(GILBERT, Ariz.) Junior cross country captain Asa Jones is rewriting the record books this fall. At the Ojo Rojo Invitational on September 12th, Jones laid it all on the line, storming through the 5,000-meter Tumbleweed Park course in 16:20.8 to break the Knights' long-standing record set by Logan Pinkerton (16:49, 2013).

Jones' season has been a steady climb: he opened with a 17:01.4 at the Chandler Invitational on August 30th, then came within six-tenths of a second of the old mark, finishing in 16:49.6 at the Western Equinox XC Invite on September 5th, before delivering his historic performance just a week later.

The boys' team is showing remarkable depth this year, with four runners ranked among GCHS' all-time top ten: 

1. Asa Jones (16:20.8, 2025)
6. Weston Ford, freshman (17:26, 2025)
8. Chaucer Tutty (17:49.3 PR set 2024)
9. McKay Pacheco, freshman (17:50.3, 2025)

Freshmen Ford and Pacheco both notched their own personal bests at Ojo Rojo, signaling a bright future for the Knights.

The Gilbert Christian girls' squad is quietly building its own list of milestones this fall, with six runners posting personal records. Sophomore Ellia Pittenturf clocked a 25:27.0 at the Western Equinox XC Invite, while freshmen Maci Gast and Shiloh Swearingen impressed at Ojo Rojo with times of 26:11.6 and 31:59.6, respectively. Seniors Gianna Licea and Brie Mackey also celebrated career bests in the meet, and sophomore Charlotte Bisceglie nearly matched the trend with a season-best 27:43.37. Leading the way, junior captain Kodi Bell continues to set the pace as the team's top finisher, giving the Knights a mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent that bodes well for the rest of the season. Bell also stands fifth on the GCHS girls' all-time list after her 19:50.2 run in 2023.

Next up, the Knights head west for the 4h Annual Grit N Grind XC Challenge at California State San Marcos, where they'll look to carry their momentum onto a challenging out of state course.