The boys cross country team finished with the best season by a team at Oviedo High School since winning the state championship in 2017.
The second-place finish in District 4A was a culmination of a year of hard work and dedication.
“It took a lot of early morning practices and hard work starting from May to November,” said junior Nathanial Watson.
The group of nine that went to Tallahassee in pursuit of the championship was composed of five seniors and four juniors. Their work ethic over the last few years has helped lead to a steady rise in performance for the team.
“[We went] from barely making states in my freshman year to second [this year],” said Watson.
Their work from the past years and its continuation led to the burden of expectations. With the team securing the top ranking in 4A cross country early in the season, the expectations for the team were immense. But a key to success for the team was to not let any excitement get to their heads and affect performance.
“The biggest thing would be not letting the hype affect our training and staying disciplined,“ said senior Brody Aysun.
Discipline is key to a sport like cross country, where staying consistent in training and lifestyle is the key to improvement, and missing a day or two can set a runner back weeks.
“You can only run so much in a day before you get diminishing returns,” said B. Aysun. “I had to make sure I was eating right, stretching and most importantly getting enough sleep.”
For this reason, a huge part of success for both a team or individual is enjoying the season so that it stays enjoyable, yet rewarding, throughout the season.
“Running didn’t require any serious dedication, to me, I was just having fun,” said senior Aiden Aysun.
The commitment of the team helped them secure first place in the District and Regional meets leading up to the state championship, which led to the team’s placement as the favorites to win. The expectations put on the team by themselves and others led to a bittersweet feeling for the team, even with such a high placement.
“Coming in as the favorite this season, it’s hard not to feel a bit disappointed,” said B. Aysun.”That said, we’re still proud of what we accomplished overall and grateful for the success we had this year.”
Though some on the team were disappointed with their position, their placement of second place in the state has made the 2025 season one to remember for Oviedo Cross Country and its runners.
“[Getting second is] a pretty great feeling, especially with how far this program has come,” said Watson.
