PAGE A22, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 Buffoni takes over McNary XC program McNary cross country coach Jim Buffoni gives instructions to his team during practice on Thursday, Aug. 26. BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Jim Buffoni has had a passion for athletics for his entire life, but his true adoration is for the sport of cross country. “I really love cross country. I love track for all the variety of events, but I love cross country because it’s just different,” Buffoni said. “You cheer for everybody. In football, I’m a yell-and- scream kind of coach, but here I’m a cheerleader. I just get to cheer for everyone.” Buffoni has been coaching the sport for more than two decades, and will bring his wealth of experience and knowledge to the McNary cross coun- try team after taking over the program this summer. “I am very excited. We have a good group of young kids, and some older kids that have been with the program for a while,” Buffoni said. Buffoni will be taking over for David Holcomb, who has been the Celtics cross country coach since 2016 — Holcomb will still be the track and field coach at McNary. The Celtics cross country program Caption It! L AST WEEK’S WINNER Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes Cross has struggled with numbers over the last few years — the Celtics had just nine total athletes between both the By STEVE BREEN CAPTION IT ! Email submissions along with your name and town to CaptionItCartoon@gmail.com — OR — on Instagram, go to @caption_it_cartoon to comment/like.