The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams competed in their first Mission League meet last Wednesday.

The girls’ team finished in third place, while the boys’ team placed fifth. Isabel Lawrence ’21 finished second in the three-mile race with a time of 20:49. Violet Barron ’22 came in eighth and Assistant Features Editor Chloe Schaeffer ’21 finished thirteenth. For the boys, captains Diego Ahmad ’19 and Nathan Aloisi ’19 finished in fourteenth and fifteenth place, respectively.

Ahmad said that while the results may not show it, the team has displayed lots of potential.

“I think the season is going really well, and better than it might appear at first glance,” Ahmad said. “After losing so many seniors last year, it wasn’t clear how we were going to rebuild our varsity, but people have been stepping up.”

The team’s most recent meet, the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, hosted over 100 schools coming from 15 states. Ahmad had the team’s best time of the season for the three-mile run, finishing with a time of 15:55. In total, nine runners set personal records at the meet.

India Spencer ’21 said that she and her teammates aim to enjoy their time together during the season.

“My goal for this season and for the team is to make sure that everyone has a pressure-free and fun season,” Spencer said. “Our team is a little small this season, but it allows for all the girls of the team to focus on having a good time while they do a sport that they love.”

The team is currently preparing for the Palos Verdes Invitational on Oct.4, and its next Mission League meet on Oct. 16.