Trojans rush to finish line for cross country state meet

The cross country girls varsity team and boys varsity runner Levi Friesen qualified for the CIF State Championships after an incredible performance at the CIF North Coast Section Championships. With a muddy course and wet weather, the varsity teams ran the race on Nov. 23 at Hayward High School.

Placing second in their division, the girls varsity team was among the three top teams advancing to the State Championships. 

“I’m super excited we were able to do it as a team again,” said sophomore Iliana Nierengarten. “That was really the most important thing.”

Second place was secured as the first five finishers of the girls varsity team placed in the top 20. With the collective effort of the entire team, Trojans scored 60 points, ahead of Dougherty Valley at 68 and behind Berkeley with 32.

Nierengarten placed third with 18 minutes and 44 seconds and was first of the team to finish. 

“It was a pretty interesting race. The weather was not the best, it was really muddy out there, and we splashed around a lot,” said Nierengarten.

Near the end of the girls division one race, rain began to fall, making the course muddier and more slippery than before. It continued to rain for the entire duration of the boys varsity race. 

Unfortunately, the entire boys team didn’t qualify for the state meet. However boys captain senior Levi Friesen qualified as one of the top 15 runners to finish.

“(The race) went pretty well,” said Friesen. “Very wet, very slippery; going uphill it was like running up a waterfall. That was kind of fun.”

Placing 14th with a time of 16:58, Friesen went to Fresno with the girls varsity team to participate in the State Championships on Nov. 30. 

Against hundreds of racers from schools across the state, Friesen finished 167th with a time of 17:01, while Nierengarten placed 53rd in 18:38.

“Our race was the first in the morning, so it was really cold,” said junior Mika Gomes. “It was definitely an experience last year; it was my first time, so I didn’t know what was happening, and what I was getting myself into. This year I knew it a little bit more.”

Gomes finished with 20:21 at 165th, behind senior Hannah Murry at 20:18, senior Maya Dughi with 19:55, and senior Anna Dughi timed at 19:35.

The State Championships mark the end of the cross country season, to be followed by track season next semester.