PALO ALTO — Upper Lake High School”s first-year cross country program sent 11 runners to the 34th annual Stanford Invitational on Saturday at the Stanford University Golf Course.
More than 4,000 runners from high schools across the western United States, including Hawaii, participated in the 3.1-mile run for varsity runners and 1.8-mile run for junior varsity runners.
Upper Lake competed in Division V, which is for schools with the smallest enrollments.
In the varsity boys” division, Brent Smith placed 115th in 22 minutes, 15 seconds and Amos Burns finished 122nd in 24:09.
In the varsity girls” division, Ashley Burns finished 78th in 24:31 and Thonyoon Chao was 110th in 29:46.
Mary Tucker ran her first race ever in the JV girls” division, finishing in 19:58.
“Mary had a great first race, meeting both of her goals,” Upper Lake coach John Woods said. “One was to finish and the other was not to be last (in the 350-runner field).”
In the JV boys” division, the Upper Lake team of Charlie Coburn, Vanefwee Chao, Aaron Burns, Michael Dolan and Jose Ruiz, competing in his first race, finished 21st out of 44 teams.
Coburn led the way at 11:57, Dolan was next at 12:14, Chao finished in 12:40, Burns clocked in at 14:15, and Ruiz finished in 15:07.
Wood said he was pleased with his team”s effort and the progress they have made this season.
“They don”t give up and they are learning from racing,” Woods said.
The team briefly toured the Stanford campus following the race.
Upper Lake returns to action Saturday at the Clam Beach Invitational in Humboldt County.
