A day after winning two individual events and running a leg on a first- and third-place relay team in the Central Coast Section Track and Field Championships on May 23, Los Gatos High School senior Kaylee Cross was still on cloud nine.
“It feels so surreal to me still,” she said. “I’m definitely still trying to process everything.”
There’s a lot to take in, starting with the fact that few athletes—regardless of sport—have experienced such a swift and spectacular rise to the elite level as Cross has. Cross won the 200 meters, 400 meters, and was part of the winning 4×400 relay team and 4×100 relay squad that finished third.
What elevates Cross’ accomplishment from spectacular to borderline unbelievable is that she is just in her second season of competing in the sport. After playing softball for the majority of her athletic career—including two years on the Wildcats’ varsity softball squad as a freshman and sophomore—Cross decided to try out for the track team in her junior year.
Why did Cross choose to make the switch for her junior year?
“Running was always my favorite part of softball,” she said. “I found stealing bases and going around the bases was the aspect of softball I loved the most. So, I wanted to try track but wasn’t expecting to find success the first year.”
Cross’ early-season results were promising, and she only got faster as the season progressed, qualifying for the CCS Semifinals in the 200. However, it was her tenacity in earning a spot as the final member of the 4×400 relay team that advanced to the CIF State Championships that really got Wildcats coach Danny “Doc” Colton’s attention.
“Kaylee came out early last season new to the sport and was just kind of there,” Colton said. “Then all of a sudden late in the season she started picking up speed, power; and we’re like, wait a minute, who’s this coming up from the JV to the varsity? It was crazy, a shocker.”
Buoyed by her experience at State, Cross attacked the off-season, honing in on technique while spending ample time on speedwork. She credited her coaches for setting her up for a record-breaking senior season.
“You need a foundation of speed to get out hard in the 400 and obviously to close,” Cross said. “That philosophy of training really helped me especially as someone new to the sport. Initially, I was missing that base speed. Building that in the off-season helped my success in all my races.”
Cross did a handful of Open races and All-Comers Meet in January and February, establishing a personal-best in the 400. Entering the high school season, Cross’ confidence was at an all-time high, and her results matched her optimism.
In the third meet of the season, Cross nailed personal-bests in the 100-meter dash (11.93 seconds) and 200 (24.56). At the prestigious Arcadia Invitational on April 8, Cross won the 400 against a talented field in a personal-best 54.37 seconds. Cross entered the CCS Championships seeded first in both the 200 and 400, and she didn’t disappoint.
Cross and fellow teammate and training partner Madison Kohli gave the Wildcats a 1-2 finish in the 400, with Cross posting a time of 54.47 seconds to Kohli’s 54.89. In the 400, Cross has been working on an explosive start.
“The 400 is way more mental for me,” she said. “The mental aspect of getting out hard is something I struggle with and definitely something I focused on for that race. If I could get out hard for the first 200, I knew I could bring it home.”
The final 100 meters of a 400 race tests the athlete’s stamina and mental toughness. It’s at that point when the legs start getting heavy and the doubts start creeping in. To counter that, Cross reminded herself, I’ve got this opportunity because I’m ready for it and I know I can do this.
Cross comes into the upcoming state meet with the eighth best time in the 400, while the 4×400 relay team of Ella Crites, Cross, Elise Greenstreet and Kohli—fresh off setting a CCS Finals record in 3 minutes, 48.37 seconds—comes in with the seventh best time. Los Gatos took third in the team standings, bolstered by clutch performances from all three relay squads.
The 4×100 squad of Sofia Richmond, Bridget Moore, Cross and Kohli took third in 47.87 and the 4×800 placed fourth in 9:18.22. The Wildcats also received a clutch performance from precocious freshman Stella Kanter, who finished third in the high jump with a personal-best mark of 5 feet, 4 inches. If Kanter continues to improve, she’ll be in contention to win a potential state title in the near future. Meanwhile, Cross still has to pinch herself when she reflects on how far she’s come in such a short time.
She’s four seconds faster in the 400 than at this point last year, an eye-popping achievement. When Cross started preseason track training 16 months ago, she did it for the pure love of the sport. Little did she know that her talent and drive—combined with an indefatiguable work ethic and great coaching—would turn her into a multi-CCS champion.
“Not saying I expected this because these results have gone past anything I ever expected, but we’ve been putting in a lot of work—a lot,” Cross said. “To see the work pay off especially in this way, I can’t ask for much more. I’m just so grateful to find a sport I love so much.”
The Los Gatos boys team had its own standout performers. Senior Kai Jordan has peaked at the perfect time, nailing personal-best times in back-to-back weeks. Jordan won the 400 in 47.96, going sub 48 for the first time ever. A week prior, Jordan clocked a 48.65 in the CCS Semifinals. Teammate Hayden Benjamin finished third in the finals in 48.22, securing an automatic spot to State.
The 4×400 relay team of Benjamin, Han Tang, Aydin Hussain and Jordan won in 3:16.04, helping the boys secure a fourth-place finish in the overall team standings. Charles Fugit advanced to State by finishing second in the discus with a throw of 159-9.
Though track and field is highly individualized, high school competition tends to bring out the team aspect of the sport. Athletes work out together both during the season and in the off-season, building camaraderie in the process. They cheer each other on in their respective events and need chemistry in the relay events.
“I’m proud of my teammates,” Cross said. “I’ve seen how hard everyone works, and it feels so great everyone’s hard work has paid off in a significant way.”
