Fillmore Condors Destina Guzman who placed 12th overall, and 11th individually and Lucy Zuniga who placed 23rd overall finish and 19th individually, for the 10-year-olds.

Courtesy Fillmore Condors Cross Country President Erika Arana

The Fillmore Condors Cross Country team concluded their 2021 season by participating in the AAU National Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, December 4th, 2021. Although USATF was our first option, with Covid restrictions still stricter in Kentucky, we decided as a conference to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina instead. Roughly 2,000 athletes followed, to compete at the 114+ acres, known as the 5k Championship Cross-Country course at McAlpine Creek Park. This serene multi-use park has the deepest history of any course in North Carolina, and arguably of any course in the Southeast. It is legendary for its flat, fast surface that produces remarkable times, although it does have one steep decent-sized hill. Weather conditions felt just like California.

This year we were able to have a full season, with athletes racing every Saturday to create an elite National team, based off rankings within the Valley Youth Conference. Our eighteen local Fillmore Condors joined other area runners to form Valley United Striders. Condor representatives were Leah Barragan, Mila Castro, Destina Guzman, Robert Marin Jr., and siblings, Abel, and Itzel Arana; Giovanni, and Sophia Cortez; Diego, and Santiago Felix; Kaylie, Kenzie, Kirsten, and Kristen Theobald; Athena, and Coraline Villela; Lucy and Zoey Zuniga.

Beginning the day with the oldest division was the girls 13 and 14-year-olds, with 184 runners. Leah Barragan 137th overall and 88th, individually for the 13-year-olds; Leah had a time of18:17.65. The boys 13 & 14-year-old division had an impressive field of 219 runners. Diego Felix placing 143rd overall and 68th individually, for the 14-year-olds; PR 15:55.21. These two ran their last youth 3,000-meter (2.48 mile) race.

Following were the girls 11 and 12-year-old division, which consisted of 217 runners. Kaylie Theobald placed 111th overall and 68th individually, for the 12-year-olds; 12:53.01. The boys 11 and 12-year-old division race, was the largest race of the day, stacked with 227 runners. Santiago Felix finished strong with a time of 11:42.78, placing 73rd overall and 41st in the 12-year-olds, individually. Right behind him, was teammate Abel Arana who crossed the finish line with a time of 11:50.42, placing 80th overall and 35th individually, for the 11-year-olds. Abel and his Strider teammates ran away with a 3rd place podium title, all running a 3,000-meter (1.86 mile) race.

169 runners toed the starting line in the girls 9 and 10-year-old race, with four of the Striders being Condors. This Strider team was favored to win, and that they did! 1st place National Champions podium appearance. Destina Guzman, was a completely different runner this season. She raced with confidence, placing 12th overall, and 11th individually for the 10-year-olds. Lucy Zuniga, behind her teammate, crossed with a time of 12:24.49 for a 23rd overall finish and 19th individually, for the 10-year-olds.Theobald sisters, Kirsten ran 12:36.36, 31st overall and 24th individually; Kristen struggled behind to hold onto her sister, running13:14.8, 63rd overall and 41st individually, both for the 10-year-olds. First time cross-country runner, Giovanni Cortez, raced against 167 runners. His time was 14:58.53, placing 145th overall and 63rd individually, for the 9-year-olds. This division ran the 3,000-meter race (1.86 mile) race.

Itzel Arana was our top Condor and Strider runner all season, and she did not disappoint at Nationals, in the girls 7 and 8-year-olds division. She peaked a season PR time of 8:28.48, placing 12th overall and 9th individually, for the 8-year-olds. Teammates, and sisters, Caroline, and Athena Villela, also first time cross-county runners were in the same race of 105 runners. Caroline crossed the finish line at9:35.58, placing 58th overall and 41st individually, for the 8-year-olds. Her sister Athena placed 99th overall, and 37th for the 7-year-olds, running 11:20.60. Both sisters also hit season PR’s. Itzel and Caroline earned a 2nd place podium finish in their 2,000-meter (1.24 mile) race.

The last combined race of the day concluded with the 6U’s, in a field of 67 boys and girls. The girl’s first National experience was one to remember, as our Condor girls took home a National Champion team title. Mila Castro speed her way to a time of 5:08.34 for a 13th place finish. Seven seconds behind in 18th place, was Sophia Cortez; 5:15.83. Teammates, Zoey Zuniga, and Kenzie Theobald paced off each other to finish milliseconds away from one another. Zoey 21st; 5:25.32, and Kenzie, 22nd,5:25.82. The only Condor boy to represent was, Robert Marin Jr. who finished 22nd for the boys; 4:57.58. All the 6u’s ran 1,000-meter (.62 mile) race.

Fillmore Condors Cross Country is a non-profit organization under Heritage Valley Blazers Inc. We are the only cross-country team in Fillmore; we represent our city with pride. The Condors are coached by Gerardo Flores, Jared Perez, Jessica Huerta, Angel Venegas, Sandy, and Felix “Punkie” Zuniga. “Every year is a new experience. We are always amazed to see what these athletes’ minds and bodies endured in the 4.5 months of training for Nationals. They never disappoint!” Condors President Erika Arana and board members would like to thank the following for sponsoring our athletes this memorable cross-country season: Fillmore Lions Club, Fillmore Rotary Club, Heritage Valley Blazers Inc., and the Fillmore Community for purchasing Jamba Juice cards from our athletes. For more XC or Track info, contact 805-624-1129. FOREVER CONDORS!