The varsity boys and girls of the CHS Cross Country team competed in the California CIF State Championships on Nov. 29 in a race that was five kilometers long at Woodward Park in Fresno. Claremont was ranked in Division 2 along with Covina High School.

Six boys from CHS placed in the top 100 competitors. Senior Mike Lowrie led the boys varsity team, finishing the course in 15:25, ranking him 12th. Senior Adam Johnson followed with a time of 15:31, putting him in 15th place. Senior Dylan Powers ran a 16:02, earning him 56th place, while Jonah Ross finished with a time of 16:12, giving him 73rd place. Junior Tab Backman ran the course in the same amount of time as Ross, but he finished 74th. The boys ranked 5th overall in Division 2.

On the girls’ side, Sophomore Jax Hectors of the CHS girls varsity team CHS with a finish of 18:48, putting her in 38th place. Freshman Tess Rounds followed in 52nd place with a time of 18:59. Next was junior Kiana Cavanaugh who ranked 58th place with a time of 19:06. Sophomore Alex Gushue ran a 19:39, putting her in 91st place, while sophomore Janelle Baeskens placed 96th with a finish of 19:43.

“Our hard work as a team this season really paid off. We placed 7th in the State, (Division 2) without a top race from all of our girls. I’m incredibly proud of our accomplishments and feel that we had a fun and fulfilling weekend up in Clovis,” junior Kiana Cavanaugh said.

Both of the CHS Varsity Cross Country teams made it to the CIF State Championships. The girls’ team qualified into and ran in this tournament last year as well, while the varsity boys qualified into and ran in this tournament this year, but not last year. The hard work and dedication the CHS boys and girls have displayed this year brought them to the CIF State Championship where both teams did well.