Two-time NBL champs move up to Oak Division
It seems like a lifetime ago since the Jaguars last competed in a cross country race, but the team is prepping to do just that after months of waiting.
Classified as purple tier sports, the WHS cross country, boys tennis and girls golf teams will kick off a nine week season (four league meets) next month, with swimming, track and field, girls tennis and boys golf to follow in April. Because of the condensed schedules, no championship meets will be held this spring.
First-year coach cross country Matthew Henry (assisted by Paul Holland) has taken the reins from former head man Brandon Bronzan, starting the 2021 campaign with a combination of excitement and cautious optimism.
“We’re three weeks from our first meet and I have no idea how this season will go,” he reported. “COVID has changed just about everything in regards to training and the makeup of our teams. This year we’ll only run in four dual meets against teams from the Oak Division and the season will be over.”
Jags move up to Oak Division
Success at any level comes with a price, and Windsor’s back to back North Bay League Redwood Division titles in 2018 and 2019 are no exception. As part of an NBL realignment provision to promote competitive equity, the Redwood and Oak divisions were reevaluated after two years, with a few teams being shuffled around in each sport. As a result of their success, the WHS cross country team was moved to the ultra competitive Oak Division and will square off with the likes of Maria Carrillo, Montgomery, Piner and Santa Rosa.
“While we’ve traditionally fielded competitive teams, this year will be a challenge,” Henry said. “Our boy’s varsity team looks the strongest, with all but Hunter Larson (who graduated last year) returning.”
The boy’s team is loaded with both experience and talent, led by 2019 junior Redwood Division champion Dustin Smith and senior 2019 runner up Landon McAllister.
“This is a dedicated group of guys who have been running and preparing for a season even when there was great uncertainty if a season would even happen,” Henry noted. “I’m really proud of them and how they’ve handled the year.”
Although the varsity girl’s squad isn’t as deep with just two returnees, it does have a budding star in senior Nataleigh Johnson, the third place Redwood Division finisher in 2019. Reigning individual Redwood Division champion Lilja Chung will not be available to compete this season.
“The girl’s team will look very different than it did a year ago,” Henry said. “While we had some promising runners who we felt were ready to step up, some have opted out due to COVID and some have chosen to stay with another sport, due to the restrictions that athletes have in competing in multiple sports at the same time this year.”
As with most teams this season, the joy will not be determined by how you finish the race, but rather in the competition itself.
“Really, how we finish as a team this year is secondary to just having the opportunity to have a season,” Henry said. “We’re so grateful that we can compete and represent Windsor High School in a year when most athletic teams won’t be able to do so. We have a great group of kids who are ready to run and have fun. In the grand scheme of things, how things turn out competition-wise doesn’t compare to just being able to do what we love during these trying times,” he added.
All league meets will be held on Wednesdays, starting at 4 p.m., with all home meets being held at Foothill Park.
2021 WHS cross country schedule (Windsor only)
March 3 – Windsor at Maria Carrillo
March 10 – Montgomery at Windsor
March 17 – Santa Rosa at Windsor
March 24 – Windsor bye
March 31- Piner at Windsor
