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The team includes boys and girls of all grades.

This season’s Cross Country team has both the ability to run far and fast and show pride and support for the team and for each other. One of the first things noticed when observing the cross country team, after the short shorts, is the bond that the runners have with one another both on and off the track. At meets, the team bonds by eating, resting, and relaxing together. The team also has team bonding on Fridays during practice. Instead of the usual practice, all the runners play games that involve running but also help strengthen the team’s unity. Teammates lean on each other for encouragement and motivation. The esprit de corps of the team pushes each runner to work hard for each other.

Cross country is a sport quite different from others in the sense that it can be considered an individual sport, but also a team-oriented one. It is a demanding sport that requires the athlete to depend on his or her own body and mentality. At meets, the individual score of a runner will affect the entire team’s scoring and placement. Each member of the team strives to improve his or her own time while also running to advance the team’s placement.

This season’s team consists of fifty-nine runners: seven seniors, nineteen juniors, thirteen sophomores, and twenty freshmen. Though being new to Mills cross country and making up the majority of the team, the freshmen have adjusted well to practices and the hard work that is asked of them.

“The freshmen have matured and improved a lot from the first week. Everyone is friendly, so they feel comfortable,” said sophomore Grant Murphy, who began running cross country in the seventh grade and has set a personal record at the past three meets.

During the Monterey Bay Invite on October 16 in Salinas, California, thirty runners achieved personal records. With such a demanding effort needed during meets, it is no surprise that teammates continually cheer each other on. The encouragement from teammates affects the speed, concentration, and motivation of the runner. Meets are a team bonding experience for the Mills Cross Country team. The runners bring food for a potluck, take pictures, and relax together after the race. The team also bonds during Friday practices in which the runners play games that involve log rolling races and hula-hoops. Each runner has serious fun but also serious discipline.

The team’s strength is their ability to work together as a team. Running long distance can often begin to feel as if you are competing against yourself. A runner’s relationship with his or her teammates can affect their performance. There can be no resentment felt between teammates because a runner works for the team as a whole. Pressure is not a factor with this team. The runners want to work hard for their teammates. Perhaps it is the personalities and pride of the runners that make the team unique and special. Cross country runners are often seen wearing their team t-shirts and sweatshirts around school.

“I decided to join cross country this season because it’s a good way to meet new people, keep in shape, and because I love running. One of our team’s strengths is that everyone is nice. Competitive, but still support each other,” said junior Angelica Choi. She is proud to represent the Mills Cross Country team, stating, “It [Cross country] makes me feel accomplished. I work really hard.”

The endless encouragement and support creates a sense of inspiration and motivation. Hours and miles of dedication push the runners. The strong support system is definitely one of the team’s greatest strengths. The bonds made on the team translate off the track as well. The time spent together has built friendships beyond just team work. As a team, it’s important to be able to rely on one another.

Whether it’s the combination of the short shorts, potlucks, and natural talent on this team or just the sense of team work instilled in each runner, the determination to improve and work hard will carry this team far. The unity and reinforcement of teammates that “have your back” may just be what creates the magic that this team carries.

Grant added, “It’s a challenge, we all work together. We suffer as a team. We become better as a team.”

One singles player and two doubles teams from Mills High School’s Varsity Girl’s Tennis Team qualified for this years 2010 PAL’s at Burlingame High School, November 2-4, 2010, and came out with their top doubles team, Kyssia Mendoza and Kaede Ishikawa, qualifying for CCS.

In the weeks approaching Thanksgiving, Kaede Ishikawa and Kyssia Mendoza will continue to train for the CCS Championship in Monterey to win the tournament as a strong doubles team.

“We are going to train to learn how to better coordinate as doubles partners because we are so used to being singles players. It’s a completely different mind-set and strategy when it comes to doubles- but you always can count on someone to have your back,” said Senior Kyssia Mendoza after she and Ishikawa had received their PAL medals for 2nd place.

Senior Kyssia Mendoza, Mills’ number 2 singles player, and Freshman Kaede Ishikawa, Mills’ number 1 singles player, had the most rewarding matches out of the lot at PAL’s. Having a bye (exempt) in the first round of the first day of PAL’s, Ishikawa-Mendoza were well-prepared for their first match against a tired Clayten-Carpio of Terra Nova, who had played a match before playing Ishikawa-Mendoza. Ishikawa and Mendoza got by pretty easily on their first day of the tournament, but were eagerly anticipating the Semi-finals of PAL’s the following day, November 3. Ishikawa-Mendoza started off the first round of Semifinals by playing Menlo Atherton’s Rehlander-Fantuzzi in a set win match. Although Ishikawa-Mendoza easily beat their opponents in the first set 6-1, the two partners started to falter slightly in the second set. They let their opponents keep stay on their tails, but Ishikawa-Mendoza pulled out on top in the end with a winning set score of 7-5.

