The Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department cross country team is headed to the USATF Region 3 Championships in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Saturday, taking 14 qualifiers to the event at Whispering Pines Golf Course.

“These kids have really bought into what we’re trying to sell. And like I was telling coach [Bradley] McLester, distance runners are back at Carrollton. At the rec level, to the middle school, to the junior high, to the high school, so we expect great things out of distance runners in the years to come,” CPRCAD cross country coach Larry Turner said.

Of the 14 qualifiers, Amanda McGowan and Josh Albertus both competed at the Regional level last year when the CPRCAD cross country program was in its first year.

“This is just our second year now, but we’re really excited about qualifying 14 people to go. So we’re looking forward to a good experience for them. They’ll do well. They will. I’m very optimistic about that,” Turner said. “We’re going to go this time to gain some knowledge and the next time we’re going to go to kick some butt.”