By Coach Jay Stepp
After 151 days and one last 700-mile road trip, the Trojan Cross Country season came to an end. It was a whirlwind season that saw two athletes compete in the state championships, joining the other 19 boys and 15 girls from Yucca Valley High School to compete in Fresno.
Sophomore Cadence Youngman capped off her season of being named Desert Valley League MVP and All-CIF SS by finishing 43rd out of 212 runners in the Division 4 Championships at the state meet. Her time of 19:07 on the 5K course was six seconds better than any other sophomore in YVHS history.
Elijah Ocegueda then took his first attempt at the state meet course. He jumped out quickly with a 4:49 first mile and maintained a top 20 placing through two miles. His fearless running was good experience and gave him valuable knowledge on how to compete at the state level. In the end, the DVL MVP placed 45th out of 210 athletes.
Up next will be a much-needed break before heading into offseason conditioning for track. The team will celebrate all of its accomplishments at a banquet; the date is yet to be determined.
Stepp said, “We’d like to thank all of the people who helped us along the way, whether it be through monetary donations, lending a helping hand, or cheering as loudly as you can. It was all very much appreciated. See you in 2020.”
