Varsity cross country places in district finals

The+Jefferson+boys+cross+country+team+holds+the+district+championship+banner.+As+a+sophomore%2C+I+ran+in+the+district+meet+in+2020+when+we+won%2C+and+am+very+happy+and+satisfied+that+we+have+won+again+this+year%2C+now+with+me+as+a+senior%2C+senior+Jeremy+West+said.+

Robert West

The Jefferson boys’ cross country team holds the district championship banner. “As a sophomore, I ran in the district meet in 2020 when we won, and am very happy and satisfied that we have won again this year, now with me as a senior,” senior Jeremy West said.

Nicole Liu, Xixi Song, Asmitha Koneru, and Harry Xiao
November 22, 2021

Jefferson’s varsity cross country team placed first and second overall for boys and girls, respectively, in the Oct. 28 National District Championships. 

During the meet, Jefferson competed against their district opponents: Annandale, Falls Church, Hayfield, John R. Lewis, Justice, Mount Vernon, and Thomas Edison High Schools.

“Before the meet, there was some pressure because we knew we had a chance at winning, but it was going to be close so it was the most important meet of the season. But, we were focused and were united as a team, after many meets where not all of us could make it,” senior Jeremy West said.

 The stakes were high, but the runners were eager to give it their all.

“I felt really energized during the meet,” sophomore Aurora Zary said. “We’ve been working really hard during the whole season, but we started to taper before and it was really nice to go out and compete for something that really mattered.” 

Jefferson varsity team receives second place in Sept. 28 district meet
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Members of the Jefferson cross country team run on campus during an afternoon October meet. Phase 3 practices kept members in shape during the pandemic. “It’s good motivation to be running two times a week since it’s really hard to find time to do workouts,” Junior Erin Tran said.
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Placing their arms around each other, the cross-country team poses for a picture after the Regionals competition “At regionals, [the boy’s team] got 3rd place and qualified for the state meet. The girls team also got 3rd and qualified, and we are all really happy about it.” cross-country captain Tucker Stanley said.
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West, who placed fifth out of 69 runners, almost didn’t manage to make the spot. 

“My shoe actually became untied after the first mile of the race, but I kept focused, hoped my shoe would not fall off, and kept running my race. A good mentality is as crucial as physical fitness in racing well, so I was glad the loose shoe didn’t throw me off,” West said.

After the race, the boy’s team knew they had a good chance of winning the meet.  

“Almost everyone got PRs [personal records]. We did win, but we only got first by three points which is extremely close. Every place mattered,” West said.

The girl’s team placed second overall. Zary attributes this to senior Irene Williams, who joined the team this year.

“We did better because Irene kinda carried everyone. With her, our average time was a whole minute faster,” Zary said.

This meet was the finale of the season.

“As a whole, this was the best TJ had done in any meet. As I said before, in most of the other meets at least a couple of people were not there. But for this meet, everyone was there and ready to go, and we did great,” West said.