Vikings Cross Country Teams Advance to State Championships After Strong Showing at SoCal Regionals

The Vikings Cross Country teams showcased their competitive spirit at the SoCal Regionals over the weekend, delivering strong performances in both the men's and women's events.

In the women's 5K, the Vikings scored 375 points, placing 17th overall. Leading the charge was freshman Itzel Aguilar, who finished 36th with a time of 21:12.2, closely followed by sophomore Jennifer Martinez, clocking in at 21:31.0.

On the men's side, the Vikings took 19th place in the 4-mile race. Freshman Jamari Gibson finished in 81st at 22:52.6, while sophomore Franklyn Taylor crossed the line at 22:58.7, securing 86th place.

"We are incredibly proud of our four student-athletes who have qualified for the state championship," said Men's Cross Country Head Coach Julio Jimenez."Sophomores Frank and Jennifer will be making their second consecutive appearance, having qualified as freshmen. As Frank concludes his Viking career, we hope he can secure a top-10 finish in our school's Woodward Park course list. Despite challenges earlier this year, Jennifer has shown remarkable growth and resilience. Her increased confidence and fitness should translate well for the upcoming track season. Freshmen Jamari and Itzel have made significant strides in their second year of cross country (they only ran the senior year of high school), and we are excited to see their continued development. We wish all four athletes the best of luck as they strive for personal bests next weekend."

These four athletes have all qualified to compete in the 3C2A State Championships, set for Saturday, November 23, at Woodward Park in Fresno.