Abby girls cross country led by seniors in 2024
By Nathaniel Underwood
The Abbotsford Falcons cross country team will bring back a number of familiar faces for their 2024 squad as they look to continue to build upon their individual and team accomplishments from last year.
While their current numbers will make competing for the top spots as a team in meets difficult, it's a familiar challenge for a good portion of the current Falcons squad, some of whom have been part of the team since it restarted in 2022 after years of dormancy.
Senior Azul Diaz was part of that 2022 team and after slotting in as Abbotsford’s top runner for much of the 2023 season, she will once again likely anchor the Falcons this year. A consistent top-10 finisher last season, Diaz earned second team allconference honors after taking ninth at the 2023 Marawood conference meet at Frey Field. She then very nearly qualified for the 2023 state meet after grabbing another ninth place finish at the Division 3 sectional meet in Colby, falling one spot short of the final individual qualifier spot.
The Falcons’ senior will be looking to put herself in contention for an individual state berth again this year according to head coach Dillon Novak.
“We’ve had the discussion a couple times now,” Novak said of Diaz’s goal to reach the final meet of the season. “Especially after making the state meet in track and only missing out by four seconds last year, it’s definitely a goal for her this year. And she’s shown that already with the amount of running that she did over the summer and the dedication she’s brought since last year’s cross country season. She’s improved with each season, so it’s a goal of hers.”
While Abbotsford will be short their 2023 second runner Iris Cruz and varsity starter Ana Flores after both graduated, four other varsity runners from last year’s squad will rejoin Diaz.
Sophomore Monse Ochoa established herself as the Falcons’ third runner in the second half of her freshman season, setting a new PR at the sectional meet. She will likely settle in as Abbotsford’s second runner in 2024. Junior Asia Atkinson and senior Angie Chavez will also be back, with Atkinson setting a personal best at sectionals and coming in as the Falcons’ fourth runner while Chavez had her career best and finished as the Abbotsford’s fourth runner at the Marawood conference meet.
Senior Azalea Aktinson will also return after injuries cut her campaign short in 2023 and the Falcons will be adding senior Sinai Tomas into the fold as well.
“Our goal is always to get better as a team and better as individuals, so as long as we see that constant improvement from meet to meet over the course of the season, that’s all I really ask for,” Novak said. “Monse should be our second runner this season and I’m hoping to see her take a jump from last season and step into almost a leadership role as a sophomore.”
“Our team placement might be a little bit more in the middle or lower this year. Numbers aren’t quite what we thought they would be, but we still have a lot of runners coming back from last year,” Novak added. “We’ve got one person coming back from injury and one new runner and four of them are seniors, so we will see where it goes. It definitely helps that they’ve been doing it for a couple years now and they know what to expect.”
The Falcons recently opened their 2024 season with a trip to Pittsville. Abbotsford took fourth out of seven schools, finishing the day with 89 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood grabbed the top team spot, wrapping up with 32 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Rory Salveson placed first in the girls’ race, finishing with a time of 21:40.
Diaz was not far off from the leader and took fourth overall in the girls’ competition. She finished a few seconds off the pace of third place finisher Nora Bushman of Wittenberg-Birnamwood, as the Abbotsford senior put up a time of 22:23 in her first race of 2024.
Ochoa and Asia Atkinson followed as the second and third runners for the Falcons, with the former taking 19th overall with a time of 28:08 and the latter placing 23 with a time of 29:05. Chavez served as Abbotsford’s fourth runner in Pittsville, taking 35th with a time of 33:19.
Azalea Atkinson and Sinai Tomas rounded out the finishers for the Falcons, tackling the course as a team and finishing in 37th and 38th with times of 38:56 and 38:59 respectively.
The Falcons will continue their season with a trip to Nine Mile Recreation Area for a meet hosted by Marathon on Thursday, Sept. 5. Start time is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.
2024 ABBOTSFORD FALCONS GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM - This year’s 2024 Abby Falcons girls cross country team is, in the back row, left to right, coach Dillon Novak, Azalea Atkinson, Monse Ochoa and Asia Atkinson. In the front row, left to right, are Angie Chavez, Azul Diaz and Sinai Tomas.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
