McFarland cross county looks to reach past heights
Their footprints are all over town. You can find them in the fields, on the streets and in the school. They even greet you as you enter the city limits. Emblazoned on the city’s welcome sign is a runner running through the field with the words “Tradition. Unity. Excellence.”
In the past 35 years, the McFarland High School boys cross country program has been the town treasure with nine state title recognitions painted on the gym’s front entrance.
More than two decades after winning their last California Interscholastic Federation State Cross Country Championship, McFarland boys cross country coach Amador Ayon has his eyes on the Cougars’ 10th state title and first since 2001.
“Every day, we run for a purpose ... with the ultimate goal of winning not only in running but in life,” Ayon said. “We are on our way back to reclaiming the status of being a state powerhouse. I feel for the schools that will face us in the upcoming years.”
The Cougars finished sixth last week at the CIF Central Section Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno. The Perezchica brothers Henry and Jose led McFarland, finishing 22nd and 37th overall. Henry, a sophomore, finished in 17 minutes 32.59 seconds and Jose, a senior, in 18:04.63. Sophomore Joey Miranda was 40th (18:11.99).
McFarland missed qualifying for the state meet by four spots. The top two teams advance to the CIF state meet, set for today in Fresno. The Cougars entered the section meet ranked No. 3 in Division III.
The Cougars are also coming off a Nov. 10 South Sequoia League championship where Jose Perezchica finished first with a time of 17:24.18.
McFarland had three other runners finish in the top 10 at the league meet with Jose Miranda (sixth, 18:09.71) and Henry Perezchica (seventh, 18:10.38) as well as senior Angel Ontiveros (ninth, 18:21.99) propelling the Cougars to the win. The league
title marked the 40th in the past 41 years.
“Running for McFarland feels like an honor,” Jose Perezchica told RunnerSpace.com earlier this year. “It feels really good because you are representing a big name.”
McFarland cross country is a big name, with the program featured in Disney’s 2015 hit
“McFarland USA.” Kevin Costner played the role of famed coach Jim White. The history and story of the 1986 and 1987 teams run deep in the community. Many of those team members still live in McFarland and are currently associated with the school and program.
“Most of the city really loves and respects what our past athletes have done,” said Ayon, who took over the program in 2003 after White retired. “They believe we are state champions every year even when we don’t win. They love what the program was built on — guts, sweat, hard work, resilience, perseverance and attitude.”
This year’s team is creating a similar path. Ayon and his coaches split the season into three phases, increasing miles and adding challenges like hill and strength work.
And Ayon said the Cougars are just starting to hit their stride. The COVID-19 pandemic stole the season from McFarland and the rest of the state last year. This season, the Cougars didn’t start training in earnest until late August.
Only one of the Cougars runners had varsity experience, and that was from two years ago, pre-pandemic.
The pandemic has altered the season. One of McFarland’s top runners missed a portion of the season in September with COVID-19.
“We stress to the boys that they are students first and athletes second,” said Ayon. “We tell them that they have to build their own legacy of this thing we call McFarland cross country. And for us, the biggest success is kids transitioning out of the fields. Success is viewed differently for us and is about how you feel and feel about yourself, not on how much money you make.”
And this year’s crop of Cougars is hoping that their imprint on the program leads to another state title painted on the school’s gym entrance.