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When her energy dwindles and her stride slows, Hoover High School cross-country runner Sydney Steely doesn’t have to look far for motivation. Most of the time she finds it beside her in teammate Ava Hayes Weems. 

Over the past two seasons, the Hoover seniors have been nearly inseparable on the cross-country course, where they are both All-State performers. The pair frequently matches each other stride for stride in 5K races until one pulls away during the closing stages. 

“If she can do it, I can do it,” Steely said. “Or even if I don’t think I can, it’s like if Ava’s going to do it, I have to do it, too.” 

That competitive mentality has nurtured a friendly rivalry between the two teammates, who have trained together since their sophomore year. It also has provided the Hoover girls cross-country team with a formidable 1-2 punch. 

“It’s a luxury,” said Bucs 15th-year head coach Devon Hind. “I mean, it’s something I’ve enjoyed for a couple years, but it’s definitely a luxury that I won’t always have. I can count on them in big races.” 

Two of those races are right around the corner. Hoover will compete in the Class 7A, Section 3 meet on Nov. 2 at Veterans Park, where it should punch its ticket to the following weekend’s state meet.

There, the girls will look to improve upon last season’s fourth-place finish.

It won’t be easy. 

Auburn, Huntsville and Mountain Brook boast deep rosters and will try to thwart Hoover’s pursuit of its first state title in girls cross-country. But a blue map isn’t out of the question. The Hoover girls won their first five meets of the season and appear capable of contending. 

“That would just be awesome — first off because we’ve never won state and second for [Hind], because I just want to see his reaction,” Weems said. “There would be some tears.” 

Hind may want to keep a handkerchief on hand at Oakville Indian Mounds Park, the site of the state meet, especially if Steely and Weems continue running strong. 

The tandem has recorded impressive finishes through the season’s first two months. 

At the Sept. 16 Spain Park Cross Country Classic, Steely and Weems finished second and third. Two weeks later, they swept the top two spots at the Oak Mountain Invitational as the finish order reversed. It’s not unusual for the two to trade places.

“It’s a race, so whatever happens, happens,” Steely said. “If somebody feels good, obviously we’re not going to try to hold each other back.”

Typically, their cross-country companionship provides a mutual boost in both races and workouts. During interval sessions, for instance, they help propel each other toward their target times. If Steely paces one rep, Weems leads the next. 

“One’s on the inside, and one’s on the outside,” Weems said.”We push off each other.” 

The approach transfers seamlessly to the race course, where they attack the challenging terrain according to a jointly plotted strategy. They search for the other person when the starting gun sounds. After that, it boils down to a game of tag. 

The whole team benefits the longer they keep it up. 

“I never see them apart hardly until the very end of the race,” Hind said. “Then, somebody takes off.”