And they’re off! The speedy Cavalier cross country team represented Gables once again at this year’s regionals meet. The boys team managed to finish eighth and was close on the heels of some of the teams in front of them. The boys also managed to set multiple personal bests in their last race for the season. They were very close to qualifying for states and with their young team, they are all looking towards next year to do even better.

“Last year, I wasn’t excited about going to regionals, but this year I went with a team that won the district championship and was devoted and motivated to reaching their goals. I feel like this cross country season has taught me how good we are at running and how much better we can become. I like the implications that show for next year considering how well we did this year,” junior Abraham Elmir said.

Meanwhile, the girls team ran their hearts out, setting several new personal bests as they managed to qualify, by one point, for states. They were able to beat their top rival, Sunset High, by running as fast as they could and they pulled through. They all look forward to getting the chance to run for states and are ecstatic about their performance.

“I’m super proud of the girls team for making states and the guys for winning districts and doing well at regionals.We all ran as hard as possible and it really payed off in the end and it honestly still feels like a dream. It’s the first time any of us girls are going to states. We are all super excited about the opportunity and this just still feels so surreal,” junior Eleanor Bauwens said.

Deshay Fernandes led the boys team and managed to place 23rd with a time of 17:31 in the regionals 5-kilometer race. On the girls side, junior Kathryn Boylan had the best day, placing 32nd with a time of 22:18.

“It felt awesome to know that I was running a great race and then to see the clock showing that I had set my new personal best. It was awesome  to qualify for states especially because we weren’t really expecting it. We were all so happy and excited that we started crying,” Boylan said.

Both the boys and girls teams have some very young runners and almost all of them will be returning next year. They all hope to improve and show even more impressive performances in the seasons to come. After a great season, the cross country team has big plans for the years to come. They hope to get both teams to states next year and possible even become a regional championship contender. With the boys winning districts and the girls qualifying for states, be sure to watch these teams for the next few years. They have passed this year’s finish line with great performances, but they can already see next year’s starting line.