Several months into its season, the Diamond Bar High School cross country team has been improving under head coach Christine Cortez’s guidance. Recently, at the Mt. San Antonio College course for the San Gabriel Valley Invitational on Oct. 4, considered by Cortez to be the toughest running course in the division, the varsity girls team placed third, and boys varsity placed eleventh.

The team has competed in six meets already and is preparing for League Finals. DBHS competes against five other schools in the surrounding area: Glendora, Claremont, Ayala, South Hills, and Bonita.

“Our placement in league has remained about the same as last year, but as individuals, the team is getting much faster than it was last year,” senior captain Ruben Reyes said. The team is currently in sixth place in the Palomeres League.

According to Cortez, over 35 Brahmas have improved their individual times from the first league meet to the second meet at Bonelli Park. However, Reyes feels that one of the greatest priorities for the team is to keep improving the times for the majority of the runners so that they can match up with the top athletes of the league.

The team has demonstrated its strength on different terrains, including hills, and the coaches look forward to seeing the Brahmas improve their times at the Mt. SAC course for the League Finals.

Cortez anticipates the team ending up in fifth place or better at the end of League Finals in the Palomeres League.

“I like to see all of the student athletes learn from their past race experiences and improve [their] place, position, and time, and contribute to the overall team outcome,” Cortez said via e-mail.

The team will be competing in the League Finals today.