It can be a bit of a challenge to see the promise in a young cross country squad when it is racing against the likes of teams such as Acton-Boxboro and Weston. But it didn’t take too much digging beyond the box score to see some bright spots for the Waltham High boys and girls cross country teams as they raced against the traditional Dual County League and state powerhouses on Wednesday at Waltham High. With a combined roster of only 23 runners between both genders, it will be a stretch for the Hawks to compete against the best teams in the league – which also happen to be among the best teams in the state – this fall. But a good sign is that most of this year’s squad either comes from a running background, or is made up of young runners who are looking to make cross country and track serious parts of their athletic futures at Waltham High.