By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
SANTA ROSA — Santa Rosa cross country and track athletes Ximena Gonzalez and Derek Guerra agreed to join colleges where they will continue their running careers.
Gonzalez joined Texas Lutheran University, located in Seguin. At TLU, Gonzalez will compete in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The conference competes in NCAA Division III.
“It feels exciting, a little nervous,” Gonzalez said. “I did not really think I was going to run in college and commit.”
Gonzalez was skeptical because her parents were not keen on letting their youngest child leave. In Seguin, she will continue with cross country and plans on running the 400- and 800-meter runs.
Gonzalez will study nursing while at TLU. She wants to become a nurse because of her father’s health problems, which she w1itnessed. Not being able to render aid to her father has inspired her to pursue the career.
“I like helping people,” she said. “Whenever someone asks, I help out, even if it is something little.”
Gonzalez said she had a great time while attending Santa Rosa. Her only hope was to end her career better, as an injury hampered the end of the season.
Derek Guerra, a multi-sport athlete at Santa Rosa, will run at Neosho Community College in Kansas.
“It is a great opportunity,” he said. “I am glad that I got the chance to go to college. I did not think I was going to college. My coach (Joe Marichalar) really pushed me to it, and it is an opportunity that I am really going to take serious.”
The school is located in Chanute. Guerra said the small-town vibes will be similar to those in Santa Rosa, so he will be used to it. Guerra is not completely sure what he will study, but he was leaning toward kinesiology.
Guerra will run cross country and hopes to run the 800 at Neosho.
“I plan on doing one year at Neosho and then move to somewhere closer to Texas or at least in Texas,” he said.
Guerra was thankful for his time at Santa Rosa.