* Video Credit: Zoe Medranda
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FRESNO, CALIFORNIA -- Just nine days after the tragedy that took the lives of two young students and injured three others at the high school they attended, the Saugus High School cross country team raced on November 23 at the CIF Southern Section Finals.
It was a necessary, and powerful, and important moment for a team that wanted to show a response in the wake of something terrible, a moment that shook the community of Santa Clarita, California. And if by some small measure, running was a way to show how they were going to cope with it.
But something more came of that moment.
Eventually, after a strong willed effort, the girls of Saugus qualified for the CIF Division I Championships on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno, finishing second at the CIF Southern Section with 112 points, just behind Great Oak.
Junior Hannah Fredericks finished third overall in a time of 17:33.10 for three miles, while her team averaged 18:03 and put together a 78-second spread.
Junior Blake Gallardo was 49th overall for the boys team, finishing in 15:40.20, as the Centurions finished 23rd overall as a team.
Check out the motivational moment, spearheaded by head coach Rene Paragas, at the SS Finals on November 23.
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Hannah Fredericks Interview: