ISSUE 3

16 SPORTS Wed. Nov. 20, 2019
CC team falls short of states
Varsity cross country celebrate the end of a great season. The Atoms came fourth in the region.
EVAN BURITA
Abel Mehari and Mikyas Salhu qualified for states as individual runners. They
placed 52nd and 33rd in the meet overall.
Despite fourth place regional finish, Atoms send two runners to states
EVAN BURITA
BY EVAN BURITA
Sports Editor
Cross country raced in regionals
with hopes to qualify for states.
The Atoms had been contenders to
qualify for states the entire season, but
fell short of their goal by one spot.
Despite the team not making states,
the Atoms were able to send both Abel
Mehari and Mikyas Salhu to the competition
due to their impressive times at
regionals.
The two runners trained for several
days before racing against the best runners
in the state. Mehari placed 52nd
and Mikyas placed 32nd overall.
Fourteen schools competed in the
regional meet at Burke Lake Park and
ten runners from each team ran the 5k
course on Nov. 7.
To advance to states, the Atoms
were required to place within the top
three regarding total points scored.
Points are based on individual placements
in the race. The higher the runners’
overall placement is, the fewer
points are scored. The team with the
Varsity
team
hopeful
for a
successful
season
following
tryouts
fewest total points wins the meet.
The team had several impressive
individual performances in the meet
and finished fourth overall, only a few
points away from third place.
Annandale placed behind West
Potomac, Woodson, and West Springfield.
The Atoms scored 99 points, only
13 fewer than West Potomac, who finished
third with 86 points.
The team recorded two top-15 finishers.
Senior Mikyas Sahlu and sophomore
Abel Mehari finished in twelth
and thirteenth, with times of 16:09 and
16:12.
The result of the meet was rather
disappointing for the team, who concluded
their season after missing states
by one place after confidence was high
to qualify.
Although the meet did not pan out
the way the team had hoped it would,
many positives can be taken from this
season.
Each runner on the team improved
their times and speed. In addition, the
atoms placed second in the Gunston
District.
“My season had some ups and
downs, but I came away with a personal
record in every event that I ran,” varsity
runner and junior Bennett Stenburg
said. “This is the best our cross country
team has performed in 30 years.”
Most of the team is currently preparing
for indoor track, which takes
place during the winter sports season.
Runners have been training for several
weeks to build endurance and
speed before the track season begins.
“Indoor is a short season with only a
limited number of opportunities to compete,”
track and cross country Coach
Dave Ciccarelli said. “For distance runners,
I see it as a bridge between cross
country and spring track.”
The team is looking forward to running
track, as it is a great oppurtunity
to condition during the winter and
helps runners improve.
“I think I practiced hard and did
pretty well on workouts this season,”
JV runner Connor Lilli said. “But
indoor track has shorter events, so I
want to work on my overall speed.”
The Atoms have many individual
goals for the track season.
Atoms basketball season underway
BY ELDANA MENGISTU
Staff Writer
As the winter sports season
approaches fast, many athletes,
including basketball players, are
getting prepared.
The players have been practicing
during the offseason as they played in
games in the spring league and AAU.
These leagues have contributed to
the team’s preperation for the school
league.
The varsity team is expected
to perform at a high level and has
impressive goals for the upcoming
season.
Although the team has many
returning players, the roster has many
promising additions.
Freshman John Awoke, a
new player, reclassed and was
homeschooled to focus more on his
basketball skills.
Sophomore Amanuel Tucker
arrived at Annandale this year from a
private school in Maryland.
Tryouts for the team were held on
Nov. 11 through Nov. 13.
“Tryouts went well. It was a lot of
conditioning to help people get back
into shape for the season,” Tucker
said. “I think the season is going to go
very well and we are going to win a lot
of games.”
The tryouts played an important
role for the team as they identify
players skills and abilities.
They also help players get in shape
for the season.
“Tryouts were good but they were
a little hard,” Awoke said. “I think
this season is going to go really well
because we have a good team.”
The team has high hopes for
the season and has seen a large
improvemnt from last year. The
players feel they can be sucessful.
