By: Hugo G., Updated 1/2/99

Welcome to the Thomas Jefferson High School Cross Country page. Jefferson High School built a dynasty of Track & Field city championships, as well as state championships in the `40's and `50's. However, Jefferson never won a banner for Cross-Country nor did they ever make it to the state championships. That was, until the 1998 season, when Virginia Gomez made history by becoming the Thomas Jefferson High School's first cross-country athlete to ever make it to the state competition. Furthermore, she became the first athlete to go to a state competition in more than ten years! The cross-country team of 1998 was coached by Mr. Ellis and was supported at times by Mr. Jefferson.

The two outstanding players for the 1998 Jefferson High School Cross-Country tream were Virginia Gomez and Guillermo Talerene. Guillermo Talerene was outstanding for the boys team. He reached the City Finals competition, but came up short. Virginia Gomez was truly remarkable this season, improving her time in almost all meets. Gomez, a senior, has been involved with the Jefferson Cross-Country team all four years and she has managed to reach the City Finals four consecutive times! Fortunately, the fourth try was the the charm as Gomez placed sixth with a time of 19:25 in the City Finals at Pierce College. She then qualified for state and placed in 51st place with a time of 19:58 in a 5K run in Fresno, California. All of these accomplsihments despite the fact that Gomez was only one of two girls participating in the Cross-Country girls team.

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