The team stakes out their favorite evergreen before storming through the State Regional meet at Washington Park on their way to qualifying for the State Sectional.

Senior Tiarra McGee and freshman Cintia Garcia were this season's Most Valuable Runners...and boy did they earn it.

Seniors Tiarra McGee, Momo Rafael, Lucy Licona, Berry Barajas, Sammy Balbuena, and Lauren DeJesus gather around the team tree at the fall banquet.

Each of these girls brought their own special magic to the team and we will truly miss every one of them.

If you look closely in the center of this impressive group you will see our team...Fanny, Tiarra, Sammy, Brenda, Cintia, Lucy, and Paulina.

If it looks like a daunting experience that is because it is.

The team poses before the pep rally. Momo Rafael was out for the day just in case you can't find her. Pictured are Jocelyne Segovia, Emi Balbuena, Jelly Jimenez, Claudia Radek, Berry Barajas (all kneeling), Chelly Mojica, Lucy Licona, Cecilia Caudel, Tiarra McGee, Brenda Escalante, Sammy Balbuena, Elizabeth Queen (all middle row), Diana Herrera, Paulina Ciepiela, Fanny Reyes (with sucker), Alexa Hamer, Cintia Garcia, Lauren DeJesus, and Isabella Valdez. We won the prizes for the most spirit, cutest hair, and toughest look (not really, but if there had only been such prizes...).

Steinmetz Varsity Girls' Cross Country unexpectedly crashed the top ten party in the Chicago City Championship by placing 9th. The team is pictured here before attacking the course (and the other teams) at Washington Park.

After the northside/southside challenge the team hangs out by the Field Museum. We left school around 5:30am and finished the race about 8:00am. The only girl missing is Sammy, who had to leave us early to go to her Sunday class at the Art Institute.

The senior team members Berry Barajas, Sammy Balbuena, Lucy Licona, Tiarra McGee, Lauren DeJesus, and Momo Rafael almost manage to keep it serious for a second...to no avail.

Lucy Licona, Tiarra McGee, Fanny Reyes, Giselle Jimenez, Brenda Escalante, Cintia Garcia, and Samanta Balbuena represent Steinmetz at the Nike and Bank of America sponsored Northside vs. Southside challenge.

Freshman Diana Herrera takes time after her own varsity race to help senior teammate Lucy Licona untape after a tough race at Niles West.

The team, including Giselle Jimenez, Emelyn Balbuena, Cecilia Caudel, Paulina Ciepiela, Lauren DeJesus, Cintia Garcia, Fanny Reyes, Samanta Balbuena, Araceli Mojica, Diana Herrera, Jocelyne Segovia, Isabella Valdez, (and kneeling) Lucy Licona, Berry Barajas, and Brenda Escalante poses at Niles West.

Varsity team of Lauren DeJesus, Paulina Ciepeila, Fanny Reyes, Brenda Escalante, Diana Herrera, Brenda Escalante, Jelly Jimenez, and Sammy Balbuena show off their dirt after slogging through three miles in the mud at Niles West.

Fanny Reyes, Lucy Licona, Brenda Escalante, Cintia Garcia, Tiarra McGee and team captains Samanta Balbuena and Giselle Jimenez comprise our fastest varsity group yet. Their focus as they check out the start at Young is a thing to behold. Every one of them has the heart of a true competitor.

Junior Paulina Ciepiela blows through the last 400m of her race breaking a lot of hearts as she goes. Not many athletes have the strength to challenge this kind of finish. Would you?

Juniors Emi Balbuena and Jelly Jimenez getting their game on before hitting the wet and muddy Young Invitational Course.

Seniors Tiarra McGee and Samanta Balbuena form protective bookends around their freshman (and fellow medal-winning) teammates Cintia Garcia and Brenda Escalante after the Mather Invitational.

Sammy Balbuena, Emi Balbuena, Brenda Escalante, Momo Rafael, Jelly Jimenez, Berry Barajas, Claudia Radek, Jocelyne Segovia (all seated), Coach Daughenbaugh, Isabella Valdez, Chelly Mojica, Alexa Hamer, Cintia Garcia, Tiarra McGee, Cecilia Caudel, Diana Herrera, Fanny Reyes, Paulina Ciepiela and Coach P pose up after a great race on the Mather 2-mile course.

Coach P demonstrates unsportsmanlike behavior for the team (so they will know it when they see it) and marches off with the ball. Coach D, Sammy, Fanny, Brenda, and Paulina attempt to appear hurt.

Honors students Lauren DeJesus and Sammy Balbuena jump on their schoolwork after their races....just par for the course on girls' cross country