With CCS and Finals so close, the Girls Cross Country team is preparing intensely.
The girls are looking forward to and definitely have a shot to go to State Finals and CCS. Last year, the team made it all the way to state and placed fourth. In the words of Sophia Zachau, “Last year we placed 4th in state, and this year we are definitely shooting to be in the top 3, and that is very plausible if we keep up the hard work.” Just recently, SLV had a home meet against St. Francis and Harbor, and beat them both. The team is well on their way to CCS and State Championships.
The runners have been practicing every day after school at the track and in Fall Creek. Senior Carolina Moreno states, “All the girls have been working very hard, and are continuing to work very hard, even as the season is winding down. I can’t wait for the whole team to be in the best shape and finish the season strong.”
The new runners on the team have been doing very well, while the more experienced runners have been competing greatly and improving as well. Together, the mixture of the older runners and new runners has created a strong and near unstoppable team.
The new coaching staff is showing to be very good. With the loss of long-time coach Rob Collins, the previous assistant coach Jay Avenmarg stepped up to be the head coach and a recent UCSC graduate, Jerusha Inglis, is the new assistant coach. The new coaches are doing very well and doing an excellent job coaching the team.
Although the team is doing very well, the girls still have a few obstacles to deal with. They still have to run against some of their biggest competition: Aptos High School and Santa Cruz High School.
With their new coaching staff and tough meets ahead, the girls approach the final stages of their season with positivity and excitement.
By Gabriel Michaud
The Claw 