The 2009 XC season is coming to a close, and the Blue Jays are looking great.  Although the girls are still having trouble fielding a team, everyone is improving and getting stronger as the season progresses.  Several kids have improved 2 to 3 minutes or more since the first meet of the season!  The team is now gearing up for the District Championship, which will be held on October 28^th at Meriweather Golf Course in Hillsboro.

            The Jays had two meets during the week of September 20-26.  First was the Oregon Episcopal Meet, held at OES on the 22^nd.  This course is a slower course, combining narrow trails with lots of turns and even a gravel hill.  There were even reports of two of our runners falling into blackberry bushes during the race!  Sophomore Michael Danforth led the boys with his time of 21:32 and 26^th place finish out of 111 competitors.  The only Lady Jay at this meet, junior Emily Bonazzola recorded a time of 30:08 – over 5 minutes faster than her time last year at the same course!  The second meet of the week was the Northwest XC Classic at Lane C.C. in Eugene on the 26^th.  A modified version of the State course, this was a very competitive meet of 40 teams from Oregon and California.  Junior Silas Lortz was the boys’ #1 runner with a time of 20:26.  Bonazzola was PL’s only girl again, finishing in a great time of 28:09.

            The following week, on the 30^th, the Blue Jays competed at the District Preview at Meriweather Golf Course.  This meet was a great tune-up for the District Championship.  Every single PL runner recorded a personal best!  Once again, Lortz led the boys’ team with a time of 19:47 – his first time under 20 minutes.  Danforth also slipped under the barrier, achieving a time of 19:59.  The lone Lady Jay for the third time in a row, Bonazzola recorded an impressive time of 26:45 – her first time under 27 or 28 minutes.  Our most improved runner was freshman Tejinder Bhullar, who dropped over 3 minutes from his previous race.

            Next, on October 3^rd, the Jays traveled all the way to Florence for the Woahink Lake Invitational.  This course combined winding trails and pavement, complete with hay bales to jump over.  Danforth was the boys’ top competitor, finishing in a time of 20:27.  Sophomore Tricia Stein was PL’s only competitor in the girls’ race this time, recording a season-best of 25:12.

            PL’s next meet was the Regis Invitational at Regis HS in Stayton on October 8^th.  This course is generally fast, combining a start on gravel around athletic fields with hilly trails in a mini forest behind the school.  Lortz led the boy’s team again with a time of 19:55, followed closely by Danforth in 20:00.  Junior Mihretu Dessalegne, the Jays’ #4 runner, achieved a PR of 20:58 – his first time under 21 minutes.  Stein led PL’s 2-person girls’ team, recording another season-best of 24:42.

            That Saturday, the Blue Jays competed at the Champoeg Invitational at Champoeg State Park.  This course involves several changes of terrain, going from uneven grass to roads, nature trails, and a bike path.  The meet also featured stiff competition from 5A and 6A schools.  Lortz led the boys once again with a time of 20:11.  Junior Ali Brauer was the Lady Jays’ top runner, achieving a season-best of 20:13 and a 7^th-place finish.  Stein finished in yet another season-best time of 24:11, and volleyball star Lindsay LeBrun was not far behind in an impressive PR of 24:42.

            The Jays’ last meet before Districts was the Warner Pacific Invite at Westmoreland Park on the 17^th.  The runners experienced wet and wild conditions during their races, as the pouring rain and previous races had torn up the course, creating puddles and tons of mud.  Lortz, the boys #1 runner, didn’t let this stop him – he raced through the mud to a huge PR of 19:27.  Brauer led the girls through the bog with a 7^th-place finish and time of 20:52.