With the early morning sun struggling to peak over the horizon, a select few cross-country Jags boarded a bus heading to Tallahassee. These weren’t just old cross-country runners; these were the stat leaders, heading to what may be the toughest challenge they’ve faced yet: state championships. 

32 of the fastest cross country high school teams in Florida all gather at FSU, competing on one course to prove themselves. For cross-country, it is the finale for high school athletes and the pinnacle event of the season. 

Our Jags remain prepared, though, for this event as they have worked the entire summer, according to senior Ryan Perez, who has been a part of the team all four years of high school. The grueling season with its ups and downs has helped prepare the select few for this moment. 

What makes this event especially significant to our school is the fact that the Lady Jags will have their first runner back at the state championship after a five-year drought. 

Lady Jag Alayah Samuel explains how her sights are set on winning and that she started running 11 years ago, and has kept that love for running to this day. 

She adds that “at the beginning of the season, my mom…told me that I would be practicing with the boys. At first, I was upset because that would mean pushing myself 10x harder just to keep up. But I realized that pushing myself harder is the only way I can make myself proud.” 

This ambition resonates with all the Jags going to states. Each has pushed themselves to the limit in preparation for this one race. 

As Samuel put it, “The work isn’t done until [we] accomplish [our] goal.” 

The Jags go into this race with high hopes and expectations of bringing home the trophy, not the runner-up, but the champion. Step by step, stride by stride, the Jags have made their mark this cross-country season.