The Cloverdale cross country team traveled to Kelseyville for a challenging three mile race on Wednesday, Oct. 26. It was a clear, warm day and the runners felt lucky to have a break in the rain.
The ladies were the first to race. Katie Edwards went out with the top Kelseyville runners, leading the Eagles through the first mile. Julie Edwards and teammate Frederike Tschernich worked together to catch up with Katie. Julie’s strong efforts on the hill allowed her to take the lead for the Eagles. Julie finished fourth overall (24:12) with Katie Edwards (24:22) finishing fifth and Tschernich (24:27) finishing sixth overall. Grisselle Herrera (26:02) finished 10th overall with her outstanding performance on the hill. Sami Santana (26:49) held a steady pace throughout the race, finishing 11th overall. Cheyenne Palmer (29:14) finished in front of two Clear Lake competitors to ensure the win. The Eagles scored a near perfect score – 17 points against Clear Lake.
The boys had another outstanding performance. Paden Collard went out with Kelseyville’s top runner Andre Williams. Emmett Lawson had his eyes on his teammate, running close behind in the second pack. Jacob Elliott and Everett Conway worked together with Juan Gutierrez and Joel Mendoza following. Finn Addison took his first mile at a smart pace, with his eyes on the hill ahead. Collard (17:40) ran the majority of the race solo, finishing second overall. Lawson (20:02) worked with the pack, passing competitors with his strong finish to the line getting eighth overall. Elliott (20:56) and Conway (21:55) opened up their strides coming down the hill, securing critical points in front of Clear Lake competitors. Juan Gutierrez (24:32) and Addison (25:25) ran smart, running the course at a consistent, strong pace. Mendoza (DNF) was pulled mid-race due to an injury; he plans to rest and recuperate for the championship races ahead. The boys were able to pull off another win, scoring 25 points to Clear Lake’s 31.
The cross country team will head to Willits for their last dual meet on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Here, the Eagles will compete against St. Helena. The location of the Coastal Mountain Conference Championship was changed to Middletown. The meet will still take place on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.
Coach Leanne Fogg said: “Congratulations Cloverdale High School cross country team. Keep up the outstanding work. A big thank you goes out to all who continue to support and follow this team’s journey. Your support is greatly appreciated. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming meets.”
– Submitted by Leanne Fogg
