Rutz leads Trojan cross country team

At the first Sierra Foothill League cross country meet held at Johnson Springview Park in Rocklin on Sept. 22, Kayla Rutz led the Oak Ridge varsity girls' to a first-place finish. Oak Ridge scored 32 team points, while runner-up Granite Bay scored 48. Rutz placed first in the 5,000-meter race in 18 minutes, 11.6 seconds. "Kayla helped lead us to our fourth straight win on Wednesday by placing first in the league meet," Oak Ridge coach Chad Worthen said. "Kayla has done an outstanding job of leading by example and helping to propel the varsity girls' team to a 4-0 start. Her improvement this year has been remarkable, and I look forward to even more improvements during the rest of the season." Folsom Telegraph: What are your plans/hopes for after high school? Kayla Rutz: I plan to continue cross country and track at a four-year division one college. FT: Do you have any scholarship offers or any schools that you're interested in? KR: I have received multiple offers and want to attend a college somewhere in California. FT: Do sports run in your family? KR: Yes, my family has a soccer and tennis background, but I'm the first to do cross country and track. FT: How long have you been a runner and how did you get your start in it? KR: I ran for a few years in elementary and middle school, and then decided to do it again my freshman year, primarily as a training supplement for soccer. I decided to focus my efforts on running full-time during my sophomore year of high school. FT: Have you ever been involved in other sports? KR: Yes, before focusing primarily on my running, I played competitive soccer for eight years. FT: What do you like about cross country? KR: Seeing my times improve, as a result of putting in hard work during training. FT: Do you prefer cross country over track or do you like track better? Why? KR: I personally prefer cross country over track. I like cross country because I prefer running on trails rather than repeating laps around a track. FT: How do you feel you have run so far this season? KR: I feel like my hard determination and training since the start of summer is paying off this season. I've achieved several PRs so far this cross country season. FT: What about the team? You lost some seniors, but you look to still be strong as ever. KR: Our team this year has gotten off to a strong start and our returning runners have improved from last year to help fill the gap left by the graduating seniors. FT: What is your goal for this season? What is the team's goal? KR: Before the season started, my personal goal that I made for myself was to improve on my times and be dedicated to my sport. After the past few races, I've been able to accomplish my goal and hope to continue succeeding the rest of the season. Our team's goal this cross country season is to put our best efforts into every race, and to place in the top five at State Championships! FT: Who is the funniest person on the team and how does she make you laugh? KR: Quinn Walker makes me laugh everyday because she's always in a positive mood and never fails to bring a smile to my face. FT: What is your favorite class/subject in school? KR: My favorite subject is math or science. FT: Favorite music and/or artist? KR: I love any indie or alternative music. FT: Favorite book or movie? KR: I always love watching classic rom com movies. FT: Favorite Food? KR: My favorite food is sushi, but I love to eat pasta the night before a race. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. KR: Yes, my family has two goldendoodles...one is 10 years old and we recently got a goldendoodle puppy that is 9 weeks old. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? KR: I always love to spend time with my friends and family, but I also love traveling, hiking, and photography. FT: What inspires you in sports? KR: My biggest inspiration would be my coaches. My teammates also inspire me to push myself and become a better runner. FT: Is there a particular job or profession you'd like to have someday? KR: I'm looking forward to majoring in business in college.