MIDDLETOWN — Middletown”s John Dedmon shaved 24 seconds off his personal best on his home course Wednesday afternoon while finishing second behind Willits speedster Kenny Smith during a Coastal Mountain Conference cross country meet at Middletown.
“His best here last year was 17:48 (17 minutes, 48 seconds),” Middletown coach Cia Dedmon said of her son”s time on Wednesday, “so I was naturally pretty happy about that.”
Smith blistered the 3-mile Middletown course to the tune of 16 minutes, 6 seconds. While Willits didn”t score against any of the other teams present ? Middletown, St. Helena, Calistoga and Laytonville ? the Wolverines put on another good show, according to Dedmon.
“They are fun to watch,” Dedmon said. “And they are big.”
Travis McCaffrey of Laytonville (17:53) and Kevin Reynolds of Calistoga (18:05) ran three-four behind Smith and Dedmon. Tristan Cole of St. Helena rounded out the top five at 18:42.
Middletown”s Chris Nance finished seventh overall in 19:21.
Middletown beat St. Helena 54-64.
“I”m very proud of my boys” team,” Dedmon said. “I can”t believe how well the younger runners are doing. They”re just doing so well.”
Freshman Francisco Sandoval came in 15th in 21:30, two places behind Russell Rosenthal, who was 13th in 20:23. And sophomore Johnny Seifert, who joined the team only two weeks ago, ran 17th in 21:46.
Varsity girls
Claire Wilson of St. Helena won the varsity girls” race in 21:57, easily outdistancing runner-up Kelsey Welton of Middletown (23:05) and Lauren Hale of St. Helena (23:08).
Rounding out the top five were Emily Armstad of St. Helena (24:42) and Kellie Arreguin of Willits (26:28).
Thea Olson, the only other Middletown runner in the field, finished sixth in 27:53.
“My three other runners are all injured,” Dedmon said.
St. Helena had four runners in the top seven and beat incomplete Middletown in team scoring.
Welton, who traveled to Fort Bragg to play with the Middletown soccer team on Tuesday, left immediately after the meet so that she could practice with the Mustangs” soccer squad.
Olson completed the race despite “feeling under the weather,” according to Dedmon, who said she appreciated the effort from her only two girls” runners.
Middletown returns to action next Wednesday at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa.
