This season BC Cross Country for Men & Women’s teams have a new coach named Cesar Míreles.
For the second consecutive year the men won the Western State Conference Championship on Oct. 25 and on the same day the women’s team placed 5th overall, which qualified them to have seven members from each team to compete at the SoCal championships at Chaffey College on Nov. 8. This competition determines the top 16 teams to go to state.
BC men will be led by team member Jacob Perez who is ranked the #1 runner in So Cal and in the state. His teammate include Atzin Anguiano, Robert Chavez, Sergio Lizarraga, Alexis Aguilar, alternate Omar Aguilar & Richard Rangel. Currently, BC men are ranked #3 for SoCal and state.
The women representing BC are Jasmine Vasquez, Mariah Delgado, Daniela Garcia, Kaitlyn Valdez, Mia Leisenfield, Jadyn Boston, and Valeria Blanks. Theya re currently ranked #9 in SoCal.
Coach Míreles has high expectations. He said, “to finish at ranking for men in the top 3 at the podium, and for women to move up [to] 8th from 9th.”
Top runner Perez hopes for the team to place in the top 5.
Teammate Chavez spoke about finding balance as a student athlete. He said, “I am conscious of my time in my day, and if I have work and if it is a long run I do it earlier.”
Putting in a lot of work means results and Chavez agrees from his first race to now his improvement has been substantial. He said, “I have gotten faster by doing more miles and mentally preparing myself.”
On the women’s team, Vasquez is a first-year athlete who is the top runner for females at BC and has been athlete of the week. Every athlete pushes differently, she explained. “You must know since it is gonna hurt and what you are gonna get out of, like as much pain you are gonna have you are gonna have more results. I do not wanna have regrets at my race and give it my all and not come out saying I did not do what I should have.”
In sports everyone always dreams of going to state but to place in conference and be able to go to SoCals is the first step.. Both athletes Perez & Vasquez said, “It is exciting.”
(Natalie Macias)
