Jayden Kay Linayao
Record-breaking senior William Masanja stays focused on the last lap of his race.
A new school record 1:56.87, has been set by William Masanja for the 800 meter race, beating David Napper’s time of 1:57.1 in 2003, making waves for the Cypress High track and field team. As the season comes to a close, seniors are running their final races, and underclassmen looking forward to their upcoming season.
Masanja started his track and field journey in middle school, and after a break due to COVID, he came back his freshman year to make more memories with his friends. “It’s very awakening because it’s my last year, and I realized that this is my last chance to go all out and show myself on the field,” Masanja stated. “I felt relieved that I accomplished what I sought out for a while now, and it’s crazy to think about how I beat the record.” Being a track and field runner isn’t easy, and it brings lots of stress to the athlete both mentally and physically. “I overcome my struggles by realizing that not every race is a PR race, but it’s about hw I go out and run that race strategically,” Masanja explained.
The seniors of the Varsity track team find that the community and friendships are what keeps them so passionate for the sport. “I think the community is really wholesome,” senior Tri Vuong pointed out, “Everyone’s always there to cheer you on.” Vuong runs the 4×4 relay, and finds that “although [he] is often met with disappointment,” and in order to overcome these mental struggles, “you always need to look on the bright side because this sport really pushes you to be the best version of yourself.”
Varsity Captain Evonne Lam loves the “community aspect” and the “community that running builds.” Lam is proud that she has “made [her] mark on the team,” and is excited to see her underclassmen “thrive, and run to their best potential.” The responsibilities of a track and field captain vary, but to Lam, this role is all about helping her team build confidence and lead the team through what they need to do before races.
This year, the team had to make an adjustment to the newly built track and turf field. Previously, the team’s distance runners would practice at Cypress College, when the sprinters would practice on campus. “I feel like everybody in the track team is a lot closer…with this new track, all of the runners are on the same track at the same time, and although it may get a little hectic and a bit crowded, I feel like it’s made us a lot closer,” senior Jonathan Rodriguez said. Now that the track is more organized with painted lines rather than dirt lines, Coach Eyman believes that this new track had brought many benefits to his team. “I love how the new track allows us to practice every day, and now that it’s much more organized, there is less of a risk of injury,” Eyman explained.
One of the leaders and standout sprinters on the boys’ team, Hector Castellanos, will be running for Concordia University of Irvine next year. He will miss running for his school, “Cypress Track and Field will always have a soft spot in my heart,” he said. Looking ahead, he says, “The track team has many athletes with great potential and talent. I hope that the future team of the next year and many years to come may continue to be strong together and push each other to become the best they can be.”