The Search for a League Title

Track shows hope for a league championship

The+Search+for+a+League+Title

Katelyn Suggs

On Feb. 6, over a hundred students gathered in the gym lobby for the first day of track practice. As they sat down for announcements, wet from the pouring rain and huddled in groups with their friends, these student-athletes could never have anticipated the successful season that lay ahead.

RHS’s track team has had a lasting legacy through the years, winning league and section titles. Recently, however, the track team has finished their seasons empty-handed. As the 2017 track season began, athletes got to test out their skills and show that this year is a winning year.

It is no question that the team this year is strong. Now that girls soccer has been moved to the winter season, the team has new options to choose from for relays and events. Girls such as senior Madeline Morrison and junior Amena Nelson are both excellent examples, as both have shown strong performances both in individual events and relays.

Even more so, the JV team shows potential for this year’s league title. The JV team was strong last year, and has benefitted from some new additions that are proving to be integral members of the team.

Sophomore Thomas Gonzales notes their impact on the distance team, saying, “We have a strong JV group and a stacked sophomore team, as well as some fast upperclassmen that will help us this season.”

Coming into league championships meet, the JV teams have shown tremendous talent. Rocklin’s JV Boys team is undefeated in league, and the JV Girls have only lost one meet by a small margin. Though the JV teams cannot continue to Section and State meets, they are still working hard in order to come out on top in League Finals.

“We have a really strong team this year, so we have a shot at becoming League Champions,” says junior Maya Mysore, a sprinter, “if everyone works hard, we may be able to accomplish that goal.”

The Varsity team has also had a strong season, with the girls and boys winning league meets and placing well in invites. Individually, the athletes have shown well, with many making their marks on the all-time school record lists. With Sections, Masters and State meets still ahead of them, the best athletes on the Varsity squad have weeks left to reach their full potential.

Some of these athletes have competed at this higher level already. From the Stanford Invite to the Meet of Champions, the best of the best on Rocklin’s track team have participated in meets with the best runners from all California.

Though just getting the opportunity to compete in such a prestigious meet is amazing, all of the athletes selected went above and beyond to place high in the meet.

The show of athletic ability so far has been outstanding, but what is most striking to the coaching staff and the athletes is the team dynamic.

“The distance team is very comfortable with each other this year and is like a family,” explains Thomas, “we have gotten very close.”

Sophomore Emily Jagerhorn, one of the league’s top jumpers, shares the sentiment, saying, “The team has a lot of motivation this year. We are a lot closer and are like a family.”

Through practices and team bonding activities, the track team has created a bond that will last through the season, wherever it takes them. The athletes are willing to work hard and accomplish their goal of a league title.

Maya is excited to be a part of this team, saying, “I think that everyone worked hard and a lot of people did the best that they had ever done. It was a privilege to watch them run.”