Heading to state is always a big deal, but for the Arlington cross country team it’s tradition. For the past 11 straight years, we have sent the Arlington boys team and 6 years for the ladies. But this year was the first time that the XC team hasn’t sent a team to state for either the boy or girls, what has changed this year compared to the previous year’s teams?
Cross country is a sport where all the veterans take the lead and usually seniors and juniors make up the varsity team. Their experience shapes how all the athletes race and perform, giving finesse to their skill and mentality.
“Last year’s team was all seniors and they all left… so we had a really young and inexperienced team this year,” said Clayton Martinsen (’27), a first year varsity runner trying to fill the gaps from last year’s team. “There’s nothing that really needs an immediate change… This year we’re kind of rebuilding and learning.”
The ladies side also experienced a similar outcome with only having two of their varsity runners competing this Saturday at the state meet.
“The last two years we qualified as a team, and this year we are going individually, which I think will still be fun, but it’s going to be different without them,” said Anabelle Klein (’27), a repeating third year state competitor on the girls varsity team. “Yes definitely, we’re going to get some incoming freshmen that are pretty fast, and both of our teams are pretty young this year, so next year we’ll have an older team that’s faster,” said Klein when asked about starting a new state streak.
Although the varsity teams didn’t make it, that doesn’t mean that the athletes didn’t believe they couldn’t.
“I just guess I just did assume the streak would continue… It was never really a question if we could make it, it was just always we were going to state this year and next year and the year after,” said Justin Rinehardt (’26), a senior who’s seen the past teams go to state each year. “I was shocked and disappointed at the same time. I didn’t think it was ever a possibility and then it became a reality,” said Rinehardt when asked about his reaction to the boys and girls teams not qualifying for the state championship race.
Overall, both teams are disappointed about their performances, but for the individuals that are competing in Pasco this weekend they have to dwell in the fact that they will always be supported, even if the teams aren’t with them.
“You may be racing alone, but all your teammates in Arlington back at home are cheering all of those kids on, they are not alone,” Rinehardt said. “They have all the support from their team. They may not be there in person, but they’re still cheering them on, everybody on the team cares.”
