At the hardest race of the season, the Calabasas varsity boys cross-country team ran to first place, winning by 6 points. Mt. SAC is notorious for its grueling hills and brutal competition, but both the guys and girls teams placed better than they have in years.
The three-mile course begins with a flat first mile, before climbing steeply through the switchbacks for about 300 meters. Athletes get a short downhill until they reach “Reservoir,” a stretch of three consecutive hills. With a half mile left, competitors charge back to the stadium for a final lap around the track to the finish line.
“We always run well on the flat courses at the beginning of the season so I hope this gives them the confidence that they can also continue to run well when the courses get tougher, and the times get slower,” said Head Cross-Country Coach Christopher Martinez.
Varsity boys Mikah Wolfson, Ayman Ali, and Benjamin Chamie crossed the finish line in quick succession, followed closely by Nathan Anderson, and Gordon Chow, who took the team to the win.
“It felt great, especially because it was our first team victory that we’ve had in a long time,” said Wolfson, a junior.
For many of the varsity guys, this was their first experience with a full team win; Calabasas hadn’t placed first since the College of the Canyons meet in 2022. That race was during Coach Martinez’s first full year leading the CHS cross-country program. Now, three years later, the win at Mt. SAC is a full circle moment: the first group of 4-year athletes under Martinez’s coaching have won as both freshman and as seniors.
“This will be the end of my first four years here, and this is the first full group that I’ve had as freshman, so it’s a special group of kids for me,” said Martinez.
The guys went into the race understanding the tough competition and difficult conditions, aiming for a solid placement but not expecting a win.
“We planned on racing for third place but by mile 2 we realized we had a good shot at winning the whole thing,” said Chamie, a senior runner.
The varsity girls also delivered one of their strongest performances in years, placing seventh out of 21 teams, 13 of which were eligible to score. This year is the first time in a while where Calabasas has a full girls team. There have been standout individual runners in the past, but not enough to make up a full team.
“I feel really proud of the girls team for working together and pushing through, and we’ve had great training practices, especially with our Coach pushing us. It feels like we’ve come a long way,” said Kelsey Tasem, Varsity Girls Team Captain.
The final cross country race of the season will take place at Agoura High School, on November 6th for League Finals. It will be another tough course, and the Coyotes are eager to end the season on a strong note.
Editor’s Note: The writer competes on the CHS cross-country team.
