HIGHLAND SPRINGS — John and Jeremy Dedmon and Kelsey and Kayla Welton led a purple and gold parade of Middletown High School runners to the finish line on a crisp almost autumn-like day Wednesday afternoon at Highland Springs Reservoir near Lakeport, site of this year”s Lake County Meet.
Host Clear Lake, Middletown and Lower Lake all took part in the run, while the Kelseyville Knights did not participate. Middletown won the varsity boys” and varsity girls” team titles with no problem, led by its sibling tandem of Dedmons and Weltons.
“I was definitely pleased,” Middletown High School coach Mitch Tucker said. “I won”t say I was surprised how well we did, but I was a little surprised that we had that many runners finish so far up front. All five of my girls got medals, which means they were in the top 10. And my first five boys” runners finished in the top seven.”
With brother Jeremy trailing close behind, John Dedmon won the varsity boys” race in 20 minutes and 55 seconds. Jeremy was second in 21:07.
Kelsey Welton, who doubles as the goalkeeper for the Mustangs” varsity girls” soccer team, won the varsity girls” race in 26:26 and sister Kayla was next at 29:07.
The junior varsity boys” race went to Shy Savok of Lower Lake in 24:25.
Clear Lake”s first-year coach, Peter Stanley, watched his Cardinals finish second to Middletown in the boys” and girls” team standings.
“I was pleased,” Stanley said. “A lot of our girls are new but we do have a veteran boys” team. It was fun, a lot of fun.”
The 3.1-mile Highland Springs course offers plenty of challenges, according to Stanley.
“It”s full of brambles, narrow trails and up-and-down terrain,” Stanley said. “It”s a challenging run.”
The trademark of the course is Big Bertha, a prominent hill that can tire the best of runners.
“You”re practically crawling on your hands and knees,” Lower Lake coach Laura Hutchinson said. “It”s a really hard course.”
Other top-five finishers in the varsity boys” race were Zane Butler of Clear Lake (23:05), Chris Nance of Middletown (23:20) and Jeremy Parks of Lower Lake (23:48). In the varsity girls” race, Rebecca Rosenthal of Middletown was third in 30:10, Kate Lyons of Lower Lake came in fourth in 30:19 and Ashton Wright of Clear Lake was fifth in 30:22.
There were only four runners in the JV boys” race, led by Savok, who Hutchinson plans to move up to the varsity.
“I told him to pace himself and he did very well,” Hutchinson said.
Lucas Thomsen of Clear Lake was second in 38:28 and Chris Grantham came in third in 38:44.
