Over the weekend, Templeton runners Joshua Bell and Frannie Perry took home Central Section titles as the fastest participants in Division III. Now, they look to go even bigger getting ready for state.
“They're both incredibly talented athletes and both of them have been working towards this weekend," Templeton High School Cross Country coach Rosalie Smith explained. "The entire season has been gearing up towards the state meet.”
Bell, a senior headed to compete for the Stanford cross country team next year, won his third straight section title while Perry, a junior, won her second consecutive.
“It was a good feeling, winning again and defending the title," Perry said. "It's the first time I ever defended the title so that was really good.”
“It kind of shows that that the work I put in is still continuing to help me grow and that I'm not slowing down at all over these years," Bell explained. "I'm actually getting better.”
No strangers to winning races and section titles, they are also quite familiar with the CIF State Championships; a race that Perry describes as "hectic".
This year, it’ll feel even more familiar, taking place at Fresno’s Woodward Park; the course they just raced and won section titles as well as competed in multiple times over their careers.
“I'd say it's a pretty historic course, one that I really like," Bell said. "It's challenging and it's actually very, very tough. I think the times that people can put out on that course is pretty impressive.”
On Nov. 16, Perry posted a score of 19:00.87 at Woodward Park good enough for the best in Division III. Meanwhile, Bell posted a time of 15:12.70, good enough for the best time in all divisions.
For Perry, who’s been running since she was three-years-old, learned to love cross country since her freshman year and as she heads into her final race of her junior year, she wants to keep climbing the ladder.
“I'm most excited to just have a PR and go have fun and go compete,” she stated.
“I can definitely just see her improvement every day and it's really cool,” Bell added.
For Bell, it’s his cross country final race of his Templeton High School career; a school that he's been proud to represent these past four years.
“Doing [it] for Templeton has been an honor. It's a small school and I love representing it on a big scale, showing that such a small school can can produce great athletes.”
Both Perry and Bell will compete at Woodward Park in Fresno Saturday, Nov. 25.
Other Central Coast runners:
Oscar Allen and Andrew Miranda - Atascadero
Juan Santiago - Pioneer Valley
Morro Bay (Div. IV): Astrid Barnett-Davis, Mia Bennett, Lilith Buller, Noleena Fahy, Jane Hotaling, Shelby Taylor, Wendy Wilson, Otis Kelly
San Luis Obispo (Div. I): Cade Backlin, Nolan Connelly, Ethan Feeser, Weston Greeneish, Graham Keeling, Nolan Roemmich, Jacob Schuetze
