Athlete of the Week: Capuchino’s Myla Brignardello

True, it had been Brignardello’s smile, not her running legs, that was her most recognizable trait within the cross-country ranks. And for good reason. Throughout her four-year varsity career, the now-senior had never won a competitive race — her most noteworthy finish was as a sophomore when she placed sixth in an early-season invitational.

“I was really happy at that time,” Brignardello said. “It was kind of nice to see how it was being in that front pack.”

That distinction changed over the weekend when Brignardello got acquainted with running in the front pack in a big way. The senior has been selected as the Daily Journal Athlete of the Week after capturing the Central Coast Section Division III individual championship Saturday at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course.

Brignardello took first place with a time of 19 minutes, 47.5 seconds, becoming just the second runner in Cap girls’ cross-country history at claim a CCS title. The first was Angela Sanchez, who won the CCS Division IV championship twice in 1997 and ’98.

“I kind of was just in shock,” Brignardello said. “I remember passing the finish line and just being overwhelmed with happiness with everyone out there supporting me. … Just super happy and shocked mostly.”

She isn’t the only one who was stunned by the dominant finish, nearly 10 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Suki Kasmi, who finished with a time of 19:56.2. Trimble was also in awe of “Smyla” as she came around the final turn with 800 meters to go and was sprinting ahead of Kasmi with no sign of letting up.

“We had a pretty good idea she had a good chance to qualify for the state meet, so that was the point of emphasis,” Trimble said. “But as far as wining the DIII championship, that was never mentioned.”

Brignardello has long had her sights set on qualifying for the state championship meet. Only the members of the top two team finishers, along with the first five individual finishers not affiliated with said two teams, advance to the state meet at Woodward Park.

With that in mind, Brignardello was intent on keeping pace with the front pack and pushing for the best.

“I think just my mindset going into the race was just really strong,” Brignardello said. “I just kept telling myself I could do this, and I’ve worked all four years for this … and that I could just push through.”

Winning, however, was not the goal.

“My goal was to go to state, but I wasn’t expecting to win CCS,” Brignardello said. “I just kind of went out there and gave it my all to see how it played out.”

The 5-3 Brignardello had one distinct advantage though. She’s had plenty of experience running at Crystal Springs. During her varsity career, she’s run seven competitive races there. And while her previous race at the Belmont course was way back during her sophomore year, she went there earlier this season with her friend Sarah Chavez, a fellow Cap senior, to run a practice heat on the hilly course.

Cap’s practices at Junipero Serra Park paid dividends as well. The park’s many challenging hills are the perfect primer for Crystal Springs. So, come Saturday’s meet, Brignardello’s instinctual knowledge of the terrain, along with her regular hill training, helped her champion the day.

“She’s a little kid,” Trimble said. “She doesn’t have a lot of sprinting speed. So, the race she won, about the only way she could win it was to grind out the hills.”

Excited as Brignardello was with her surprise finish, that’s nothing compared to Trimble’s reaction.

“We just started crying,” Trimble said of himself and his coaching staff. “We couldn’t believe it.”

And it didn’t take long for Brignardello to join the party.

“Once I saw them crying, I started crying a little bit,” Brignardello said.

Of course, these were only the happiest of tears. “Smyla” Myla Brignardello wouldn’t have it any other way.