Track and field team dashes into spring season
Chris Balingit ’19 runs track.
May 17, 2019
Varsity track and field started off with a tough loss to Junipero Serra 98-17. Although they won the the second meet they participated in against Valley Christian High School, they haven’t been able to pick up any wins recently. Much time was taken to prepare for the upcoming season, with preseason workouts and training, so getting a win in their second outing in a very competitive league may have been a result of their preparation.
Harry Casey ’21 said, “So our coaches, Coach Matt Ilarina and Coach Mark Thompson prepared us well because they helped us stretch every day and make sure we weren’t injured. We would also do many drills and exercises to help us improve in our ability to stay in shape and get faster.”
Many of the meets were eventful, while wins were well within reach, but the Crusaders have not been able to grasp any since the Valley Christian meet.
After this victory, the Crusaders were looking to keep the momentum rolling, yet came up short against Bellarmine 116- 15. Next, was the Fighting Irish of Sacred Heart Cathedral where they battled hard, but came up short 71-45.
The last two meets have been against St. Ignatius with a loss 84-36, and their most recent loss against St. Francis 114-19.
While the regular season might not have gone as planned, the Crusaders look forward to the West Catholic Athletic League Championships.
Casey said, “Our season is going well and we have a lot of competition knowing that we are in the WCAL. Overall our runners have improved in many ways such as speed, form, and ability.”
The team faced adversity and overcame roadblocks, and their improvement may be a predictor for years to come.
Azaan Ledbetter ’21 said, “There’s a lot of untouched potential on our track team. We have a strong sprint team, with our just as strong long distance team. This year was an experience to see what we could do in the years ahead of us.”