Members of the Odessa High cross country teams spent a large portion of their offseason preparing for the 2021 campaign.
Over the summer, the teams’ coaches encouraged their runners to focus their running routines on distance to stay in shape.
They even went to the Monahans Sandhills to build up endurance on the dunes.
Odessa High boys coach Cody Valenzuela said his team members benefitted from staying active on their own and joining him over the summer on meet days he would schedule.
“I have a small team, but they’re very strong,” Valenzuela said. “They have that confidence level with each other and they trust each other, so that’s one thing I’m excited to see with these guys at the first meet.”
Both the Bronchos and Lady Bronchos will open their fall season at the 2021 Tall City Invitational Saturday at Hogan Park in Midland.
The varsity boys are scheduled to start their 5K race at 9 a.m., while the girls will start at 9:30 a.m.
When things get going for the morning competition, some of the Odessa High senior runners will be starting their last high school cross country seasons.
Lady Bronchos seniors Angelica Palma and Julie Tejeda are among the athletes that have assumed the role of leaders in their final year at the school.
Palma said being one of the runners the rest of her teammates look up to is a challenging, but rewarding experience.
Both seniors are looking to replicate the success that Odalis Lujan had with the Lady Bronchos when she qualified for the Region 1-6A Championship at last year’s District 2-6A Meet.
They also want to propel their team from the fifth-place spot they secured in the district championship.
“We had a good track season but we can be stronger this year,” Palma said. “There’s always room to improve.”
Tejeda said the first few practices of the fall were an adjustment for the girls’ team, but everyone feels comfortable now as they are starting to close in on the rest of the pack.
Odessa High girls coach Ricky Santiago wants to see his squad take baby steps when they approach this upcoming season, emphasizing being strong in the mental part of their running.
“I told the girls that I dropped the ball on it last year,” Santiago said. “This year, I’m going through the mental part first to get them mentally strong. Our goal is district.”
Santiago is training his team to see each meet as a practice run for the championship meets scheduled in October.
Palma and Tejeda placed 25th and 26th, respectively, at last year’s district meet.
Although the Bronchos lost their top district finisher in Adrian Lujan, they do return junior Joseph Flotte who placed fourth at the district meet.
Flotte and senior Alejandro Tercero have taken over leadership positions for the boys team.
The junior said he and his teammates focused on distance running over the summer, trying to clock in three to four miles a day along with intermediate sprints.
“We have a good chemistry, all we have to do is stay focused and keep doing all the hard work so we can either make it to regionals or win district,” Flotte said.
Tercero has been working to set a strong example for some of his younger teammates since the offseason.
Since he is starting his last season at Odessa High, Tercero hopes his team can get off to a strong start in Midland.
“I’m excited but I do feel a little upset that it is my last season,” Tercero said. “Since it is the last first meet, I do hope to start out pretty well and have a good start to the season.”
Like other upperclassmen throughout the Odessa High teams, Tejeda would like to see her teammates give their best effort at every meet.
After the meet in Midland, the Bronchos and Lady Bronchos are scheduled to run in the Andrews Cross Country Relays on Aug. 28.
“I hope every meet we put everything on the line and when district comes, we get our title back because that’s our main goal right now,” Tejeda said.
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