Last Saturday Trevor ran in the Woodbridge Invitational in Irvine. He didn't have the best of races that night - but he more than made up for it yesterday at the first of 3 Golden League meets of the season (these are the meets that really count - so it was extra exciting). He finished in 7th place over all in the Boys Varsity race with a time of 17:10. Great day all around for both the boys and girls teams. There was a very nice article in the Valley Press today (see below).
Zach & Trevor preparing for the race...
Upheaval in the Golden League
Quartz Hill boys lead the way, while the girls finish in second
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Thursday, September 25, 2008.
By DAN GOLDBERG
Valley Press Staff Writer
LEONA VALLEY - This is not what was expected. Not by coaches, not by participants, not by spectators.
Quartz Hill High School vaulted to the top of the Golden League on both the boys and girls side Wednesday at Reitano Ranch.
The girls were expected to battle for second place with Knight. Instead, they fell just one point shy of Highland for first place in the dual meet event.
The Rebels, who had three runners finish ahead of the first Hawk, used their experience and guile to defeat Knight and challenge Highland.
Kelsey Elder, who had run this course twice before, told the Rebels not to break out too fast in the first mile. "I've learned a lot in my time," the senior said. "I know how to run a smart race." She did. Elder finished second with a time of 20 minutes, 11 seconds, trailing only Highland's Caylie Choate.
Quartz Hill coach Geneva McLellan said she was a bit concerned entering the race because the Rebels are suffering from an array of nagging injuries.
It didn't seem to matter as Quartz Hill easily moved past Knight, a team described by its coach Michael Fluharty as "intimidated because of high expectations."
Fluharty, however, made no excuses for what he felt was a poor showing. "We would have been happy with this (third) last season," Fluharty said. "We didn't run well. We have the talent level to compete but it's on them."
Highland, though, still proved itself the class of the league, showing the most depth and talent. Still not at full strength, the Bulldogs had three runners finish among the top four. Choate was the only girl to finish in less than 20 minutes, and put nearly 40 seconds between her and Elder.
Her sister Caitlin finished third with a time of 20:23 and said the team thrives when packed near the front. "It is exciting," she said. "It feels like practice."
It looked like a practice for the Quartz Hill boys, who easily handled the rest of the Golden League. The Rebels, with an average time of 17:15, upset favored Knight. Raymond Longerich and Zachary Risinger finished fourth and fifth respectively, each crossing the line in less than 17 minutes.
The Aquino brothers had another strong race, but it was not enough as seven Rebels finished ahead of Andrew Hernandez, Knight's third place runner.
Lancaster's Pedro Zaragoza was first to cross the finish line, breaking the tape in 16:18, 20 seconds ahead of Ulises Aquino.
Eastside's Steven Melena, who finished ninth, kept pace with Zaragoza through about the first half of the race, but the Eagle pulled away in the final mile.
"I knew Melena wanted to take the lead," Zaragoza said. "I couldn't allow that."
Melena said he did not feel that he broke out too fast. If anything, the Lion said he thought he had more to give. "I just did bad today," Melena said. "I don't know what happened." Melena was the only Eastside runner to finish in under 19 minutes, a disappointment for coach Gil Gomez, who believed his team had the talent to finish among the top three in the Golden League.
Highland's boys ran well with four of its runners finishing in the top 15.
Highland's boys ran well with four of its runners finishing in the top 15.
With the emergence of Quartz Hill and Palmdale, Eastside will have much work to do if its goal is to be attained.
The Falcons had three runners finish between 10th and 14th. They pack well and, though they do not have a runner who is likely to finish in the Top 5, their ability to stick together will serve them well as the season progresses.
1 comment:
Tell Trevor that I said good luck at Mt Sac this weekend. And keep kicking butt and improving those times.
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