The boys and girls cross country teams brought the heat during the third PAL meet at Bedwell Bayfront Park on Wednesday, finishing first and second respectively.
The boys team absolutely dominated Mills and Hillsdale in the true 5k race, finishing with a perfect score of 15 points. Seniors Cason Mitchell and Aidan Sharp tied for first, both running an impressive 16:53. Junior Grant Bennitt followed close behind, finishing soon after with a time of 16:58. Senior Brady Phan claimed fourth, and junior Benjamin Salceda secured fifth, ensuring a commanding sweep for the Bears.
Outside the boys’ point scorers, Junior Calvin Blanford and senior Kentaro Wurtele placed ninth and 12th, respectively, with sub-17:30 times.
“It was a very good performance. We swept. It’s the best score you can get. So we got a perfect score of 15, which I don’t think we’ve ever done in the history of M-A on the boys side,” Mitchell said. “It just shows the depth that our team has.”
The girls team performed impressively as well, taking a close second place to Carlmont with a total score of 44 points. Sophomore Caroline Pflaum came in second with a 19:23 run, while senior Paige McGaraghan took seventh and junior Laura Maravilla placed 10th.
Senior Matilda Smart placed 12th, and freshman Mia Smith wasn’t far behind, finishing in 13th place. Sophomore Alli Brottem came in 16th place and senior Mia Sanchez wound up in 18th, making for a remarkable performance across the board.
“It’s always fun to represent at home. You know, people come out and watch, who are supporting us,” Mitchell said.
“Our success on the course is driven by our coaches and all the people who support us,” Sharp said. “They deserve just as much credit as us.”
The Bears will hit the trail again at the Crystal Springs PAL championships on Saturday, Nov. 1.
