The Salem High cross team will take the gun for the first time Saturday when the Spartans participate in the Christiansburg Invitational.

The boys have 14 runners this season. Returning juniors are Kirill Daniel, Elijah Hairston and Aiden Sable and Salem has two sophomores running for the first time, Zack Hoyer and Benji Ashwell. Tommy Cascell, another sophomore, ran last year.

Coach Tom Roth has quite a few freshman. Newcomers to the varsity include Gaven Conner, Nathan Helems and Zach Davidson who all ran unofficial as eighth graders last fall. Walker Chambers, Ben Roland and Owen Halverson are new to the team and eighth grade boys running as as jayvee competitors are Jonathan Shinal and Tom Henzie.

The girls have a new coach in Mark Ingerson, who takes over the team from Josh Jones. The Spartans lost quite a few girls from last year but they have some strong returnees, including Ranyah Majied, Alyssa Ingerson and Claire Peterson.

After Saturday’s meet in Christiansburg the Spartans will be off for a week, then return for the Knights’ Crossing at Green Hill Park on September 9.