“Tryouts went really well. The
boys worked extremely hard and I
could really see their imporovment
since last year and I am very proud
of them,” basketball Coach Deidrich
Gilreath said.
Many runners hope to achieve personal
records before the winter season
ends.
“My goals for winter track are to
train really hard and to break 5:20 for
the mile,” Alejandro Erazo said.
As many of the Atoms runners are
working hard and training for the winter
season, the team is looking to be
sucessful for upcoming meets.
“Given my experience as a coach, I
feel that only the fittest, top performing
distance athletes can successfully compete
at a high level for three seasons in
high school,” Ciccarelli said. “We will
also work extensively on weight training
to improve upper core, upper body,
and overall strength and fitness.”
Recovery for the runners after a
long season of vigorous training is very
important in order for them to be ready
for the start of the winter track season.
“Team preperation for indoor consists
of recovery from cross country
including rest and refocusing,” Ciccarelli
said. “Runners need to build weekly
mileage back up to 40+ miles a week
and gradually reintroduce speed work
and nterval training.”
The varsity team sits during halftime in a game last season.
Needless to say, Atoms cross country
and track have performed at a very
high level for the past several seasons.
They have two district champoinships
in the past three seasons and
are expected to qualify for states in the
near future.
The majority of the roster consists of
sophomores and juniors, meaning the
team will remain strong for the next
few seasons if runners stay with the
team and improve.
After missing states by a meer 13
points, the atoms will be determined to
do all they can to reach states.
Top 6 teams in the region:
1. West Springfield (21 pts)
2. Woodson (77 pts)
3. West Potomac (86 pts)
4. Annandale (99 pts)
5. Lake Braddock (101 pts)
6. Justice (193 pts)
Athlete Spotlight: Leoule Yared
BY EVAN BURITA
Sports Editor
Leoule Yared is a sophomore at AHS. He
plays point guard for the basketball team and
runs varsity for cross country.
After completing a very sucessful running
season, he is now preparing to play basketball
for the school.
He has a great passion for both sports and is
a very talented, well rounded player.
Although managing to play several sports is
very difficult, Yared constantly works hard and
has became a very skillful athlete.
He enjoys playing for the team and spending
time with his teammates.
He hopes to improve and continue playing
basketball in the future.
Q: What is your favoite part about playing
basketball?
A: “I love the joy it brings me and I can always
go to it to take my mind off things.”
Q: How did you discover your interest in
basketball?
A: My older brother played and I ended up
doing the same. I instantly fell in love with the
game.”
Q: What are your strengths as a player?
A: “My strengths are my ball-handling and
ability to finish over taller defenders. Also, I am
able to shoot off the dribble and guard my man
Leoule Yared plays in a game against Falls Church last season. Yared scored 39 points.
the full length of the court.”
Q: How long have you been preparing for
this season?
A: “I have been preparing for the season since
last season ended. I have been in the weight
room getting stronger and have studied fast
paced games to see what I have to do to adjust
to the pace of a game.”
Q: How long have you been playing?
A: “I have been playing basketball since I was
a toddler.”
Q: Do you plan to keep playing in college?
A: “I do plan to play in college. I would be happy
with any Division 1 school because it is a goal I
have had for a while.”
Q: What are your goals for the rest of the
season?
A: “I want to be an all-district player, but the
main goal is to win districts and make it to
states.”
Q: What is your favorite memory of
playing for Annandale so far?
A: “My favorite memory was the Lake
Braddock game when the team was losing by
double-digits going into the fourth quarter. The
entire team perservered and came back to beat
them.”
Q: What activities do you participate in
outside of basketball?
A: “I run cross country and track for the school,
and I like to hang out with my friends to watch
NBA games.”
Q: What is your favorite professional
team?
A: “ My favorite team is the Lakers because
Lebron James has been my favorite player for
years.”
Q: What game did you perform your best
in?
A: “In our game against Lake Braddock last
year, I had 41 points and 7 steals. This game
was my favorite performance because we
were down the whole game, but the entire
team pulled through and beat them at the last
second.”