Cross country in California
October 27, 2009 • Kaela Shiigi
Filed under Sports
The senior girls cross country team took second place while the boys varsity cross country team took fourth place during their trip to California. Although the teams traveled to the same state, the boys went to Los Angeles while the girls went to Santa Barbara.
The girls’ team ran at the Dos Pueblos Invitational. Instead of dividing the races into junior varsity and varsity, the runners were separated by grade level. Notable finishers were Jenna Wong ’10 and Breanne Ball ’12 who took third and seventh respectively. Coaches Lauran Dignam and Jonathan Lyau also participated, placing first and second in their age groups.
The boys’ team ran at the Central Park Invitational and in a dual meet against Buena Park. Top finishers in the Central Park meet were Troy Esaki ’12 and Borys Pleskacz ’11, who took second and sixteenth respectively. The varsity team defeated Buena Park 27-29.
The runners found that the meets held in California are different compared to those held in Hawaii. Lauren Kim ’11 noticed that in comparison to the meets in Hawaii, the climate was cooler, the course was straighter, and the hills were flatter. Even encouragement for the runners came in a different language. Justin Higa ’11 said, “Instead of yelling ‘run faster’ they yelled ‘Andale! Andale!’”
Many runners also found that the competition was different in Hawaii. Senior Andrew Ellison thought that the Division One School’s runners were especially tough competition. “You feel like you’re being drowned in a sea of legs,” said Valerie Pyun ’11.
One of the most memorable parts of the trip for both teams was a visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain before returning home.
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