MIRANDA — Seven Upper Lake High School cross country runners opened their season on Saturday during the South Fork Invitational in Miranda.
Four frosh-soph runners — Charlie Coburn, Fweeyo Chao, Michael Doland and Aaron Burns — joined varsity runners Ashley Burns, Thonnyoo Chao and Michael Diggs on the trip up north.
The difficult course included a three-quarter mile climb into Redwoods State Park. Runners then looped back down the mountain to South Fork High School, the start and finish line.
Joining Upper Lake at the meet were South Fork, Fortuna, Eureka, Cloverdale, Fort Bragg and Ukiah
In the varsity boys” race, Diggs, running his first race, placed 11th and put on a finishing kick that had runners from other teams talking, according to Upper Lake coach John Woods.
In the varsity girls” race, Burns placed 20th in a competitive field and Chao was 28th.
In the frosh-soph run, Coburn, a freshman, placed eighth overall to earn a medal in his first cross country race. Dolan came in 16th.
“It was a very challenging course for their first run and all of the runners put forth their best effort,” Woods said. “It”s going to be a real fun season.”
