As the girls raced across the field, they radiated relief and exhilaration.

Jade Ajileye and Vanessa Barajas, along with three other students from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, are part of Birmingham Community Charter High School’s cross country team.

Barajas is the captain of the team and is part of girls’ varsity. At Pierce College, athletes run 2.89 miles. She ranked second place in the top girls in cross country for Birmingham at 20 minutes and 45 seconds. Barajas has been part of the team for all four years of high school.

“I was very impressed with my varsity girls and I’m very proud of them. No one believed we could make it to city finals, but we did it,” Barajas said.

Ajileye is part of the freshman and sophomore team who is ranked 17th at 25 minutes and 11 seconds at Pierce.

“I think I did well with it being my first year. I made it all the way to league finals and ran my best,” Ajileye said. “I think my team did great. We made it very far and ran hard. A couple of people even made it to the city (finals). I was really proud and in awe at the talent and potential we had.”

In the league finals, the frosh-soph team got third place with 54 points. The girls’ varsity team got fourth place with 94 points.