She has dominated competition this year. Gregori’s Kackley prepares for state meet
Gregori junior Madison Kackley is anxious for races to start.
“I am always nervous at the starting line,” she said. “I want to get out quickly and get in front of the pack because it gives me confidence.”
This season, Kackley has been one of the most dominant cross country runners in the state, winning eight of nine races, including a 23-second victory over Abigail Fletcher of Oak Ridge at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championships on Nov. 16.
After failing to finish the race during her freshman year and sick leading up to last year’s championship, Kackley said she dedicated most of her workouts to the Nov. 16 race.
“It was a big moment for me,” she said. “I conquered that course as best I could.”
Next up for Kackley and other Stanislaus District runners and three teams are the CIF State Cross Country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday.
For Kackley, the tougher competition in Division I will be a welcomed sight. She said while it was nice at times to not have the stress of a runner behind her for most of the races this year, she wasn’t able to get that push that could have led to faster times.
She was the top finisher in the section at the State Meet last year (12th, 17 minutes, 58 seconds) and said she wants to make the podium (Top 10) this year.
“I was in 10th place until right at the end last year and got passed by two years,” she said.
Kackley got a preview of the state course on Oct. 18 when she ran in the Rough Rider XC Invitational, where she won with a time of 18:19.
She used the race for preparation for the State Meet.
“Throughout the race, I was taking mental pictures of hills and turns because I don’t want any surprises,” she said.
Kackley said she has increased her daily runs this year to seven miles from six in 2018 and her long runs are 10 miles instead of eight.
She said she will run two or three miles on Friday before the championships.
Despite running in the State Meet for the second year in a row, Kackley said she will still have nerves.
“I’ll be anxious and nervous but also thankful to be there,” she said.
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2019 Stanislaus District CIF State Cross Country Championships Qualifiers
| Name | Grade | School |
| Madison Kackley | Junior | Gregori |
| Chloe Cook | Freshman | Gregori |
| Brianna Personius | Freshman | Sonora |
| Girls Team | Ripon | |
| Elizette Ysais | Senior | Hughson |
| Beth Norman | Sophomore | Oakdale |
| Kayden Legan | Senior | Oakdale |
| Adin Dribble | Sophomore | Sonora |
| Clayton Franco | Junior | Sonora |
| Boys Team | Hughson | |
| Boys Team | Waterford | |
| Daniel Lopez | Junior | Big Valley Christian |
| Ashley Sams | Sophomore | Central Catholic |
