The girls’ cross country team placed sixth out of 14 schools, and boys placed ninth out of 15 schools in the Division IV CCS Championships on Nov. 15 at the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont. While neither team qualified for the state meet, sophomore Claire finished the 2.95-mile course in 19:14, finished in 10th place overall and became the first girl to qualify for the state meet in nine years.
Leading the varsity boys was freshman Arjun Garlapati, who ran a personal record (PR) of 16:45. Garlapati placed 19th in the varsity race and was the fastest out of all freshmen competing.
Hou was only three seconds behind the fifth overall runner. CCS is the regional race where top runners can qualify for states, and since Hou is one of the top five individual runners not on the top three teams, she automatically qualified for the state meet.
Julia Hoffman in 2016 was the last female runner to qualify for the CIF State Cross Country Championships from the school.
The CIF State Championships, a 5K race, was held on Saturday, Nov. 29, at Woodward Park in Fresno. Hou achieved a 5K PR of 19:23 in D4 competition. She came in 70th place among the more than 200 girls in her race.
“Running at states was a surreal experience,” Hou said. “It was really memorable to meet girls from all over California and race against them. This was also the largest competition I have run at, and it felt amazing to be a part of such a big event with so much palpable energy. This experience has been truly unforgettable, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to run there.”
After CCS, Hou continued to train with coach Amanda Follmar, working on speed and endurance. As the new head coach this season, Follmar has focused more on intensity and volume compared to previous seasons. Hou notes that these harder and longer workouts were especially helpful with running faster times as they helped to more closely simulate a race.
This season, the Falcons reached new heights by attending several new invitationals, such as the Ed Sias on Sept. 13 and Nike De La Salle Invitational on Sept. 20. Since these were much earlier in the season before league meets began, these races, along with Follmar’s workout plans, helped the team attain PRs and see significant progress.
“They always gave their best during practices and workouts,” Follmar said. “And I think we made significant gains in overall aerobic fitness and also the athlete’s belief in what they’re capable of, not only for this season, but in the future as well.”
While there have traditionally been a few coaches on the team to write the training plan, manage logistics and attend all the practices, Follmar was the sole coach of both the boys and girls team this season. It was a lengthy process, but Follmar said she enjoyed it as it allowed her to get a full picture of what the team was doing.
“The seniors in particular were really welcoming and supported me as their head coach,” Follmar said. “I think that made the transition for all of us really seamless, and I really appreciated the upperclassmen and their effort and leadership they provided this season.”
Even with eight seniors leaving, each one of them had an unforgettable final high school cross country season, attaining PRs while also leaving the underclassmen with valuable advice.
“For us seniors, this season has been all about making memories and enjoying running as much as possible. This year, with a new head coach, the team has grown closer than ever as we try to preserve our old traditions and grow our culture as well,” senior captain Jack Dong said. “I could have not asked for a more memorable experience, and I feel I’ve left the team in good hands. There are talented people on the team who would carry on the spirit of this sport.”
