While most students were enjoying the homecoming festivities on Friday night, 17 dedicated cross country runners were prepping for an early race start time on Saturday morning.  On homecoming Saturday, 10 varsity boys and 7 varsity girls competed in the Capital Cross Challenge at Hagen Oaks Park in Sacramento.  This was amazing cross country event hosted by the Sacramento running Association and sponsored by Hoka One One.  The setting was incredible with the 5k course being run on several holes of this beautiful golf course. And the meet host and sponsors pulled out all the stops to make this a fantastic meet with great prizes, a spectacular finish line and even an awesome DJ.  The Acalanes boys and girls stepped up to early race start times of 7:50am and 8:15am on a chili 57 degree morning.  Their perseverance and dedication paid off.

The girls varsity team finished 10th among 38 teams from throughout California.  Junior Nicole Frigon and Sophomore Lauren Yee earned themselves Hoka One One backpacks by finishing within the top 10.  Nicole finished 9th with a time of 19:21 on the 5k course and Lauren finished right behind in 10th place with a time of 19:26.  The girls team effort was rounded out by great running from teammates Caroline Crossland, Lena Johnson, Sam Swan, Sidney Zimmerman, and Aysha Craig.

The Acalanes boys pulled off an amazing victory, taking first place in a field of 40 competitive teams from throughout California.  It was the first time the boys full varsity has run together this season and pulling off a victory like this at a spectacular meet like Capital Cross was nothing short of absolutely thrilling.  Junior Sam Roth led the boys team and earned himself a Hoka One One Backpack by finishing in 4th place with a 5k time of 15:58.  Andrew Owens, Tyler Hunt, Dominic Basaldua, and Loic Windfuhr Durand utilized a brilliant pack running technique to round out the team scoring by placing 26th, 27th, 30th and 33rd respectively with 5k times of 16:47, 16:52, 16:56 and 16:59.  This amazing team effort was rounded out by outstanding running from Nick Hutson, Bennett Dodge, Josh Evans, Derek Kotarba, and Ethan Chow.  A very well deserved Congratulations to our varsity boys team for an amazing victory at a spectacular meet.