The Eagles cross country team participated in the West Sequoia League Championship held by Minarets High School, Nov. 12. Six schools including FC joined this meet before the final challenge, the CIF Central Championship at Woodward Park.

Although it is the smallest meet the cross country team has ever competed in this year, runners have been working their best to finish the season with a bang.

In the boys varsity race, senior Soren Hoffman finished first for the Eagles with a time of 20:02. He was followed by sophomore Isaac Hoffman with a time of 21:23. Junior Michael Fu ran at 23:30. Lastly, Junior Glen Wang joined the team and ran 24:49 in his first meet of the season.

Hoffman who recently recovered from an injury noticed a difference between this meet and previous ones that made the WSL Championship harder than normal meets.

“I think I did my best out of all the meets I have, but the course it was a little bit difficult on the last mile.” Hoffman said, “First mile was good, pretty flat, the second mile had a little bit more of the hill, but the third mile took us out back away from the school. There are a lot of steep down hills where you have to slow down and then when you go up hill you have to speed up where it is hardest.”

Running in his first varsity meet with the team, Wang has overcome the anxiety and the hills to accomplish his first race.

“Before I ran I felt nervous, but after the meet I felt relaxed.” Wang said, “I think it is a good experience. On the last mile, there are many hills and I felt really tired when I finished. When I got to the end, it felt like I got to heaven.”

Coach Doug Daniel is grateful for all the hard work runners have put into this year. With only one week of the season left, Daniel encouraged his runners to put up their best effort for the next meet.

“I think they ran as hard as they could,” Daniel said. “It is difficult to evaluate how each runner will do with this course, but I think these guys did the best they could and I am proud of them. If they could run with a faster pace and it is possible to go to the state championship”

The Eagles cross country team will next compete in the Central Section Valley Championship at the at Woodward park, Nov. 20.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @fmichael_0501.