Senior boys varsity cross country runner Chris Williams placed third overall in the 4A division at the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) Championships at Norbuck Park in Dallas on Saturday, Nov. 9. Williams finished with a time of 16:20.
Norbuck Park is known for its steep hills and sharp turns, however, Williams has already run on this course a few several times throughout his career, making the path a familiar one. The boys and girls varsity cross country teams practice at Norbuck Park once a week throughout the entire fall season.
“I knew the course was going to be brutal, but I came ready to give it everything,” Williams said. “I knew my training would get me through, even on such a tough course.”
Williams’ performance contributed to the overall performance of the boys cross country team, who placed fourth overall in the boys 5,000 meter team final, beating their rival, The St. Mark’s School of Texas.
“Beating St. Mark’s and taking fourth overall is a huge accomplishment for the team, and I am incredibly proud of everyone’s hard work throughout the season that has led us to this point,” Williams said.
Head boys and girls varsity cross country coach Jason Yaffe, who has seen Williams develop over the past four years, expressed pride in Williams’ growth and resilience, especially after last year’s SPC Championship, which he noted as a challenging event.
“It was a great way to cap his four year cross country career,” Yaffe said. “As a ninth grader, it was his first SPC, and he finished in the mid-thirties place-wise. Sophomore year he was coming off an injury, junior year he did not have a great day and finished 16th, so it was great for him to put it all together.”
The last time the boys team had a runner finish fourth overall or better was in 2017. In the past sixteen years, only two other Greenhill runners have placed in the top four at the SPC Championships, making Williams’ finish a memorable moment for himself and the program, according to both him and his teammates.
“I am not sure where I will be going to college yet, but I am excited to end my cross country career here at Greenhill on a high note and I am confident that the underclassmen right now can continue to push the team to be even better in the coming years,” Williams said.
