GALT, CA (MPG) - The Galt cross country team competed at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships at the Willow Hills cross country course in Folsom on Saturday, Nov. 16.

The boys team finished seventh overall as a team in a tough group of runners, and senior Emilyann Sheldon was the only girls team member who competed in sections.   

Senior Kitto Gonzalez placed fourth overall, qualifying for the CIF State Championships for his third year in a row. Senior Logan Rose finished eighth, narrowly missing an individual state qualifying spot.

Gonzalez finished with a time of 16:25.5, followed by senior Logan Rose 17:32.2. Sophomore Alejandro Herrera came in 26th with a time of 17:56.6, junior Xavier Gomez finished 69th (19:53.9), sophomore Elliott Kramer finished 72nd (20:09.0), sophomore Garrett Rose finished 73rd (20:30.1), and David Espinoza Terrones finished 77th (20:45.6).

In the girls varsity race, senior Emilyann Sheldon secured 30th place with a time of 21:47.7.

All eight of the athletes achieved personal records on the challenging Willow Hills section course.

This was the second consecutive year that the varsity boys team qualified for the section championships. There were only two points separating the fourth place and seventh place teams, making it one of the most competitive Division 4 races in recent years.

Before last year, it had been 15 years since the Galt boys team last qualified for the section championship, making it a significant accomplishment to qualify two years in a row. 

Gonzalez will compete in the state championship on Saturday, Nov 30, in Clovis, for the third consecutive year. Qualifying as an individual for the state championship requires significant effort and dedication, so it’s definitely a major accomplishment for him.

Head Coach Bruce Peterson continues to see improvement since taking over the team.

“Our team showed great improvement this season, thanks to a mix of veteran leaders and young talent,” said Peterson. “Championships were rewarding, and while we'll miss our seniors, our underclassmen have a promising future.” H