Cross Country team goes the Distance
By: Holly Ratcliff
Both the boys and girls Varsity and Junior Varsity cross country teams dominated the competition, winning district Saturday, October 17, and advancing to regionals which will be Monday, October 26.
"All the girls seem more excited and pumped than nervous!" varsity runner Christina Hernandez said. "The intensity in our practices have engaged our muscles to run faster in meets than before!"
A general air of excited confidence exudes from the majority of runners as they prepare for the final weeks of season.
"What I'm looking forward to most is these next meets coming up: Regionals and State," varsity runner Jesús Ramos said. "We have been waiting all season for these last meets and it’s all or nothing."
Since Hudson runners won the first meet in the championship series is at Hudson, they now look towards Regionals expectantly.
"We're all hoping to run our best and push our teammates to run their hardest as well," varsity runner Tara Bentley said.
As the runners look forward to the upcoming meets, they also look back upon the season.
"My favorite part of this season is being able to run along my teammates during practice and meets and to push each other every morning to get better," Ramos said.
The attitude at morning practices strongly affects the runners' confidence and sense of team, and, for most, has left nothing but wonderful memories and sore muscles.
"My favorite part of this season is how my teammates and I have been positive about all of our previous meets and how we have been working hard in every one of our practices as a team in order to accomplish our goals for this year," varsity runner Tedron Roberts said.
While practice makes perfect, the meets are where that perfection is put to the test.
"My favorite part about this season was by far the McNeil Pre-State Invitational," Hernandez said. "We arrived to the meet nervous, but the nerves transformed into the confidence and strength we had been building up all season. And sure enough, our team placed eighth out of all 1A-4A teams with a total of 400+ runners in the race!"
The boys also performed exceptionally at the McNeil Pre-State Invitational by placing fourth in the 6A division.
Confidence from these previous races and anticipation towards the next races has encouraged goals within the teams.
"We are working very hard and trying our very best to get this goal that we want so bad which is win state, and, of course, have fun trying to reach our goals," Roberts said.
The runners have already shifted focus to compete their very best at regionals.
"All of these morning practices and hard races have been to prepare us for regionals and state," Bentley said. "We can definitely run these races well and finish the season strong."
The high school varsity teams continued their legacy of winning district every year and have high hopes for the rest of the season.
"I am very excited and confident... because I know that we will do great," Ramos said. "We've work so hard just to get ready for this meet."
Nerves are out the window as runners prepare to experience their potential in the meets to come.
"I feel really great about this meet because I know that my teammates are going to give it their all like they always do and so am I," Roberts said.
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