On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Vermont state-champion CVU Girls Cross Country Team toed the line at Portland, Oregon's Glendover Golf Course to compete in the 19th annual Nike Cross Country Nationals. The seven-athlete squad from Hinesburg raced among nearly 200 runners from across the country, including 70 individual state champions and 32 state championship teams. Amid 40-degree pouring rain, the Redhawks earned a standout 19th place.

"The girls all ran incredibly hard," says Coach David Baird. "They were always prepared and ready mentally, they showed integrity during and after their race, and they were really grateful the entire time."

It's the fourth time the CVU girls have raced at Nationals, which is perennially hosted in Portland, Oregon, home to Nike World Headquarters. The team claimed one of two qualifying bids to Nationals in November, placing second at Regionals in Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, New York.

"Just getting there was an achievement of the highest level," says Coach Baird. "Aside from the incredible accomplishment of being in the race, I was most impressed with how our seven athletes conducted themselves during the entire trip. "They were polite and respectful, they reached out to other teams and runners to connect, they were always positive."