After losing several strong senior runners, Paly Cross Country is looking to their young core to step up this upcoming season and continue their success from last year. After an 11th place finish for boys at states and several strong individual performances on the girls side with Elizabeth Fetter and Hillary Studdert leading the way, the Vikings are optimistic about this upcoming season.

“I’m ready for it now that I’ve experienced it before freshman year, I think I’m a lot more prepared. And I know what to expect so I am able to prepare a lot better,” Katelyn Pegg (‘25) said. 

Players and coaches both have high expectations for the coming season. Historically, Palo Alto has been a dominant force on the course.  The Viking’s first competition is a practice meet against Gunn and there are many different levels of confidence for the opening meet.  

“I feel really confident,” Cameron Phillips (‘23) said. “I heard they lost their cross country coach pretty recently so it looks like they are gonna be pretty weak.”

Junior Grant Morgenfeld, who had a strong season last year, expressed his optimism for the season and the upcoming meet at Gunn. “I’m really excited, I think it’s a great opportunity to get out and see what we can do,” Morgenfeld (‘24) said.  “[Gunn] is a shorter course than a typical 5k course we do so I think it’s a great starting course to  see what we can do.”

With the loss of the team’s seniors from last year, younger runners look to step-up to continue the success.

“It’s an opportunity to see where we are, against other teams,” Head Coach Davidson said. “So I am excited for our veterans because we still got a lot of work to do. We’re working with our youngsters and with our new folks. I’m excited for that”

Senior Finley Craig also believes that the young core can help the team succeed this year.

“I think we have a lot of strong freshmen this year,” Craig (‘23) said.“I’m looking forward to watching them improve and sort of working with them along the way.”

The practice meet against Gunn is on Wednesday, August 31st at 3pm, where they look to mark their dominance in the SCVAL league.