Seniors running out of time

Time catching up to senior runners (Francisco Linares / The Puma Prensa)

Francisco Linares, Sports Editor

Track is one of the things that Maria Carrillo High School is unequivocally supreme at. One thing guaranteed year after year is that Coach Greg Fogg is going to have those Pumas running their tails off. Someway, somehow, he remains cool, calm, and collected even in the California heat. Regardless of all the individual success students had, today we reflect on the seniors.

Austin Petrik, a senior varsity runner on the track team, was asked how he would evaluate the team this year. Petrick said that “there’s been some new fast people, like Hugh Cochrane and Jackson Helms, so I’d give our team a 10.” Jonathan Rath, another senior varsity runner, was asked how he would evaluate the team. Rath stated, “I think the team is working pretty hard this season. I think we worked pretty hard during practice.”

New people were brought up in both interviews, and since each of these runners are now in their final year, some feel as though that they are fading. “I kind of felt like I've been running for a long time. I kinda feel like an unc,” Rath said. “There’s a lot of up and coming guys, I slightly felt like Lightning McQueen. I think my position on the team is going downhill.” Lightning McQueen, a very niche and unique reference by Rath, the Disney character, was the best way he could put his emotions. McQueen, the protagonist of the Cars movie series, was seen in his latest movie as “fading” by his peers. But what does that mean for Rath’s future in the sport? From the tone in his voice, it sounded as if Rath was done with the sport he loves. One can only imagine what it feels like to tie up the laces one last time.

These senior runners have realized that the time has come — the sun has set on the beautiful horizon, and dawn has struck upon them. Rath and Petrick still have another track season ahead of them, but until then, who knows what life has to bring them. A new generation of runners is in store for Carrillo cross country, but we must not forget those who paved the way for the future and continuous success Carrillo will have for many many years to come. With wise words from Austin Petrick, “Keep at it when the going gets tough because you’ll look back on your perseverance with a new sense of success.”