KING CITY — The Chalone Peaks Middle School cross country program stormed back into action last weekend at the Morro Bay Invitational, marking an explosive start to the King City team’s second official year.
Highlighting the program’s meteoric growth, roster participation expanded nearly twofold — jumping from roughly 30 runners last season to an impressive 56 student-athletes competing across sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Both the Colts boys and girls teams capped off the massive turnout by securing overall second-place team finishes in their respective divisions.
The impressive double podium finishes carry even greater weight considering the competition. Both squads finished second only to powerhouse Kastner Intermediate — a massive school housing exclusively seventh and eighth graders with a student population exceeding 1,100 students. Despite facing off against such an established program, the tight-knit Colts squad demonstrated remarkable depth, pack-running strategy and determination on the course.
“It is great to see our team growing in numbers and in success at our first meet,” said CPMS Coach Garcia.
In the boys division, eighth-grader Hector Mandujano III led the way with a ninth-place finish (10:32.0), followed by eighth-grader Damian Rangel in 13th (10:45.6), sixth-grader Kevin Chavez in 17th (11:00.9), eighth-grader Ayden Lopez in 18th (11:01.2), seventh-grader William Miguel in 25th (11:20.8), eighth-grader Gael Fernandez in 28th (11:28.2) and eighth-grader Jael Reyes in 29th (11:30.9).
For the girls team, seventh-grader Vanessa Ayala-Gaxiola captured seventh place (11:43.4), pacing top finishers seventh-grader Yaneli Fernando in 11th (11:53.5), sixth-grader Betthany Diaz in 18th (12:43.9), sixth-grader Yessenya Ramirez in 20th (12:47.1), eighth-grader Janelle Mendoza in 21st (12:48.1), seventh-grader Rocio Guzman in 25th (13:00.8), eighth-grader Valerie Andrade in 30th (13:32.7) and eighth-grader Aranza Fletes in 32nd (13:45.0).
With momentum fully on their side, nearly 60 runners on the roster, and early-season success under their belts, the Chalone Peaks Colts have proven that their second-year program is poised for a remarkable season ahead.
The Colts will run next on Friday, Sept. 18, against the Salinas middle schools at the First Tee Course in Salinas.
