HIGHLAND SPRINGS — Audel Torres of Lower Lake edged out Upper Lake”s Alex Rogers at the finish line Wednesday afternoon to win the varsity boys” race during the annual Lake County Meet at Highland Springs Reservoir.
Torres completed the 3.1-mile, figure-eight Highland Springs course in 21 minutes, 15 seconds, just a half-second ahead of Rogers (21:15.5).
“He was a big surprise, even to his coach,” Clear Lake coach and meet director Peter Stanley said of Torres” unexpected victory. “He came out of nowhere.”
Torres split time between Lower Lake”s soccer squad and the cross country team a year ago.
While Torres” first-place finish was unlooked for, the Cougars” dominating team win was no surprise at all.
“Upper Lake was the class of the meet,” Stanley said. “They are clearly the strongest team in the county.”
Besides Rogers” second-place finish, Upper Lake runners finished third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth. The Cougars finished with 20 points to runner-up Middletown”s 67. Clear Lake was third with 69.
“They ran really well and tight, too,” Stanley said. “Their top five runners were within a minute of each other.”
For Upper Lake, Chris Cisneros (21:28) came in third, Cougar Classic winner Gage DeHeer (21:29) was fourth and Jared Wade (22:03) was fifth.
“Rogers had a great summer, he really worked hard,” Upper Lake coach John Woods said. “Chris was sick three days last week, so I don”t think he was at his best.”
The only non-Upper Lake runners to crack the top 10 were Torres, Clear Lake”s Brice Beare (seventh in 22:27) and Middletown”s Sam Lomakin (10th in 23:19).
Girls
Amber Ramponi led Middletown to a narrow 35-36 victory over a much-improved Upper Lake squad in the varsity girls” division. Ramponi dominated the girls” race, winning in 27:34, more than a minute ahead of runner-up Markie Stifter (28:42) of Upper Lake.
“Markie Stifter has really come on strong,” Woods said. “Brittany Benner (sixth overall in 30:01) had a good race, too.”
Clear Lake”s Kelsie Lawson (29:05) came in third, Middletown”s Bri Nelson (29:19) was fourth and Clear Lake”s Tamara Rojas (29:37) rounded out the top five.
“Ramponi is a strong runner,” Stanley said.
JV boys
In another close team battle, Middletown”s JV boys finished with 38 points to Clear Lake”s 39 and Upper Lake”s 44. Ian Bright of Middletown won the JV race in 22:31 and Upper Lake”s Giovanni Bautista came in second at 23:00.
Rounding out the top five places were Brandon Lovrin (25:46) of Upper Lake, Ryan Smith (25:52) of Clear Lake and Kenyon Donald (25:55) of Clear Lake.
