The final numbers had finally been tallied. A crowd of Eight to
Fourteen year olds stood silent in anticipation. The runner ups had
had been announced, moments earlier, and only one more award had to be
announced, with the trophy looming over them all. “And that means,
that our Overall Winner for the Day is……..PEOPLE’S!” Without warning a
roar of PCA erupted from the front section of the crowd. The winners
of the 2018 ACSI Cross Country Event were our own PCA Eagles.On Thursday October,18th a group of forty-seven students, two teachers
and over a dozen parents ventured out to Dagmar Ski Resort to compete
in Six different races to see which students, and inevitably which
school, were the best runners in the region.
Close to a dozen Christian Schools were shocked to be met by a frosty
morning on the edge of the frozen slopes of Dagmar. Students, Teacher
and parents all huddled together in toques, gloves and scarves staying
warm wondering how the runs would take place on a day so cold, without
slipping and slipping up and down the course. A few hours later, and a
few degrees warmer students were preparing to run, and this is where
our students began a day of excellence.
The Grade 3/4 girls started the day off strong. Our girls had three
top twelve finishes including a Third Place finish from Joanna L..
There team finished Second Overall as a team. The Grade 3/4 Boys
followed with another strong performance with three boys in the top
Twenty, and these boys finished third overall in their age bracket.
With both of these strong performances, our 3/4s won first place
combined for the youngest group of competitors.
Our Grade 5 girls raced next, and without any grade sixes with them
they were a little short handed, all being in the younger half of the
age bracket. They raced well, despite the leader in the race taking
all of the girls in the wrong direction and onto an alternative course
for this race. Even with all the confusion our top finisher finished
in the top twenty. The 5/6 boys watched confused, but were extremely
prepared for their race that followed. Some of our competitors
followed up fantastic finishes at Cross Country in the previous couple
of years, and they did not disappoint again this year. The boys
followed the correct course and we had four boys finish in the top
twenty. Isaac P. finished third and Joshua H. snuck into the top
ten with a ninth place finish. With so many high finishers the boys
ended up second overall in their age bracket as well.Our final two races of the day featured the oldest students at the
event. The Grade 7/8 girls had our most impressive feat of the day.
While standing at the finish line I was in awe and jubilation
witnessing how impressive they were. After a dozen girls had crossed
the line, and astonishing six donned an Eagle. Winning the entire race
without another racer in right was Carissa C. Finishing just
moments after her was Amelia B. in the Bronze position of third.
Impressively, our girls continued to finish in high positions. Marley
S. finished in sixth Ingrid F. in ninth, Phoebe W. in tenth, and
Anke M. was twelfth. With so many impressive finishers, there was
little doubt that they had finished First Overall as a Team. The 7/8
Boys ended the day as well as it had been started. We had three boys
in the top fifteen. Brodie P. in eighth and Samuel L. in 10th.
This team continued with yet another podium finish as the Second
Overall position for their group. Being First and Second Overall, our
oldest students were the number One team in their age group.
I was extremely proud of our athletes, from our race winner, our
nineteen top twenty finishers and equally impressed with the rest of
our runners who finished their races regardless of their final
position. It was a fantastic day of competition, encouragement, and
fellowship that we had together.
Special thanks to Mrs. Aspinall for organizing the day and all the
work she put in to make it possible.
Credit: Article by Mr. P Westacott, Photographs by Mrs. Ng
