By Blaire Lynch

Running like a cheetah through the Sahara.

Jumping like a grasshopper from path to path.

Setting records like Guinness World Records.

The Sunnyslope track squad, while like many things, is unlike any track team around.

Districts for track have recently ended, and the Sunnyslope athletes have worked hard to create and to leave a legacy.

The twelve athletes that have been sent to the Division 1 State Championships includes: Aniyah Martin, Maggie Luba, Hannah Funk, Rilyn Fort, Carli Liesner, Makena Cook, Luke Snyder, Jay Edmonds, Mack Kump, Pasa Sungur, Maddox Ray and Luke Moga.

The athletes took some time to tell The Viking Views about how they practiced and prepared for what turned out to be their third-straight District Championship.

Junior George Diaz said “My goals for districts are that we qualify the 4×8 for state and that I qualify individually for the 3200. I am also going for the school record in the 800.”

Track is one of the various sports that takes a long time to improve at- needing effort outside of practice to compete as one of the best of the best.

Junior Long Jumper Philip Pierce said, “I lift weights in my spare time and play basketball so it keeps my legs pretty conditioned for my event.”

Working with weights and playing other sports are only some of the things athletes do to prepare.

Junior Hannah Funk said that “stretching and a bunch of meditating” helps her to improve at her events outside of practice.

Funk competed in 4 events at the District Meet.

Along with the competitive nature to set records within the sport, many athletes join with the intention of finding a community and making memories.

A big part of these lifelong memories are from improvements in skill.

Funk said, “My favorite memory is being at the relay meet and being a part of 2 relays that took first, it was super fun being a part of something since a lot of the events are usually individual.”

Other core memories from the sport sprout from the pure euphoric feeling that comes from messing around with friends.

Pierce states that his favorite memory would have to be, “when me and George found a paper bag filled to the brim with mayonnaise at an invitational meet.”

Along with the memories that are made, the Sunnyslope track squad’s team environment is known for being one of the best.

Diaz said, “even though we’re kinda separate groups like sprinters and jumpers and distance we all get along. As for distance we have a fun dynamic, we’re a pretty young team so the upperclassmen usually are trying to lead the sophomores and freshmen.”

Even though the team is young, the leadership and family dynamic helps to create a legacy that will be impactful for generations.

This great dynamic is what caused many records to be broken at Districts.

Varsity Track Coach Cunanan said, “Two Vikings made their way to the award podium, Luke Moga Placed second in the 100 meter dash with a blazing time of 10.5, breaking the school record!”

Along with Luke Moga, the other athlete to get on the award podium was Aniyah Martin.

Cunanan said that “Aniyah Martin placed second in the 300 meter hurdles, also breaking her current school record with a time of 43.7. Aniyah also broke the school record for the 400 meter run earlier in the season.”

While those two students had made it on the podium, students had broken records in other events as well.

Cunanan said, “The boys 4 by 100 meter relay team broke the school record with a time of 42.43. The team consisted of Mack Kump, Jay Edmonds, Luke Snyder and Luke Moga.

Luke Snyder, who ran on the 4 by 100 meter relay also broke the school record for the 400 meter run with a time of 49.81.”

This has also been the first year that Sunnyslope has added the Javelin event to the school.

As this event has been added, there have been two new school record holders.

Cunanan said, “For the boys, Andy Ward-Garcia holds the record with a throw of 131 feet and 9 inches. On the girls side, Makena Cook set the new school record at the state finals throwing over 106 feet!”

Many records have been broken at Sunnyslope this year, and Sunnyslope is very happy with the results.

Cunanan said, “The Track Team has one last Meet this weekend at the Open Division State Championships. A few of our athletes will get to compete against the best of the best from all 5 divisions.

Sunnyslope track is a sport that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and all of the athletes that have made it to state will make the Sunnyslope community proud.