The Lassen High School boys’ varsity cross country team recently competed at the California CIF State Cross Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno for the first time in 31 years. The varsity boys’ team included Jesse Lopez, Andrew Alcaraz, Ethan Williams, Ellis Dockery, Curtis Mallery, Rocklin Albonico, and Evan Neuenschwander. Individual state qualifiers for the varsity girls were Kimberly McKernan and Cheyenne White. All athletes performed commendably, competing against some of the top high school runners in the nation in Division 4 races, each consisting of 201 athletes from across the state.
The achievement of qualifying for this level of competition was seen as a victory in itself. The experience inspired the athletes and provided insight into what it takes to become top performers. California’s state meet is highly competitive, showcasing some of the most talented high school runners in the country. The dedication and hard work of the Lassen athletes were evident, with intense training routines that included long runs, recovery runs, speed training, intervals, mile repeats, and hill workouts.
The athletes also developed strong team camaraderie, balancing hard work with enjoyable activities like swimming, team dinners, and playing games after races. The sport of cross country allowed them to compete against others and themselves, always striving for personal records as a measure of improvement. Some notable performances included Kimberlee running a 19:20 and Rocklin finishing at 17:42. Curtis Mallery, the only upperclassman, achieved a personal record of 19:52. Other athletes also delivered strong performances in their first 5K varsity races of the season.
The community’s support played a significant role in the team’s journey to the State Championship, and the team expressed gratitude for the generosity and encouragement received.
