After months of tough workouts, long practices and fatiguing Saturday morning runs, the NDB Varsity and JV Cross Country teams competed in their last West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) meet of the season.

On November 4, the teams went to the Cross Country Crystal Springs Course in Belmont and raced the exhausting, uneven 2.95 mile course. The weather was partly cloudy and hovered in the low 60s, which are ideal conditions for distance runners. Both teams took advantage of this and placed sixth in their respective races.

Many JV teammates set new personal records at this past meet. Although their season is over, many runners will return next season with new individual and team goals in mind.

Junior Maddy King, a first-time competitive runner, reflects on her fourth place finish in the JV race.

“It was a great way to end my first season and…it felt really good to run with the team and set a new PR (personal record) for myself,” King said.

Varsity’s sixth place finish earned them a spot in the D4 Central Coast Section (CCS) Cross Country Championships. This is the first time that the team has qualified for this meet since 2019.

Varsity Coach Tom McGlynn shared his thoughts on the teams’ performances and how much they have improved throughout the season.

“I think the team did great,” Coach Tom said. “Our goal was to qualify for the CCS and by finishing in the top six at WBAL,…we accomplished our goal.”

However, it was not easy to get there. Coach McGlynn shared that all of the athletes improved and added to the team, highlighting the star runners.

“Our team has improved drastically,” McGlynn explains. “Our top two runners, Megan Worry and Andie Wong…improved their placing in the WBAL throughout all three league meets, including the championship (the league finals), where they finished 10th and 12th.”

To add to the excitement, the team celebrated seniors Kate Davidson and Delaney Icard-Cullen, who have enjoyed the last four years practicing and racing through NDB’s cross country program. The team is sad to see them leave, yet are excited to fill their legacy in the coming seasons.

The NDB Varsity Cross Country team ran again on November 12 in the CCS Cross Country Championships at the Crystal Springs Course. The Tigers set new personal records and put up a good fight, ending the season strong.