Running conditions were perfect at Toro Park in Salinas on Nov. 13—60 degrees outside with clear skies. The girls’ cross country team was pumped and ready for CCS.
The girls’ team had high hopes of qualifying for state, but unfortunately their times fell just short. Sophomore Maya Nag fell one place short of qualifying for state individually, and a few others were close as well.
Both boys and girls trained hard throughout the season for CCS, considered the most important varsity race of the season. The 3-mile course at Toro Park is fast with a set of killer hills and mouth-fulls of dust.
“CCS was the event that the whole season was leading up to, I felt like it was a chance for me to give my whole effort and run my best race,” said Nag.
According to Nag, both teams ran well. All seven girls got significant personal records.
The Girls placed 5th with 127 points out of 13 teams in Division 3 and placed 17th out of 63 teams over all. Nag came in 12th out of 95 runners with a time of 20:01, followed by junior Emily Williams, who placed 14th at 20:13. Sophomores Courtney Schlossareck and Caroline Chou placed 19th at 20:36 and 29th at 21:11, respectively. Junior Kristine Johnston placed 55th at 22:32, senior Mansie Cheung placed 73rd at 23:17 and junior Michelle Cummins placed 82nd with a time of 23:57.
“I could not have ask for anything better than to peak in the CCS meet like they did,” said girls’ coach Danny Moon. “I am very proud of our team.”
The girls echoed that sentiment.
“I was a little disappointed [about not qualifying] but I was happy that I even made it that far,” said Nag. “From the beginning I improved a lot through the coach’s support, and through my fellow teammate’s support. When all your teammates who aren’t racing are there cheering you on it just makes you go that much faster.”
Moon said he is optimistic for next year, when most of the team will be returning for another shot at state.
“The great thing is that we keep improving so I know that next year is our year,” said Schlossareck.
Injuries were persistent this year, and Schlossareck’s knee injury slowed her down near the end of the season. But Moon says that injuries were not the deciding factor at CCS.
“[Throughout the season] injuries certainly can make a difference, but since we all compete as a team we are able to have our athletes step up and fill the spots when we need to keep an athlete out of competition due to injury or to prevent an injury,” said Moon.
