Junior Kate Peters is the Lakers’ first champion after nearly 50 years of girls running. As of late, she has achieved the 2021 Oregon Sport Award in Cross Country. Peters recently won the 5K marathon at the Class 6A state cross country meet with a time of 16:40.9, and has also been consistently winning several races this season. She has also been ranked No.1 in Dyestat’s individual rankings, a website specializing in high school track and field and cross country. 

“I won the Easy Bay regional meet about a month after state but the accomplishments I’m more proud of is getting ninth at Nike Cross Nationals my freshman year, playing sixth at the Easy Bay XC Nationals in 2021, and running the Eugene Half Marathon in 1:16:56,” she says. 

“I feel accomplished and happy after I run.” Peters says. “My passion for running started in Kindergarten when I participated in the running program[at Bonny Slope Elementary School in Beaverton] and it has stuck ever since.” 

Peters believes that hard work, including daily practices and workouts and listening to advice from her coach led her to victory at the 5K. “…the mile splits were 5:40, 5:50, 5:18. I think the last mile was key to me winning the race. Most of the field was tired by the time we got to a mile to go and they didn’t have the strength to keep up for a quick last mile.”

To aspiring cross country athletes, Peters encourages, “I would say to have fun with running and enjoy the sport and that consistency is key. You got to keep doing the boring old habits when no one is watching to make it to the next level.”