The Linfield Cross Country team arrived in Salem Nov. 1 for the North Western Conference Championship with the expectation of a strong performance. Unfortunately for the team they finished thirteenth out of a field of 14, collecting 320 points with an average time of 26 minutes and 52 seconds. Junior Alex Mangan had the best time of the team, finishing within the top twenty, with a time of 26:37.
Despite a quality performance Mangan still desired more.
“As a team we have high expectations and we didn’t meet the goals that we had set at the beginning of the season to be one of the top three teams in the conference. Personally, I think that I performed about average. I’m happy with the top 20 finish and I felt like I left it all out on the course but I obviously would have liked to get into the top 14 for an all-conference spot,” Mangan said.
Regardless of the finish there was a common consensus that each runner gave absolutely everything they had.
“Although we didn’t finish as high as we would have liked I was pleased with the way everyone competed.  I really felt like they gave their best effort and that is all I can ever ask of them,” Coach Travis Olson said.
What is all the more impressive about this team’s heart is that they had to battle through multiple adversities, including a plague of injuries and some new legs on the team.
“Inexperience and health were our main weaknesses. We had been battling injuries all year and I felt like it’s really taken its toll. On the guys side we lost Michael O’ Neil which was a big hit, and on the girls side we lost Jaime Rodden and Rebeca De Leon, who had been top performers all year. I’m really proud of how the team responded though and filled the missing spots it was just a couple of unlucky events,” Mangan said.
Though new blood on the team was not by any means a bad thing.
“Kaelia Neal and Emma Knudson had a great races as a freshman.  They both have some huge potential,” Coach Olson said.
The championship provided many of the team’s runners with an excellent learning opportunity as well.
“Over half of our runners have never run in a conference championship before this weekend and leaving the race yesterday I think that it gave them a better understanding of what a championship race is like,” Mangan said.
Even with numerous setbacks and odds stacked against them the Linfield Cross Country team showed impressive grit in this year’s championship. All that is left is a sour aftertaste from the defeat and an emblazoned resolve within each of their hearts.
“Our performance this year lit a fire under us and I think we’re going to be approaching things differently next season. We don’t simply want to be tourists out there, we want to race for the win and for conference titles,” Mangan said.