With major wins under their belt, the Gabrielino High School track and field team is on track for a historic season, aiming to break Arroyo High School’s decade-long win streak in the Mission Valley League.
This goal has been a driving force behind the team’s determination, as both the boys and girls teams face tough competition and the challenge of overcoming their past runner-up finishes. Through grueling practices, strategic race placements, and an unwavering sense of camaraderie, both the boys and girls teams have fought through injuries and tough competition to secure their shot at a league championship.
The turning point of the season was on March 7 against Arroyo, a school that has held the league champions title for over a decade.
“Arroyo had a really strong distance team, but they had weaknesses in events like hurdles and sprints,” shared team captain Katie Ho, junior. “We focused on maximizing points in the events where we had an advantage and tried to hold our ground in the ones where we were weaker. They’ve beaten us for over 10 years in league finals, so this meet was a big deal in determining whether we could finally beat them this year.”
The team’s victory over Arroyo solidified their position as serious contenders for the league championship.
“We’ve always placed second in the Mission Valley League, with Arroyo taking first every year,” Ho added. “We want to break that streak and finally qualify for CIF as a full team.”
Their momentum continued with the team winning against Marshall High School on March 13, followed by another against South El Monte High School on March 20. Even with some key athletes sidelined due to injuries, the team’s depth proved crucial.
“Some of the boys couldn’t perform their best because they were injured,” said team captain Nicholas Tang, senior. “A lot of our teammates had to step up to fill the gaps left by the injured players.”
The team’s adaptability has been a defining trait of this season.
“For meets where we’re expected to win, we sometimes experiment,” said team captain Brandon Vuong, senior. “Some runners who usually do the 800 might try the 1600 or 3200. Yesterday, some of our fastest guys even ran the 4×400 just for fun, and they all ran sub-minute splits, which was really good.”
Behind these victories is a carefully planned training regimen that keeps the team performing at their peak. “We communicate a lot with the coaches and captains to adjust our training,” Vuong added. “For common injuries like shin splints, our coach has us do specific routines, like duck walks and other small habits that help with injury prevention.”
That focus on preparation has paid off, especially for distance runners.
“Distance-wise, this is probably the strongest lineup we’ve had in years. We have three guys who can run a sub-5-minute mile.”
After their narrow loss to Arroyo, the girls are working hard to make up for lost points in future meets.
“The girls’ team lost by about 10 points because Arroyo’s distance team was really strong,” Ho stated. “Since I’m in distance, we’re working hard to improve and recover from injuries so we can perform better next time.”
“I think the guys have a really good chance,” said team captain Kristy Peng, senior. “I’m a little worried about the girls team, but if we do well against Rosemead, I think we have a good shot at placing well.”
Regardless of the final standings, one thing is certain: the Gabrielino track and field team thrives on unity.
“If you come to a track meet, you’ll notice that when people aren’t warming up for their races, they’re cheering on their teammates,” Peng added.
With just a few meets left in the season, the Eagles are in prime position to claim the league championship. If their dominant streak continues, this could be the year they finally break Arroyo’s reign as league champions and make school history.
