The LEAP Student Blog
'Making History and Making Family - Meadowdale Cross Country', by Austin Seals, Meadowdale HS
2/8/2022 12:00:00 AM
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Austin Seals
Meadowdale High School, Class of 2022 |
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With all that has gone on this year, history was made for Meadowdale this fall season. It’s been a total of 20 years since the Meadowdale Boys Cross Country team has gone to state. 2021 was the year for the boy’s team! Like most things, this didn’t happen just overnight for us; it started last year during the covid season. Our boys went on to run their hearts out and conquer almost everyone in our district, our team was made up of juniors and one lone senior. With no real state or district-wide competition we were left wanting more, all the underclassmen were hungry and had a huge amount of drive and hope for the coming year. The team started to get together to run every day in the summer, making sure to include anyone who wished to join even including the eighth-graders who would come to high school as freshmen and soon be a key aspect to our team’s success. Even before the school year or cross country season started the boy’s teams knew each other very well, having morning captain practices definitely. Everything was looking bright for the Meadowdale Mavericks.
Soon enough sports and school rolled around. A team that was full of hope, faith, and ambition. Our fantastic coaches Chris Marveller and Matt Vanni would be the glue that would hold us together, organizing team picnics, weekly spirit days, and of course the essential motivational speeches. Under them, we had our captains Deklund Debell, Sam Michael, Austin Seals, Sidney Wright, Anne Iliff. These Five would in the end form a family including all 30 of our Meadowdale runners (and two coaches). They all somehow made running long-distance fun, organized trips to Dick Drive-in, and just fit into their leadership roles and lead by example. Meadowdale’s boy’s team was made up of Deklund Debell, Simon Gazie, Austin Seals, John Patterson, and Wyatt Waddel. However, unbeknownst to all of us, we would start to go downhill fast, in multiple ways on the courses and medically. On the first practice, Deklund rolled his ankle putting him out for almost 80% of the season. Austin will from a mild case of turf toe and a hip injury. John will hurt his arches taking him out of Edmonds districts. And Wyatt will Hyperextend his knee halfway through the season placing him on the sidelines for the other half of the year. This year was a frustrating year for many but I will happily say that the good times no doubt outweigh the bad times.
Everything that came our way wasn’t enough to slow us down, we ran harder and harder; we pushed each other until our legs couldn’t run any farther. Our 5th, 6th, and 7th runners all saw the injury problem and began to step up. TJ North, Jameson Jones, and Dillion Josafat all were the backbone of the team that gave us the safety net we needed to go the distance. The hardest challenge we had was Edmonds districts, Wyatt was out, John was out and Deklund still had his injury holding him back from the amazing runner he truly is. Edmonds Woodway, Lynnwood High, and Mountlake Terrace were all ready to race. Without a quarter of our top five, we knew it would be hard but we all huddled up and wanted to do this for our coach Marv who hasn’t had the trophy for over 20 years. In the end, Deklund placed second, Simon placed third, Austin placed fourth, Dillion placed fifteenth and Tj Placed sixteen. Giving us the win by 3 points under Edmonds Woodway. We finally were able to take the trophy home and celebrate our individual accomplishments but also our team's big win.
Now that Edmonds Districts was over we all had our minds set on one thing and one thing only. Getting to state together. We knew that we had the skill, the passion, and the community to get the job done. The state qualifying course was held at Lakewood high school in Smokey Point Washington. This again was an extremely close race but all the boys had to do was get 4th place to qualify. Going into this we knew that Arlignton and Oak Harbor would be hard to beat so we had to squeeze into either the 3rd or 4th place spot. We all knew he had the ability to run and run at the level necessary. The gun sent us on our way with Deklund debell and Simon running in the 17-19 place pack for over 90% of the race. With there positions however we would not be able to make it to state we needed someone to break into the top 15 spots, Lucky Austin Seals was able to stick close to the pack and out kick 10 people in the last 100 meter placing him in 14th, Decklund in 15th, Simon in 19th, John patterson in 44th and TJ North in 62nd. Giving us a total score of 154. We all waited desperately for the announcers to state who got what place. 6th Place with 157 points, Shorewood. Knowing this we all thought for the worst that being only 3 points ahead that he was bound to be 5th. But meracelusley with 156 points Stanwood placed 5th Leaving the Meadowdale Mavericks in 4th palace giving them the ticket to Pasco the following week.
The boys went on to run amazing at state. Each and every one of them spent time with each other on the 4 hour car ride to tri-cities where they bonded even more than they had in the past few months and years. We created many memories during our stay. We spent time together in the Columbia center mall across the street, we swam in the hotel's pool, we feasted together and just had a wonderful time. We are all sad to see the season go by so fast but we are so happy with everything that we got out of the season as well. The entire season our coach Marv would tell us is that “when we all make it to state you will remember this forever and one day you will tell the stories of the trip you had and how you got there to your children ''. That stuck with all of us because this experience was once in a lifetime for some, and sometimes people never get to experience anything like it. So the Meadowdales boys cross country team is extremely grateful for the family that was created over this fall season; life long relationships were formed between everyone and we wouldn't have changed any of it for the world. (well maybe not all the injuries). We also would like to share our gratitude for everything that the WIAA does for us, this was a core memory for all of us and it would not have happened if not for the wonderful organization that is known as the WIAA. |
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February 2022
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