New Hampton cross country meet to be at Jackson Heights

New Hampton Activities Director Brad Schmitt knew the chances of running the annual New Hampton cross country meet at its normal location were slim to none.  Turned out they were none as recent flooding has left the New Hampton Golf and Country Club in no shape to host an event that will have hundreds of runners.  But the meet is still on as Jackson Heights Golf Club in Jackson Junction stepped in and offered the Chickasaws the golf course for Thursday’s meet.  “We’re very thankful that they were willing to work with us,” Schmitt said, “and we think we have everything ready to go.”  The golf course sits across the highway from Turkey Valley High School, but even when the Trojans had cross country, they didn’t host a home meet.  So that meant Schmitt and New Hampton High School custodian Norb Geerts spent a day last week measuring the course.  “It sounds easier than it really is,” Schmitt said with a laugh. “When you want the start and finish to be in the same area, you have to hit it just right. So we made a few trips before we got it down.”  The meet will also be a little bigger than New Hampton Invitational as 18 teams are scheduled to compete in the meet.  “Not everyone’s bringing a junior high, a JV and a varsity,” Schmitt said, “but with the flooding we’ve had, a lot of teams have lost meets and called us to see if they could get in.”  Thursday’s meet begins with the junior high races at 4:15 p.m.