As the runners took their strides carefully breathing through their five kilometer race, the energy from Coral Gables Senior High School was undeniable as the amount of supporters was like no other for the Gables cross country senior night. Set on Oct. 30, the cross country team participated in the Junior Orange Bowl Invitational, hoping to place well as individuals and a team from their largest meet yet at Larry and Penny Thompson Park.
The runners arrived at the race at 1:15 p.m. and jumped into their usual routine, with some resting while others focused on visualizing the upcoming race. With most of the team being composed of seniors, most of the runners also had a sense of excited anticipation, looking forward to the post-race celebrations that would commemorate all of the hard work they had put into the team, no matter how many years they participated in the sport.
With the first race at 3:30 p.m., the junior varsity girls were the first to begin their warm-ups taking on the course head-on with both senior runners Kate Kuryla and Jasmin Abu-Zaraybah giving it their all for their last cross country race ever. Soon after they finished, the boys JV race began at 4:10 p.m. with three freshmen boys showing off their training and hoping to prove their worth for the upcoming years.
“Running a race with friends and family at every major point made it more fun than i expected, and the moment for the seniors afterwards highlighted how much of a family we’ve become,” senior Adelaide Schoeni said.
Finally, the varsity girls were up on stage at 4:45 p.m. and these runners did not disappoint. With nine out of 10 runners being seniors, the girls cross country team pushed more than they ever had, and every runner gained a seasonal personal record. More than the adrenaline from senior night, these runners were pushed by the biggest crowd Gables has seen the whole cross country team with friends and families of many seniors showing up to cheer on their runners.
“Senior Night was a really heartwarming feeling seeing people go out of their way to see one of our best races. It made me really happy seeing everyone supporting each other and being proud of what we have all accomplished,” senior Lucia Astorga said.
Cheering and hollering, the crowd pushed senior Avril Donner to an impressive second place finish with a time of 20:18.62 and senior Lauren Puig close behind with a time of 20:35.57 earning her third place. These two runners led seniors Yara Korse and Sharon Contreras to 10th and 11th place, proudly representing Gables as their earned second place for the overall team.
“Senior Night was the most enjoyable race I had this season because of all the love and support I received from my friends on the sidelines. It was a great way to reflect on everything we’ve accomplished as a team before we embark on our next journeys,” senior Avril Donner said.
Spurred on by the performance of these girls, the varsity boys huddled at the start line hyping themselves up as the gun went off at 5:25 p.m. Led by seniors Jason Norona, Cooper Piedra and Luis Rodriguez, the boys earned a remarkable first place finish, beating renowned teams such as Christopher Columbus High School. This race was highlighted by a second and third place finish by Norona and Piedra, and Rodriguez followed suit with a fifth place finish.
With the race ended and the awards beginning, Gables took up a large part of the audience as they roared when fellow Cavaliers were called up on stage to receive their medals and trophies, but the celebration did not end there.
At the Cavalier tent, each of the 19 seniors were celebrated as they received their own posters and shoutout with each one walking through a tunnel of family and friends. Each senior was beaming with excitement as they recalled the amount of time they had given to the Gables cross country team delighted to be recognized for their commitment.
“As we ran through the cheer line created by our friends and family, I realized that our senior night was marking the end of an era. It was a very emotional night, full of love, laughter and PR’s, but above all that it was just a surreal moment to have experienced with the team and my family,” senior Jasmin Abu said.
The Junior Orange Bowl Invitational was more than just another meet, it was a race for all runners to showcase their efforts and the accomplishments that have defined their experience at Gables to more than just their fellow teammates but also to friends and family members. As the runners move on from this night they prepare for the upcoming districts race, hoping to move on to regionals and eventually the state championship.
