Girls’ track: Leaders see progress in early season

The girls’ track team began the season with two consecutive losses in dual meets against Homestead and Santa Clara on March 13 and March 20. However, the team won a narrow victory in their third meet against Fremont on March 25.

While standout athletes, in general, did well at the first two meets — 100m sprinter and junior Laura Cummins placed first and second, and 800m distance runner and senior Lauren Casey-Clyde placed second twice — a lack of athletes in events hurt the team. 

“Because we don’t have a lot of girls, it’s hard for us to get points where we need them,” short distance and hurdles runner senior Katie Davenport said. 

At the same time, Davenport said the team has gotten stronger since the previous season, where it had a 0-6 record. 

“Last year we had to deal with a really young team, mainly [with] incoming freshmen [and] new sophomores,” Davenport said. “This year we’re [becoming] a more developed team.”

Not all new athletes are novices, though. Freshman Celine Bellegarda, who has three years of experience thanks to middle school track, now competes in the 100m and 200m sprints. 

“We’ve already had a lot of progress from the first meet,” Bellegarda said. “[At the Santa Clara meet] that really showed.” 

Unfortunately, Bellegarda said, as a result of the more intense nature of high school track, she is suffering from shin splints in her right leg. 

“I’m trying to get back, but [with] shin splints the more you wait the better [it heals],” she said. 

The team will compete next on April 24 at a home meet against Wilcox.