State Stories: Derek Lopez

Derek Lopez placed 56^th last season at the state meet and was 4^th man on Pottsgrove’s winning squad that lost its top two runners. Lopez was determined to help his team continue its excellent standards at the AA level. Lopez states, “My goals (for the team) were to repeat as Pac-10, District and AA State Champions again.” Lopez is a junior, but he wanted to do whatever possible to “send them [his senior varsity teammates, Toth, Garges, and Cook] off as repeat State Champions!” He made sure to put in summer millage starting back in mid-June, and he slowly progressed during the season as his base paid dividends later in the year. 

Pottsgrove was able to repeat as Pac-10 and District champions, winning 29 to 35 over Holy Ghost Prep at the District meet. Lopez took 4^th, although his goal was “a top 2 finish”. 

As the state meet went off, around 4 teams had very realistic goals of knocking off Lopez’s squad. He followed the race plan set by him from Coach Rechtin, but it sadly wouldn’t be the day for Pottsgrove as they finished just 4 points behind Tunkhannock Area for the victory. Lopez finished as top man on his team and did everything he could to help his team finish well, as the Pottsgrove team gained 51 points on Tunkhannock in the last mile of the race. 

Going into the outdoor season Lopez aims high once again: “My goals are to break 4:24 in the mile and to be around 9:20 for the two mile,” and like most runners, Lopez has a superior attitude as well towards the sport and training: “I will not stop until I reach these goals and when I do reach these goals I will strive even higher because I live to defy the odds and prove the naysayers wrong.” Look for Lopez and the rest of a very strong Pottsgrove team outdoors and next XC season where they’ll continue their quest to be the best, while working hard all the way.