Last October, the Varsity Cross Country team competed in Region 1’s XC Championship in Lubbock. Having placed 3rd as a team at the District meet, Jesuit Dallas qualified to run at Regionals, alongside Lake Highlands (second place) and Richardson Pearce (first place). At regionals, they would be competing with some of the best high school teams across Texas: Southlake Carrol, El Paso Eastwood, and Flower Mound.
Team Going into Regionals
Runners attending Regionals consists of 7 Varsity runners, chosen by overall season performance, and 3 JV runners as alternates.
- Brayden Higginbotham 26′
- Maddux Click 28′
- Gabriel Leal 25′
- Alex Shomin 26′
- Henry King 27′
- Jaxon Tanner 26′
- Kevin Nazareth 26′
Alternates: Samuel Loh 25′, Joaquin Lopez 27′, Ryan Lopez 27′
Additionally, Freshmen Oscar Gooden was invited to come and watch, because of his exceptional performance throughout the season, making a personal record of 17:13.
The Day Before the Race
Leaving Campus on October 20th, the team headed towards Lubbock alongside the Senior leaders following closely behind. Seniors Jack Golembeski and Luke Deshotels came to support the team, wanting to cheer on their brothers.
“I wanted to go to Lubbock because even though I wasn’t running I am still part of the team and more than that I am a captain, and I felt it was part of my responsibility to always support my teammates and set the example of supporting the team. I felt it was the right thing to do and I wanted to be there for my brothers as they competed. One of my favorite parts of being on cross country has been the culture and the camaraderie of togetherness and this was a way I could continue to further this culture.”– Team Captain Jack Golembeski 25′
Arriving in Lubbock, the team’s first stop was Myers’s Park, the location of the 5k.
The course included multiple hills With a mix of hills and gradual inclines, making an already competitive race even more intense.
Later that evening After settling down at the hotel, the team had their pre-race pasta dinner at Orlando’s, a family-owned Italian restaurant the team has a tradition of eating at.
Race Day
On the morning of October 21st, the day of the race, the team started off the morning with a brief shakeout run and breakfast, and at 10:30 packed up and left for the race.
”On the way to the Park, I remembered feeling nervous but Enthusiastic. Nervous because I remember seeing the course the day before and just knowing how competitive it would be from the starting hill but enthusiastic to be able to represent Jesuit at the regional meet and give it my all for what might of been and was my final race.”- Gabriel Leal 25′
At 11:30 the runners began their pre-race warmup, loosening up the muscles and getting mentally prepared for the competition ahead. For many, it was their first time racing against renowned runners who were known across the country such as Southlake’s Caden Leonard and Denton Guyer’s Ruel Newberry. The 6A region is known for having the most competitive schools in all of Texas, earning it the title “Region of Doom.”
As the runners began lining up to the start line, Senior leaders Jack Golembeski, Luke Deshotels, and Samuel Loh hyped them up.
“Right before the race I was freaking out… It was a miracle I was even running at regionals. The only reason I was even running was that our second and third-best runners couldn’t come, thus I took the last varsity spot on the team. Our team captain Sam Loh could see how terrified I was because he came right up to me and shook me. After venting to him he told me to ”get out of your head.” So few runners have the opportunity to run at the regional level, you should come out here and run the best you can. “Why not you.” When running against the other runners, “Why not give it your all.” We have been working like hell and we have all been busting our balls during practice to get here, the reason We are here today isn’t just because of only the first or second best runners, but because of the whole team giving it their all and pushing each other to do there best. “a rising tide lifts all boats.” You have been working just as hard or even harder than any of the other runners So “why not you.” – Kevin Nazareth 26′
The conditions on the course were in the 70s and cloudy. At 12:30, the announcer began team checks, and once everything was finalized and checked, he gave the race countdown… and with the pull of the gun’s trigger, he blew the gun and the race was off.
“At the start of the race, I felt so much nerves and I was also being real with myself like this is going to hurt all over. But I knew that I needed to do my best for the team. During the race, it was hard to breathe will all of the dust being kicked up by the other runners. It was hot and I just wanted the race to be over but I knew that I had at least a kick left. As I crossed the finish line I was sure that I left all my strength and energy on the course. That is my regional experience.”-Maddux Click 28′
Jesuit’s Performance
Jesuit’s Varsity team placed 23rd overall with the race consisting of 174 runners in total. Placing 73rd overall, Brayden Higginbotham 26′ led the Varsity with a time of 17:15. Next in 141st place, Kevin Nazareth 26′ made a personal seasonal record of 18:25. Not far behind, Maddux Click 28′ finished in 18:38 placing 149th. In 151st place, Henry King 27′ finished with a time of 18:46. Alex Shomin 26′ followed closely behind, crossing the line in 19:02 and placing 160th. Gabriel Leal 25′ finished just one second later, with a time of 19:03 in 161st place, and Jaxon Tanner 26′ rounded out the group with a time of 19:28 placing 166th.
Despite not taking any podium positions, this race was a great experience. At the beginning of the season. We made a season motto of “no regrets” at the beginning of the season on our training camp in New Mexico. To leave this season regretting nothing and having given each race our all.
“I loved this season. I loved every practice, every morning, every pasta dinner, every team prayer. This team meant the world to me. The team was incredibly brave at regionals, it’s hard to go up against some of the best talent in the state, but we fought hard. It was incredible to see you guys grow throughout the season and eventually end the season doing something so great “- Samuel Loh 25′
Most high school runners will not continue their careers after their senior year, with only a few runners going pro. Despite this, what lasts forever are the memories runners make during their careers: the early morning practices, the long runs, and the retreats. Cross Country is not a sport for the weak-willed, runners invest numerous hours and hundreds of miles. Although muscles may fade away the skills, work ethic, and accountability developed last a lifetime.
