On Saturday, September 3rd, Claremont Cross Country (CXCP) competed at the Cool Breeze Invitational in Pasadena. Both the girls and boys varsity teams placed highly; the girls team earned a ranking of number one in the nation. This race was the first of the new season and a strong performance by both teams gave CXCP a good start to the 2016 season. The event was held at the Brookside Golf & Country Club and is a one and a half mile route that is ran twice.The Cool Breeze Invitational was an anticipated event for the entire team because competition at the event included some of the top teams in the nation. CXCP went against division one, two, and three teams. Over fifteen teams gathered to engage in the event. Such teams included Arcadia, currently number six in the nation, and Desert Vista, another notable competitor.

“It is very cool we won and the fact that it is so early in the season means there is a lot of room for improvement. We thought Arcadia was going to win because they were sixth in the nation. All the girls worked super hard and trained hard in the summer. It makes me really excited for what the rest of the year has in store,” senior and captain Janelle Baskens said.

This was not the first time that CXCP has competed at Cool Breeze; however, they have never placed as well as the team did this year. Last year the CXCP as a collective team earned second place; it is a large and competitive meet, so winning is something significant. The hard work and dedication of the team as well as a new coach, Bill Reeves, whose different training style pushed and motivated the team, has propelled the team forward.

“This win really helped build the team’s confidence for the season and  made us really excited. Last year we got fourth in the state and we really wanted to podium, so this year being number one in our division, creates a much more likely possibility which will further our chances of getting to nationals,” senior and captain Jacquelyn Heckers said.

With further training and several more meets in store, the future of the girls cross country team appears to be bright. By continually progressing and engaging in rigorous training, the team  hopes to continue to hold their title as number one in the nation.

“I think if everyone maintains a good attitude and does all our mileage we will be able to continue being successful. Our goal is to get top three at CIF state championship division two because last year we got fourth and last year at CIF finals we got third so we are hoping to get second or even first. It is some of the girls’ final year and we would really like to be able to get first,” senior and varsity captain Annie Boos said.

The girls team earning a ranking of number one in the nation is a milestone that will provide the CXCP with confidence and drive going into the season. With the team’s high aspirations, it is safe to say that the upcoming season will be successful. With this victory already so early in the season, it will be exciting to see what the team will achieve next.