On Nov. 6, The Gabrielino High School cross country team will go to the Mission Valley League finals and are expected to qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation preliminaries.
The team participated in the league meet at Bonelli Park on Oct. 9, where freshman Connor Tang secured 9th place with a time of 20:35.40, followed closely by junior Tyler Diep in 15th place with a time of 21:23.90, and freshman Charlie Sun in 17th place with a time of 21:33.00.
The first league meet win instilled confidence in the Eagles, as many of the players excelled and saw great results. The Eagles are led by captains Brandon Vuong, senior, and Kristy Peng, senior, who have been instrumental in fostering team spirit and pushing the team to grow.
“I’m really proud of the team,” shared Vuong. “We won our first league meet for the first time and broke Arroyo’s streak of winning almost every league meet, at least for the guys,” Vuong added.
On Oct. 19, the team raced at El Dorado, where freshman Ryan Phung finished 37th with a time of 18:54.05, while Tang and Sun placed 70th and 71st, with times of 19:41.55 and 19:41.91, respectively.
“Mt. Sac was a really competitive and fun course to run. There were a lot of hills, so I really had to tap into my mental strength. A lot of unexpected things were happening, like a steep drop, but it was a great race and really pushed the team to grow,” shared varsity runner Archibald Lai, junior.
“I’ve loved reaching personal records and seeing my teammates do the same. At the beginning of our season, a lot of us were getting much faster times than last year. Earning medals together has brought us really close,” shared Peng.
The Eagles owe much of their success to team bonding efforts.
“As a team member, I always check in with the younger players. I want them to feel welcome and part of the team,” Peng stated. “Before and after races, I always walk around the course to cheer on everyone. We all have personal bonds that keep us close together.”
As a junior varsity runner, junior Everett Chiang appreciates the support from seniors.
“Everyone supports each other a lot, and we have a lot of team bonding,” Chiang shared candidly.
Junior Victoria Sun, a varsity runner, echoes Chiang’s feelings.
“I was able to PR in my first three meets, and I owe a lot of that to my team and coach Angus. I’m proud of it since it shows that I’ve been improving consistently,” shared Sun.
As the team looks to the Mission Valley Finals, they remains focused on their goals and improvement. Vuong hopes to finish his senior year and final season with the team strong, while Peng hopes to qualify for CIF and a personal goal of running a 22-minute 3-mile.
As the Eagles prepare for Mt. Sac Cross Country Invitational on Nov. 4 and the league finals, they are determined to maintain their momentum. With strong results thus far, the rest of the cross country team’s season appears promising. As they gear up for the final stretch, the Eagles aim for to not only reach personal records, but also create a lasting legacy within their league.
