Congratulations to the Viewpoint Boys Varsity Cross Country Team for winning the Southern Section Division 5 CIF Champions title for the second straight year. The race was held at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut on Saturday, November 18. The Girls Varsity Cross Country team won fourth place, with both teams gearing up to compete in the CIF State Finals on November 25, with the support of their Head Coach Justin Hackitt, and Assistant Coaches Alison Corneau and Patrick Neville. 

“Both teams began training in June leading up to the big race. Each of our boys were running 40 and 50 miles a week consistently, which is the key to a successful end of season,” said Hackitt.

Nevertheless, despite the preparation preceding the championship, Hackitt revealed that the team encountered a challenging beginning to the season.

"We faced setbacks due to injuries and illnesses, hindering our athletes from fully unleashing their potential in races,” said Hackitt. “Throughout the year, we consistently secured third place in the league championship. However, as we approached the end of the season, things began to fall into place."

This weekend exemplified exactly that, as the Boys Varsity Team clinched the gold, winning by just a single point. Oliver O’Connor ‘26 claimed the 7th position overall with a time of 15:09, closely followed by Andrew Neville ‘26 in 8th place, also at 15:09. Notably, they both achieved the second and third all-time fastest three-mile race times in Viewpoint history. Adding to the team's stellar performance, Jordan Conley ‘25 clocked in at 16:19, Kasey Lee ‘24 at 16:22, and Ethan Argano-Rush ‘24 at 16:21, all finishing within the top 40. The peak performances continued as Colin Brun ‘26 completed the race at 17:45, and Benjamin Rosen '25 crossed the finish line at 18:11.

For the third consecutive year, our Girls Team secured a spot in the State competition. The race showcased outstanding performances, with Ella Katz ‘25, Alexa Jeong ‘25, and Micah Gutman ‘25 all securing finishes within the top 30, despite facing formidable competition. Additionally, noteworthy achievements came from Zooey Jeong ‘25 and Sophia Alva ‘24, both of whom attained personal records during the event.

"To exert such intense effort in June for a goal not realized until the end of November is a demanding task. Waking up at 5:00 a.m. to run miles in the heat requires sacrifice, grit, and determination. It's inspiring to witness the hard work these kids put in and to see it truly pay off,” said Hackitt.

The CIF State Cross Country Championships will take place this Saturday, November 25 at Woodward Park in Fresno. On this day, Viewpoint's Girls and Boys Cross Country Teams will compete against 23 other top schools from across the state. Congratulations once again to both teams, and best of luck in the upcoming championships!