Sports
6A
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Th e Observer
La Grande High senior fi nds his way on the cross-country course
Cristian Mendoza
sets new record,
readies to run for
Eastern Oregon U
By COREY KIRK
For The Observer
LA GRANDE — Four
years ago, if you would
have looked for La Grande
High senior Cristian Men-
doza, you would have
found him on the hard-
wood, dribbling a basket-
ball and shooting some free
throws.
Fast forward to present
day and Mendoza still
plays basketball, but he has
found a newfound passion
in running, playing a huge
role for both the Tigers
cross-country and track
and fi eld teams.
“I never necessarily
thought I had a future in
running,” Mendoza said.
Moving to La Grande
after living in the Tri-
Cities area in Washington
most of his life, Men-
doza had his sights set on
playing basketball in high
school. Leaning on run-
ning as a way to remain
in shape, Mendoza joined
La Grande’s cross-country
team in the fall of 2017.
“I started really late
compared to many kids. I
didn’t start running until
my freshman year. I wasn’t
focused really on running,
I was just so fi xated on bas-
ketball,” Mendoza said.
The more he competed,
the more he fell in love
with running. Moving to
track and fi eld in the spring,
he was able to post strong
times at 1,500 meters.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Cristian Mendoza, a senior at La Grande High School and member of the
varsity cross-country and track and fi eld teams, poses for a portrait on the
racetrack at the high school on Sunday, April 4, 2021. In March, he became
the school’s new record holder in cross-country.
“At that point I knew I
kind of had to change my
direction, and start fi xating
more on running,” Men-
doza said.
Mendoza continued to
improve on the track and
the cross-country course.
Although he has lettered
all four years at the varsity
level of basketball, cross-
country head coach Alma
Crow has seen Mendoza
blossom into someone who
is passionate about running.
“He’s always had a tre-
mendous work ethic, it’s
never been a problem. That
kid has always gone on and
beyond from his freshman
year to now,” Crow said.
“He’s done everything that
I’ve asked him and more
sometimes.”
Consistently running
between the 17 and 18
minute mark in cross-
country and averaging
anywhere around the 4 to
5 minute mark consistently
in the 1,500 on the track,
Mendoza started to divert
all his attention to his run-
ning. Though this was a
newfound passion in recent
years, his parents, Kristi
and George Mendoza, the
superintendent of the La
Grande School District,
have been steadfast in their
support.
“They have been
nothing but the best when
it comes to running and
have been proud of all
the accomplishments I’ve
made,” Mendoza said.
After missing out on
running in the fall because
of COVID-19, Mendoza
was excited his senior year
of sports was condensed
within his last remaining
months at La Grande High.
He was able to beat 17 min-
utes, getting a 16:45.90 time
at the meet at Baker High
School on March 12.
Three days later, Men-
doza partook in the Tour de
Willowcreek in Vale. Prior
to this event, the best run
he ever had was 16:29.80
his sophomore year, so
Mendoza has been eyeing
to surpass it. He also was
eyeing to beat La Grande
High’s record of 16:29.00
from 2002.
“Since time was coming
really short with our whole
season, the record of
course didn’t mean every-
thing to me. It’s more
about progressing and
being the best runner pos-
sible,” Mendoza said.
What Crow remembers
most about that day was the
weather, how intense the
wind was, and how focused
Mendoza was on the course
in front of him.
“It was extremely
impressive. It was so windy
that day, I could feel the
sand of the fi elds hitting my
face. The way he started
and he took off , he was
fl ying, it was crazy, and I
saw him go,” Crow said.
At the halfway point,
Crow saw the lead group
from the distance but didn’t
see Mendoza among the
pack.
“I was like, ‘Holy cow,
where did Cristian go?’”
Crow said. “Little did I
know he was ahead of
everybody by so much. I
was looking where the pack
is usually, and he was way,
way in front.”
From start to fi nish,
Mendoza felt comfortable
with how he was doing
and his pace of the entire
course.
“I didn’t have anyone to
run with, so I knew I just
had to fi xate on form and
fi xate on diff erent things to
allow me to run such a good
race,” Mendoza said.
When Mendoza crossed
the line and saw his time, it
confi rmed what he believed
all throughout the course.
Coming in at 16:20.90,
Mendoza broke La Grande
High School’s record.
“I was pleased with win-
ning the race. I was just
pleased with giving my best
eff ort, and knowing when
I crossed that line, I was a
school record holder,” he
said.
Mendoza now is
focusing on the remaining
part of his senior year as
he ends his cross-country
season in the coming
weeks, competes in track
and fi eld during the month
of April, and fi nishes off in
basketball heading into the
summer.
“Since it’s my senior
year it’s just more about
happiness, and going out
with the idea that I gave
everything. It’s just a happy
time overall, and I’m trying
to make the most out of it,”
Mendoza said.
The senior will follow
his father’s footsteps and
compete for Eastern Oregon
University starting in the
fall on a partial scholarship.
His dad was a Mountaineer
1992-97.
“It feels so good. It’s
one of those cool things,
even though it’s totally dif-
ferent sports,” Mendoza
said of competing for the
same school as his father.
“We have always talked
about it.”
Crow knows EOU’s
cross-country program is
gaining a valuable asset in
Mendoza that will make the
Mountaineers even more
competitive in the future.
“I’m actually really
excited that he stayed here
in Eastern Oregon so I can
watch him race. It’s going
to be fun. I think he’s going
to be very successful,”
Crow said.
Mendoza is ready for
what may lie ahead in his
future.
“I’m just excited for
what’s in store. I’m excited
to go to EOU,” Men-
doza said. “There are
so many good runners,
Coach Ben (Welch) is such
a good coach, and that
whole staff is such a good
team. Knowing that I’ll
be going there and being
coached by the best is just
a blessing in itself.”
Mendoza intends to
study education when he
begins his undergrad work
in the fall.
Thank you
Sen. Ron Wyden!
Supporting Over 100,000 Tech Jobs
and $26 Billion for Oregon’s Economy
Senator Ron Wyden has been a
champion for one of Oregon’s biggest
economic engines: tech startups.
Thanks to his leadership and foresight
the state’s tech jobs offer some of the
highest salaries in Oregon, in a sector
driven by small businesses.
Paid for by Engine.