As the fall sports season comes closer to its conclusion, The Aliso Niguel Girls Cross Country team continues to push themselves, closing in on many of the goals they set at the beginning of the season with months of dedication, preparation, training and the hard fought races themselves have allowed for them to set their sights on the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) League.
The road to CIF is still unfolding, with three major meets remaining that will play a critical role in determining their postseason fate. These include the challenging Orange County Championships, the prestigious Mt. SAC Invitational, and the long-awaited Sea View League (SVL) Finals. Each of these events presents a significant opportunity for the team to solidify their placement in CIF rankings and determine which teams they will go up against in the postseason.
Despite the season not being over, the Girls Cross Country team has already achieved impressive milestones. Many of the runners have dramatically improved their times, with several athletes dropping anywhere from 30 seconds to over a full minute from earlier races. These time improvements are not only a testament to the athletes’ hard work but also reflect the strong coaching and support system surrounding the team. However, the runners aren’t settling—they’ve already begun setting new personal and team goals for next season.
The team has consistently faced fierce competition throughout the season from strong programs like Dana Hills High School, Tesoro High School, and San Clemente High School. These teams feature some strong runners in the area, yet the Aliso Niguel girls have continually risen to the challenge, refusing to let obstacles stand in their way. Their determination has kept them competitive and driven as they prepare to face these familiar rivals once again in the upcoming league finals.
The Aliso Niguel team still has to challenge and overcome many recurring obstacles and opponents, including Dana Hills High School, Tesoro High School and San Clemente High School. All of these teams have strong runners just like our very own cross country team; however, they can push past a majority of what gets in their way.
When asked how likely they think the Girls cross country team can make it into CIF, Nadia Bonfanti (10), one of the higher scoring Varsity runners, said, “There is a very high chance we can make it with how hard we have been working all season.”
One of the past meets the Girls Cross Country team had was in the Central Park Invitational, where many of the girls scored decent times, including the top three scorers: Aubrey Jones (12) running an 18:11.90, Camila Abraca (12) running a 18.38.10, and Aubrey Fletcher (12) running a 18.50.60.
The Cross Country team not only trains for upcoming events but also has end-of-the-year events with Bonfanti commenting, “At the end of the year, we have an awards ceremony and a formal event to celebrate the season.”
This season is close to its ending, and the runners are ready to sprint to their finish in both competitions and in their continued school work.
