On Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Archie Williams girls cross country team competed in a thrilling Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) finals race at the College of Marin’s Indian Valley Campus in Novato. The Falcons entered the race with confidence and high hopes, having won every league meet leading up to the finals. With considerable pressure on their shoulders, the Falcons claimed first place, securing the 2025 championship title.
“I told [the athletes] to relax, trust the training, and then to go for it at the end, because in a race it really comes down to who wants it more in the end,” said Head Coach Josiah Russell.
The cloudy skies and a slight rain resulted in a misty race with overall good weather. The race started at 5:50 p.m. with an immediate lead by senior Ani Steig as she passed the one-mile mark, with seniors Brooke Lee, Claire Palmer, Alyssa Silverstein, and junior Ainsley Sullivan following shortly behind her. Coming onto the last mile, Brooke held first place, which she maintained all the way to the finish line, ending with an impressive time of 17:15 and winning first place in the MCAL finals.
This cross-country season has fostered strong bonds and a sense of community across all ages. The team is larger than ever and boasts a wealth of young talent.
“[Being on varsity] is a lot of pressure, but it’s pushed me to do better… and the community is really great on varsity,” said freshman Sonia Berberich.
This season has been successful for the Falcons. They previously beat their rivals, the Redwood High School Giants, for the first time in recent history in a league meet, and the Falcons had their first team MCAL win since 2017. This season, they also broke the team 5k record for Archie Williams, setting a new standard for next season’s runners.
Archie Williams dominated the MCAL first team with Brooke in first place, Ani in fifth, Claire in sixth, Alyssa in eighth, and Ainsley in tenth. The team’s mindset, centered on hard work and unity, drove them to give their all on this course.
“My mentality was first of all getting the team win. Our team has been working so hard, and I just really wanted to show what we can do out there.” Brooke said.
The Falcons will continue their season in the North Coast Section Saturday, Nov. 22, at Hayward High School.
