The Wildcats’ season comes close to an end as the Linfield cross country teams competed in Brooks, Ore., for the Northwest Conference Championships on Oct. 29. The nine conference teams gathered for the race and qualified for regionals.

As the season comes to the end, senior Shanna Peaden said that the team has come a long way since the beginning of the season.

“The team has done wonderfully this season, we still have some work to do and the time to do it,” Peaden said. “But, overall, it has been fantastic, we have really set the stage for great things to come from Linfield Cross Country.”

Reflecting on the season,  Peaden said that the highlight of the season “is still to come.”

“It was pretty fantastic to pull off third in conference on both sides with such a young team,” Peaden said. “And the women weren’t far off first or second place. It was exciting to see.”

The women’s team finished third with a total time of 1:54:39.86.

The team’s top competitor was sophomore Mimi Seeley who finished seventh in the women’s six kilometer run. She ran the race in 22:29.42. Not far behind her was teammate, junior Nelly Evans, who finished in 10th place with a time of 22:51.24.

The women’s team had eight of its 10 women finish in the top 40.

For the men’s team, senior Scott Gage finished second in the men’s eight kilometer run, leading the way for the men’s team. He ended the race in 25:21.74. Gage finished 19 seconds behind the race winner from Willamette University, senior Leo Castillo.

The men’s team had seven men finish the race in the top 40. Overall, the team finished third with a combined time of 2:10:46.02.

Peaden said that the race itself “is different since it is the conference meet.”

 “We know these kids, how fast they run, who to stick with, and who to look for,”Peaden said.  “It gets really nerve-wracking, there is a lot to think about it. “ Its also a lot of fun though. The atmosphere is different at such a competitive meet. It makes finishing and being successful that much more exciting.”

The two teams will head off to race again in Claremont, Calif., on Nov. 12 for the NCAA regional race held at Pomona-Pitzer College.

“I expect it to be a really good meet for Linfield,” Peaden said about the regional meet.  “I hope we send some guys and girls—if not teams—to Nationals.  It will be different running in warmer weather and in a different place, but it will be exciting too.”

Peaden said she doesn’t “exactly know what to expect, but thinks [the team] could surprise some people.”

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Kaylyn Peterson/Sports editor
Kaylyn Peterson can be reached at [email protected].