The Rosemary Clarke Middle School cross country team kicked off their inaugural race of the season at the Palo Verde Labor Day Classic, a competition that saw eight middle school teams from the area. It was a resounding success for the 12 athletes who competed this week from RCMS. Under the guidance of coaches Ben Veloz and Katie Floyd, now in their eighth season, both the male and female runners showed particularly strong performances.
The girls’ team was led by 6th grader Ellie Allen, who finished with a time of 13:25, earning her a medal. “Ellie has been working hard in practice to stay at the front of the group, so we expected a great race from her,” said Coach Veloz. She was followed closely by fellow 6th grader A’riyah Ruffin and 7th grader Sierra Eichner, who placed 17th and 18th with times of 14:31 and 14:38, respectively. Other notable finishes for the girls included River Carson, a 6th grader who finished 32nd with a time of 15:59, and 7th graders Sophia Maurillo and Charlaine Maurillo, who placed 44th and 55th with times of 17:54 and 19:43. Madalyn Scott, a 6th grader, rounded out the girls’ team with a time of 19:54.
The boys’ team also had a great showing. They were led by 8th grader Zander Thompson, who finished with a time of 12:04, earning a medal. Another 8th grader, Kamdon Jones, also had a great race, finishing 22nd with a time of 13:26. He was followed by 7th graders Marzelo Nunez and Jaxson Castaneda, who placed 41st and 46th with times of 16:53 and 17:34, respectively. Rounding out the team’s strong showing was Davin Gieni, who finished with a time of 20:35.
The team’s positive start at the Palo Verde Labor Day Classic sets a promising tone for the rest of the season. “It was a tough course for the start of our season being 1.73 miles,” said Coach Veloz. “We look forward to a shorter distance and will plan to take even more runners this Saturday to Sunset Park in Las Vegas.”
