O'Dea Metros Cross Country

SEATTLE — The O’Dea Fighting Irish cross-country team traveled to Woodland Park to compete in the highly competitive Metro Championships. Facing off against some of the best programs in the state, the Irish ran with determination and grit. Out of 16 total teams, O’Dea placed an impressive 4th overall, with the Seattle Prep Panthers ultimately taking home the top spot. While the finish was solid, the Irish weren’t entirely satisfied with the result.

“It wasn’t good enough,” said senior runner Maddox Fox, reflecting the team’s hunger for improvement and higher goals.

Despite their disappointment, the O’Dea squad still turned in several strong performances across the board. Junior Heath Atrosh led the way for the Irish, running an outstanding 16:30, followed closely by Fox, who clocked in at 16:48. Freshman Aiden Little also had a standout race, finishing in 17:37, showing great promise for the future of the program. These times are especially impressive given the level of competition, as the meeting featured some of the top runners and teams in Washington state. The team emphasized that while the results weren’t exactly what they hoped for, the performance still reflected hard work and dedication throughout the season.

‘’We feel good about our performance at the Metro Championships. We matched our result from last year, 5th overall and 4th in 3A, and earned a spot at the district 2 Championships this Friday, said Head Coach Jackson Derby.

With valuable lessons learned and renewed motivation, the team now turns its focus toward its next major challenge — the 3A District Championship. The Irish plan to use their Metro finish as fuel to push even harder in training, sharpen their racing strategy, and aim for redemption. The maroon and gold are determined to prove that their best races are still ahead.