CERES – Competing at the Trans-Valley League finals at River Bluff Regional Park, the Orestimba High cross-country teams had individuals who had strong finishes.

In the varsity girls’ division of the league finals, which was held on Oct. 29, Orestimba’s Samantha De La Cruz, a junior, took 7th place on the 2.3 miles course with a time of 21 minutes, 00.59 seconds. She was the only Warrior girl who placed in the finals.

For the Warrior boys, Joseph Garcia, who is also a junior, took 6th place at 17:51.94.

Emmanuel Garabito also placed for the Orestimba boys, taking 16th as he was clocked at 19:00.68.

Both the Orestimba girls and boys teams did not place enough runners for team points.

Next for the Warriors is racing at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Sub-Section Cross-Country Meet, which will be held at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Frogtown this Saturday. The varsity boys and girls’ races for Divisions I-V have starting times beginning at 11 a.m. and the last division going at 1:40 p.m.

Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia.