After countless seconds, minutes, hours, days and months of practice the varsity women’s cross country team is gearing up for a race many runners dream of running in. That big race is known as the CIF State Cross Country Championships taking place this Saturday in Folsom. Every year the race attracts the best of the best cross country teams from all across the state.

Making up the Hughson varsity women’s cross country team this season is Emily Fife, Elizette Ysais, Jessie Lawrence, Taylor Scheuber, Mackenzie Mason, Camille Haupt and Brianna Campos.

The team of seven has proven to be very successful going undefeated in the tough Trans Valley League, placing 3rd in Sub-Sections to advance to Sections and later shocking many passing up a tough Placer cross country team to place second in Sections advancing them to state for the second time in program history.

The big win on Saturday had many people excited in particular senior runner Emily Fife who has been part of the cross country program all four years of high school.

¨Advancing to state means so much to myself and my team, we are very excited to be able to represent our community this weekend at such a big event for our sport.¨ said Fife. ¨Despite the conditions we have faced this week, we have made sure we have gotten in practice one way or another, whether it be just running inside the gym or traveling up to the mountains to get some running and conditioning in.¨

The air quality conditions currently troubling our area has kept Hughson cross country head coach Joel Bernard on his toes as he heads to state with his team in his 20th year of coaching the program.

¨I could not be more proud of the way the team has competed throughout the season, every year we seem to pick up some great leaders.¨ said Bernard. “The conditions have affected us mildly, but we have worked around it, running workouts inside and going up to Jamestown to get some running in.¨

Time will only tell how the Lady Huskies will do as the big race quickly approaches this Saturday.

(Picture taken by Scott Durham and Kim)