As the cross country team approaches the end of their season, many members of the team are excited about their chances at Saturday’s WCAC Championships. 

With the championship meet on October 30 at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, Virginia, DeMatha’s cross country team knows the importance of finishing the regular season strong. 

Junior Jayden Keels is currently the team’s fastest runner, with sophomore Sayid Shakur and junior Christopher Toomer close behind. Based on coach Cory Puffett’s projections, Keels would rank third among all WCAC runners if the championships were to be held today. 

Puffett, a three-time WCAC cross country champion himself, is confident in the team’s chances because of the recent improvement the team has shown. “I feel that our team has gained a lot of momentum over the past couple of weeks, and the statistics have shown that we have closed the gap on several of the best teams in the WCAC since the start of the season,” Puffett said.          

Many of the team’s members have drastically improved their times over the course of the season, including senior Austin Boynes. “Our entire team has shown improvement and benefited from the workouts that we have done throughout the season,” Austin said. He acknowledged the improved chemistry within the team and says the runners have not only supported each other in races, but they have also motivated each other in practice. 

Junior Maximo Legaspi has always been confident in the team and their ability, but he says, “my confidence has definitely gone up in recent weeks.” Maximo has taken notice of the team’s increased effort as the season has progressed and he feels that the team is very motivated and prepared to compete in this year’s WCAC Championships. Just like Austin, he also commended the team for their improved chemistry.  

With the WCAC Championships on the horizon, the cross country team knows how important it is to stay focused on the ultimate goal. Coach Puffett and the members of the team want their hard work to pay off, and they know that there would be no bigger reward than a WCAC Championship.