CORRECTION: The correct number of Mavs runners that competed in the Woodbridge Invitational was 16. Also, name correction from Logan Demchuk to Noah Demchuk. These corrections are reflected in the story below. 

MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Mavericks will be represented by 16 runners in the Woodbridge Invitational held in Orange County Great Park, California. Senior Liam O’Shea said the team has been thinking about this event for a long time.   

“This past week, me personally, I've been eating and sleeping California, there's no amount of preparation that I want to forego, or I want the team to forgo. We've really been making sure to get in every small thing so that when we step up to that line Saturday, we can really perform our best,” O’Shea said.   

To qualify for this meet, cross country teams had to have qualified for the state meet in the previous season. Senior Alexis Feller said this event is special for the girls' team. Being invited to this meet makes their historic season last fall more special, she said.   

“We just feel very honored and lucky to be able to go. Until last year, it's been 40 years since our entire girls team made it to state as a team. It was just super awesome to break the normal and do something we could build off of,” Feller said.   

Head Coach Larry Dagnon called last season monumental, not just for cross country, but for Mavericks athletics too. After almost foregoing a season due to the levy shortfall, the Mavericks cross country team put together historic seasons. Along with the girls' team, the boys made it to state for the second time in school history.   

“They all put their best foot forward,” Dagnon said. “They just were a bunch of hard-working kids, and they just kind of fed off each other. There was great leadership on the team, great commitment, they just did things the right way.”   

Dagnon said the runners attending this meet have fundraised and paid their own way to compete. They will be running against athletes from 29 other states in what he said is going to be the fastest race in the nation this year.   

“We're going to do our best to represent Moses Lake in a really positive way, and hopefully the athletes see what they need to do early in the season to take an even better and bigger step,” he said.   

Junior Noah Demchuk said being able to compete in this event is exciting since he is coming off of an Achilles injury. He said it was a slight tear that he suffered and ever since has been eager to start running again. He would ask his coaches daily if he could run at practice. This past week was his first chance to run.   

“I'm just trying to work extra hard and get myself up to their level so that way I can reach the expectation, I want to do something that I've never done,” he said.

For sophomore Max Jolley, this season is his first on varsity. He said he is excited to be a part of this team's growth. He also has high aspirations for his high school running.   

“I know this team is growing, so that's going to be able to give me opportunities to maybe go to college one day and be able to go to this meet. I'll be able to go against faster people and definitely be able to shoot for the three-mile sophomore school record,” Jolley said.  

Feller and Rachel Nofziger said the team has also been preparing mentally for this race too. They said it can be intimidating to compete in big races like Woodbridge, however, focusing on having fun and maintaining confidence will be key for them.   

“Going into this big race so early in the season, and we're hoping to do well. That can be a little intimidating, but we just have to trust our training and trust what we've been doing, stay nice and calm and try not to work ourselves out,” Nofziger said.   

The student athletes took off for California on Thursday and will be competing Saturday morning. The results of the Woodbridge Invitational will be in the Tuesday edition of the paper.  

Runners attending the Woodbridge Invitational:  

Noah Demchuk, Junior  

Liam O’Shea, Senior  

Liam Roseburg, Sophomore

Colton Lucero, Junior

Sean Brumet, Senior

Lane Christensen, Sophomore

Jonathan Sandoval, Sophomore

Max Jolley, Sophomore  

Alexis Feller, Senior  

Rachel Nofziger, Junior  

Aspen Hoenes, Freshman  

Kaytlyn Russell, Sophomore

Emma Wallace, Junior

Natalie Vehrs, Sophomore

Sarah Humpherys, Sophomore

Amelia Olascon, Sophomore

    The Mavs’ Alexis Feller competing in the Highlander Invitational. Feller said she has enjoyed the improvements the team has made over the last year.
  

    The Mavs’ Aspen Hoenes runs a steady pace in the Highlander Invitational. Hoenes is a freshman and will be competing in the Woodbridge Invitational on Saturday.
  

    Liam O’Shea running in the 800-meter race for the Moses Lake Athletics club. O’Shea will be competing in the Woodbridge Invitational and represent the Mavericks cross country team.