Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Cross Country team surged at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), pushing through shifting conditions and tough competition to get two runners into the finals. The energy surrounding the meet was high, but so were the challenges. Before the race even started, Mt. SAC urged a change to the track layout as a heavy downpour was scheduled on race day, Oct. 15. Traditionally known for its demanding dirt trails and steep signature hills, runners had to adapt and improvise on their strategies to carry out. AHS finished the event strong, with two athletes qualifying and moving on to the CIF-SS Finals.
When race day dawned, the course was damp and buzzing with anticipation. The athletes were preparing mentally for a race that would look and feel different from what they had trained all season for. The boys’ team went out first, in Heat Two, with a squad of junior Jonathan Villages, senior Kyle Gonzalez, senior Lucas Xue, senior Neo Lau, junior River Wherley, freshman Ryan Ly, sophomore Yicheng Guan. Each runner battled through the altered course with consistency and finished with individual placements of 47th, 53rd, 66th, 82nd, 86th, 89th, and 93rd.
“It was fun to end my season and high school career with my first cross-country race in the rain [at] a new race course. I twisted my ankle about a week ago so I couldn’t try my best, but at CIF Prelims, I’m so grateful to run,” said Xue.
The conditions were getting to the best of our athletes, the lingering rain making the course slick and filled with puddles, weighing down their uniforms and muddying their shoes.
“It was definitely a different feeling, not being on the historic course. It was pouring almost the entire time, besides the line-up at the start. Even with that, though I actually enjoyed the race and honesty, it seemed like what a cross country race should be: a challenge of speed, strength, and will against the environment,” says Villegas.
During the girls’ race, the rain was pouring even harder, rippling the ground going into Heat Four. The girls’ squad consisted of senior Emilia Gonzalez, senior Charlotte Hopkins, freshmen Haley McClain, senior Meena Phan, senior Amogha Patwari, senior Kushi Sreenath, sophomore Sophia Wei finishing 1st, 5th, 32nd, 51st, 74th, 84th, and 85th.
The stars of the show were seniors Hopkins and Gonzalez qualifying for CIF-SS Finals.
“The boys and girls teams both had strong efforts, with a lot of them running personal bests on the rain course. [Charlotte Hopkins and Emilia Gonzalez] will have strong bids to make it to the state meet based on their performance [at finals],” said Coach Christopher.
Despite the unpredictable weather and altered course, AHS runners proved their resilience and competitive spirit. With two athletes advancing to CIF-SS Finals and several others having standout performances in the rain, the team left Mt. SAC with momentum and confidence. As the season heads to its end, all eyes turn to Hopkins and Gonzalez as they carry Arcadia’s hopes into finals.
PHOTO COURTESY OF @arcadia_crosscountry
