Valley Center Middle School kicked off the cross country season with a fantastic first meet, and I'm thrilled with the performance of our runners. Our 8th grade teams showed impressive skill and dedication, with our veteran runners demonstrating their experience and leadership.

In particular, our top 8th grade girl, Tylee Coleman, delivered an outstanding performance by clinching first place and, along with Leslie Perez, helped secure a 5th place finish for the 8th grade girls team. On the boys’ side, Trevor Russell led the charge with a 2nd place finish, helping the 8th grade boys team achieve a 1st place overall finish. This experienced group, featuring Samuel Scott, Kason Rector, and DJ Rader, is not only highly motivated but also incredibly enthusiastic about the rest of the season.

Our 7th grade teams are filled with promising new talent. Audrey Dalton and Sophie Sexton made impressive debuts by finishing in the top ten for the 7th grade girls, while Brayden Mayer and Kale Amaro are definitely runners to watch on the boys’ side.

Here are the team places from the Invitational:
7th Grade Girls: 4th place
7th Grade Boys: 9th place
8th Grade Girls: 5th place
8th Grade Boys: 1st place

We're gearing up for our next meet in Wellington on Saturday, and I'm confident that both our veteran and newcomer runners will continue to showcase their hard work and talent!