• Article Photo. Jacob Bunge carries the ball as the VS CC runners circle the track.
    Jacob Bunge carries the ball as the VS CC runners circle the track.
  • Article Photo. Crossing the bridge: Cross country team members arrive with the game ball.
    Crossing the bridge: Cross country team members arrive with the game ball.
  • Article Photo.
  • Article Photo.
  • Article Photo.
  • Article Photo. VS cross country seniors pose at WD before beginning the journey to Vinton on Friday.
    VS cross country seniors pose at WD before beginning the journey to Vinton on Friday.
  • Article Photo. Rachel Demmer of Western Dubuque shares a laugh as she passes the ball to the VS team.
    Rachel Demmer of Western Dubuque shares a laugh as she passes the ball to the VS team.

Even before the ball arrived in Vinton from Western Dubuque High School in Epworth, VS cross country parents heard about the impressive way that WDHS personnel handled the VS tradition of carrying the Homecoming game ball from the opposing team's school to Vinton for the game.

The parents heard the VS seniors describe the classy, sportsmanlike way that the WD community welcomed them. 

"Western Dubuque did take time to make us feel welcome and they understood the importance of the tradition," said VS Cross Country Coach John Frazier. Our Cross Country team wants to be part of homecoming and support their community and football team."

There is says Frazier, a folk tale developed years ago was that if a team member drops the ball on the run, the other team will score a touchdown because of it.

"We did not drop the ball," says Frazier. 'We wanted to honor our football team."

The route was too long to run the 77 miles so the seniors drove to Western Dubuque High School in Epworth, where student-athletes there presented the ball.

"We then met up with the team at Independence and ran 34 miles, starting at 3 p.m., and made the journey easily by 7 p.m.," said Frazier. "We would like to send a big thank you to the Randy Forsyth and Jerry Michael for their safe escort."

Jeff Mangold and Nathanael Brandt joined Frazier as the coaches involved in this fun tradition and training for the VS Cross Country Team Rodger's Park home meet on Tuesday, Sept. 24.