In their second game of Semifinals, Ishikawa-Mendoza versed Burlingame’s Patel-Chambers in a match very similar to their previous one. Ishikawa-Mendoza easily defeated Patel-Chambers 6-1, but it became a very close game in the second set with Mills sneaking ahead of Burlingame with a set score of 7-6 of tie-breaker score of 7-4. By winning their first match of the Semifinals, Ishikawa-Mendoza were already guaranteed a spot playing for 3rd and 4th place in the PAL’s if they had lost their second match of Semifinals. However, since they had won both matches during Semifinals, not only were the two guaranteed spots to be playing for the 1st and 2nd place spots at PAL Finals, but were also going to CCS in Monterey.

On November 5, 2010, Ishikawa-Mendoza played Carlmont’s Senior Zoe Dubrow, number 1 singles player, and Freshman Corey Sidell, number 2 singles player. Despite that both Dubrow and Sidell were petite, they were lithe and strong in their strokes. Unfortunately, Dubrow-Sidell defeated Ishikawa-Mendoza in a two set score win of 6-4 6-3, giving our Kyssia Mendoza and Kaede Ishikawa the 2nd place title of PAL Finals for doubles.

Monica Diliberto, Mills’ number 3 singles player, played her first match against opponent Camille Weber from El Camino High School- a long time opponent of hers since sophomore year. In a long first set, Diliberto won with a solid score of 6-4. But in her second set against Camille Weber, Diliberto was down 2-5 and on the verge of losing the second set. However, out of strong determination, Diliberto won five straight games in a row, pulling ahead 7-5 and winning the second set, and beat Weber. After given a brisk thirty minute break, Diliberto played her second opponent of the day against Half Moon Bay’s number 2 singles player Davidson. Playing a tiring first set, Diliberto came out on top and won the first set 7-6 with a tie-breaker score of 7-4. Unfortunately, Diliberto was overcome by Davisdson with a loss of 1-6. With the set scores split 1-1, Diliberto and Davidson played the third set with an unfortunate outcome of Davidson defeating Diliberto, 6-3. Monica Diliberto barely missed making it to the semi-finals, but continued to root on her remaining teammates in the following days.

Christina Xian and Theresa Lee, Mills’ number 3 doubles team, had a great match yet unfortunate outcome of their first and last match of the PAL tournament. Xian-Lee played against Sullivan-Berke of Half Moon Bay High School in a strong 3 set match. Even though Xian-Lee lost the first set to Half Moon Bay 3-6, they came back with an easy win in the second set, 6-2, tying up the overall set score 1-1. In the last set, the make it or break it set, Sullivan-Berke defeated Xian-Lee with a set score of 6-2. With a loss, Xian-Lee did not continue to the next round, but overall had an exciting match.

“We are going to train to learn how to better coordinate as doubles partners because we are so used to being singles players. It’s a completely different mind-set and strategy when it comes to doubles- but you always have someone to have your back,” said Senior Kyssia Mendoza after she and Ishikawa had received their PAL medals for 2nd place.

The Mills Girls Varsity Tennis PAL teams played such close and exciting matches in those past three days of intense tennis. The PAL tournament was filled with athletes who strived to be number one and the best tennis players in the league. Mills is looking forward to compete in the upcoming CCS Championship 2010 for tennis by athletes Kaede Ishikawa and Kyssia Mendoza. Congratulations to all the participants of the PAL tournament from Mills- each did exceptionally well and played to their fullest potentials.

Mills Cross Country performed exceptionally at PAL Championships at Crystal Springs on November 4, 2010 with both boys and girls varsity teams qualifying for CCS Championships.

Boys varsity placed seventh out of fifteen schools on the 2.95 mile course, beating Burlingame and Sequoia. Sophomore Grant Murphy led the boys varsity team with his eighteenth place finish at 17:02. Junior Gordon Dickson finished scored second for Mills, coming in thirty-fifth place. The other runners raced through the finish line in a tight pack, ensuring their spot for CCS.

Girls varsity also placed seventh out of fifteen schools. Junior Jessica Lam ran 21:28, finishing in sixteenth place. Junior Chantel Yip and sophomore Rebecca Kim came in next, scoring thirty-sixth and thirty-eighth, respectively. All the runners ran their best, beating Sequoia for seventh place by a single point.

Both boys frosh-soph and JV dominated in their races, finishing in fifth place and third place. Although the girls frosh-soph team did not have enough runners to score as a team, girls JV did great, finishing in third place overall.

Eighteen schools competed in the blistering heat at the last meet of the season.

“It was a hard race, but we fought through it. I’m so proud of our team,” said senior Elizabeth Wong.

Boys and girls varsity will run at Toro Park on November 13 in Salinas in hopes to qualify for State Championships later this month.