Franklin Romero, Sports Correspondent Cody Hayes, cross country coach for the Pirates is eager for this season to start.
'I’m very excited for the new season. On the boys’ side, I’m not entirely sure what to expect since we lost so many seniors last year, but I see tremendous potential in our younger runners,' said Hayes. 'The team will be led by Nathaniel Saltclah, a Grants High freshman who competed for us as an eighth grader. He seems to get better every time he runs and is ready to step into the leadership vacuum.'
Hayes said of the girls team, 'Our girls’ squad is likely the most talented group we’ve had since I started coaching at Grants High. Our top three runners from last year have all returned, led by senior Laila Martinez.'
Hayes added, 'She (Martinez) has carried her momentum from the 2025 track season through the summer, and her intensity is at a level I’ve never seen from her before. She is clearly determined to put last year’s disappointing cross-country season behind her and finish her career as a champion.”