After such a quick season of hard, tough, and exciting races, the cross country season comes to an end at Gans Creek for the state meet and the Liberty runners sure did put up a fight.
Head coach Toby Glavin was a little more nervous for this year’s state.
“I, for some reason, was a little nervous this year than any other year but that doesn’t mean I didn’t feel confident,” Glavin said.
The nerves were there for everyone, but the training has been put into the best all of the athletes could do and the whole team knew they were ready.
Driving up there the day before fueling and resting, the team woke bright and early to race in the morning. The girls were off at 9 a.m. and all of the girls put together some of their best performances of the year.
But one in particular ran better than every other girl in that race, running better than every girl in the state enough to win the state championship.
Bella Navarro-Sanchez (10) crossed the finish line with a time of 18:08.3 with second place runner right behind her with a time of 18:08.4. It was the most exciting finish to a season anyone could have asked for.
“I was really nervous, but once I was on the starting line, I felt calm emotionally and was really excited but still a little nervous. I was ready,” Sanchez said
Telling herself over and over “now or never” Sanchez did put on a great race and was able to hold onto the lead pack for the whole race and break away at the very end just before another girl was hunting her down on the final stretch.
But we can’t forget to mention all of the other female athletes who worked so hard to make it to state.
In addition to Sanchez, Jillian Kalbac (12), Kailey Lawrence (11), Mary-Jane Fleming (11), Ashley Sauceda (10), Kailynn Burton (9), Ella Judge (9) all competed in the girls varsity state championship.
After an amazing race from all of the girls, the boys ran at 10:30 a.m and had many great runners that had good chances to medal but the top runner from our team and had a chance to win state is Ayden Taylor (12).
“I knew that there were around five guys who had a chance of winning Ayden being one of them,” Glavin said.
The race started at a fast pace but Taylor prepared for it because he knew the state race would be this pace. He was able to hold onto the pack until the last 200-300 meters where everyone kicked to the very end and Ayden finished in 6th place with a time of 15:15.6, which is amazing. Obviously it’s not what he wanted, but 6th at a state meet and medaling is very impressive.
Again we can’t forget to mention every other male athlete to make it to state.
Henry Carlson(12), Cale Eldredge(12), Landon Jones(12), Trevor Judge(12), Ayden Taylor(12), Ethan Coleman(11), Nate Wietbrock(11) ran strong races.
“I think the team did great. It was a really hard course and a lot of competition but I think everyone did great,” state athlete Ashley Sauceda said.
What a fantastic finish to the cross country season. We shall see what the future holds for all of the athletes and new up and coming athletes going into the next stop – track season.
