just raced on one of the hardest courses around,” McGee, a new member of the Lady Bulls cross country team, said.  

Regardless of results, the return of the Bull Run served as a reminder that Hereford spirit is alive and well. The jam-packed traffic of York Road and hundreds of athletes pushing through the infamous course was emblematic of a homecoming of normalcy.