Dave Dillman is back for his third season as head coach and from all indications, it should be a good one.

Several runners are back including Julie Christenson, Chesleigh Keene, Jessica Millican, and Becca Whitehead. Holly Smith and Sara Snyder are also listed.

Unfortunately for the third year in a row, there will not be a boys’ team.

Christenson, Keene, Millican, and Whitehead all have experience and several of the girls also competed in distance running last spring with the MCHS girls track and field team.

Dillman could not be reached for comment (phone tag) about the prospects for this year’s team. The girls have been running on various courses throughout the area, getting in preparation for the season. They underwent distance and sprint time trials this past Tuesday morning at Panther Stadium.

The Panthers open the harrier season by competing at the Delta Invitational this Saturday, Sept. 2. They travel to nearby Durango on Sept. 9. The Shiprock (N.M.) Invitational is set for Sept. 16. Ridgway is on the docket for Sept. 22 and Silverton on Sept. 23. A trip to Gallup, N.M., is scheduled for Sept. 30.