AGAPE Christian School currently leads the Middle School and High School Divisions of the 2022 PSS/NMA All-School Cross Country series after completing the Gecko 5000 event Saturday at Banzai Cliff.
In the Middle School Boys Division, ACS did not claim a podium finish but its runners outnumbered their competitors.
ACS’ first runner to cross the finish line, Daniel Song, was third overall with a time of 13:38.00 to earn three points. Raffy Cai came in fourth with a time of 13:44.00 for four points; Daniel Yang was fifth with a time of 13:56.00 for five points; and Sen Huang finished 15th for 13 points.
The team’s combined score of 25 points put ACS in first place overall.
Cross country is similar to golf in that the lowest score wins.
Although Grace Christian Academy’s Michael Miller was the first to complete the course with a time of 12:42.00, his school placed third with 40 points while Saipan International School is second overall with 38 points.
ACS also led the Middle School Girls Division. Barbara Wang finished first at 15:08.00 to earn one point. Lucy Hong came in second with a time of 16:36.00 for two points while Susie Zhen placed fifth at 18:00.00 for five points. With a total of 18 points, ACS is the team to beat in the Middle School Girls Division.
SIS is in second place with 23 points, highlighted by the third place finish of Aubrey White (16:41.00) and fourth placer Beatrice Gross (17:59.00).
Saipan Community School is in third place with 41 points while Mount Carmel School is fourth with 78 points.
ACS is also the top team among high schools.
In the Boys Division, four ACS students filled the top five list. Samuel Zhu came in first with a time of 19:47.00 for one point followed by Jireh Wang in second with a time of 20:21.00 for two points. Enoch Zhuang finished fourth with a time of 20:34.00 for four points while David Zhao was fifth with a time of 20:46.00 for five points.
SIS is in second place with a total of 60 points; Marianas High School is third with 71; Saipan Southern High School is fourth with 72; Grace Christian Academy is fifth with 73; and MCS is sixth with 79.
In the High School Girls Division, ACS leads with 17 points followed by SIS with 23.
SIS’ Kaithlyn Chavez led the run with a time of 22:07.00 followed by ACS’ Eunice Xu who clocked 23:06.00. SIS’ Tiana Cabrera was third with a time of 23:11.00, ACS’ Emma Pang was fourth with a time of 24:11.00, and ACS’ Esther Zhuang was fifth with a time of 27:05.00.
Among the elementary schools, SIS is currently number one. SIS’ Quido Jambor finished third with a time of 00:06.41; Ezra West was seventh at 00:07.18; and Jake Duenas was tenth at 00:07.48.
In second place is ACS followed by Oleai Elementary School in third, Brilliant Star School in fourth, San Vincente Elementary School in fifth, Gregorio T. Camacho School in sixth, Garapan Elementary School in seventh and William S. Reyes School in eighth.
SIS also leads the Girls Division with a total of 18 points followed by OES with 58, ACS with 69, SVS with 70 and BSS with 78.
Saipan International School’s Kaithlyn Chavez smiles as she crosses the finish line.
Agape Christian School’s Eunice Xu pushes through for the finish.
Middle school students take off from the starting line of Gecko 5000 at Banzai Cliff.
