Angel Harper
All of the cross country runners gather together to pose for an end-of-the-season photo. They are looking forward to a successful season.
Thomas Darmodjo, 10
Sophomore Thomas Darmodjo joined the track and cross country teams at the end of July, going into his sophomore year. He hopes to make varsity after feeling like he wasted a lot of time not doing anything last year. Darmodjo advises those interested in running to think of it as a hobby so they never get tired of it.
Esaam Zaman, 11: JV
Junior Esaam Zaman joined the cross country and track teams this year after transferring from Carnegie Vanguard High School where he won two events at districts. He is currently running for the JV boys team due to transfer rules that state he must be on the JV team for a year before making varsity. Zaman is most proud of inspiring his younger teammates and providing transportation to practices and meets as one of the oldest members on the team.
Jacob Lee, 11: Varsity
Varsity runner junior Jacob Lee has been on the track and cross country teams for three years. His biggest achievement is getting 7th place at districts last year. Lee contributes a positive attitude to the team by keeping people awake at early morning practices. Despite his accomplishments, Lee views himself as truly humble under God.
Benjamin Kotlyar, 9: JV
Freshman Benjamin Kotlyar runs for the JV boys cross country and track teams. He joined the cross country team in May of 2023 and joined the track team right after the cross country season ended. For Kotlyar, one difference between cross country and track is that cross country is like getting ready for a whole story that is going to take place, while a lot of what happens in track takes place before races.
Brian Zhang, 9: Varsity
Varsity runner and freshman Brian Zhang has been on the cross country and track teams since entering high school. His goal is to break 19 minutes for a 5K as a personal record (PR). He broke his previous PR by 56 seconds during a meet at Nottingham Park. Zhang brings a competitive spirit to practice by racing his teammates.
Abrehet Sale, 11: Varsity
Having been on the varsity cross country and track teams for two years, junior Abrehet Sale’s biggest accomplishment has been breaking a PR of 13:25 minutes in the 3200 meter. Others on the team appreciate her humor and joy she brings when she attends practice. She views track as “a hamster running in a cage.”
Priscilla Figueroa, 11: JV
Junior Priscilla Figueroa has been a JV member of the girls cross country team since July of 2023. Figueroa feels that track is a bit boring compared to cross country, where there are different courses every meet. She views consistency as the key to running and advises others interested in running to start off slow and trust the process.
Jessica Wang, 9: Varsity
Freshman Jessica Wang joined the varsity cross country and track teams after entering high school. Her proudest moment so far has been making it to regionals as part of the varsity girls team. She attributes her positivity as her biggest contribution to the team and hopes to advance to state.
Jennifer Paz, 10: JV
Sophomore Jennifer Paz has been a member of the cross country and track teams since the beginning of the school year. Her greatest accomplishment has been staying committed to running even though almost every practice results in her throwing up from exhaustion. She brings humor to lift the team’s spirits and rants about the woes of her life.
Annie Tsang, 10: JV
Sophomore Annie Tsang joined the JV cross country and track teams this school year. She is most proud of her increased exercise and water intake for this year especially, paying more attention to her health. Her quality trait is sarcasm and joking around with the team during warmups. She likes sprinkling pepper on her fries and shops for sports equipment at Nike and Lululemon.
Jatin Presse, 11 Varsity
Varsity member junior Jatin Presse joined the cross country and track teams freshman year. His favorite color is gold and his favorite chapstick brand is Aquaphor. Presse does not have a dream college but looks to find a college that fits his needs and goals
Cade Hart, 11: Varsity for xc, JV for track
Junior Cade Hart runs for the varsity boys cross country team and JV boys track team.Hart gets his running equipment from Fleet Feet. Hart wants to attend Texas A&M and continue running there.
Joaquin Gomez, 11: JV
Junior Joaquin Gomez is a member of the JV boys cross country and track teams. His dream college is Rice University. He views cross country as running up and down hills whereas track is more running on a flat surface.
Sophia Hamdani, 10 Varsity
Varsity runner and sophomore Sophia Hamdani has been on the cross country and track teams for two years. She is most proud of making it to state last year and finishing her race in harsh weather after losing her shoe a quarter mile into the race. This year, she enjoys the especially tight community of the cross country team and its dynamic. Hamdani tries to hype people up and brings her energy by cheering her teammates on when running.