Five years after Lia Pugsley broke the freshman girls cross country record, it was shattered by freshman phenom Caroline Taylor. After breaking Pugsley’s record of 19:25, Taylor finished seventh in the region and was recognized in the All-Dulles district.
Taylor sparked the girls team, “She was our number one runner all year, she has no ego. Her work ethic and performance raised a level for everyone else on the team,” head cross country coach Jonathan Wesoky said.
For the first time, Taylor had to learn to manage high school coursework and a varsity level sport. With her head set on an upcoming season she was looking for something to do in her free time. “I heard cross country was a really fun environment, and I knew it would keep me in shape for soccer,” Taylor said.
On November 16, the team ran at Oatlands, a notoriously challenging course in Leesburg. “The running is difficult, it’s a challenge and there’s only one course that is really hard. I felt like being done and giving up after that,” Taylor said. At states, Taylor placed 35th for girls and finished at the 20:52 mark.
Traditionally, the team gathers the night before every meet for a pasta dinner to help fuel for the next day. Taylor said, “Practicing hard, and eating healthy will keep me mentally prepared.”
“Dominion is the only school out of all of the Loudoun County High Schools to have the boys and girls [teams] make it to states,” Athletic Director Darrell Wilson said. This has been the first time in 20 years that the girls team has reached this achievement to be able to compete at states.
Taylor and the other girls have worked all year to achieve this goal, and they still have many more goals to reach. “I’m just really happy for this girls group, they worked all year and peaked at the right time,” Wesoky said.
