FORT BRAGG — The site of next week”s Coastal Mountain Conference Championships also was the site of Wednesday”s CMC cross county meet between host Fort Bragg, Clear Lake, Sonoma Academy and Mendocino as the four teams tackled the 2.9-mile Bald Hill course on the Mendocino County coast.
“Up to the top of the mountain and down the mountain,” Clear Lake coach Peter Stanley said in describing the straightforward Bald Hill course layout.
“The first 1.8 miles is the hard part (uphill climb),” Stanley said. “It has a road wide enough for a truck to drive up. The course is all rocks and dirt with pastureland below.”
Weather conditions were idyllic for the race, according to Stanley, who said the temperature was in the mid-60s under sunny skies and with the ocean visible in the distance.
“It was a perfect day for running,” Stanley said.
Clear Lake went head to head with Fort Bragg and the host Timberwolves won the day in the varsity boys” and girls” division, winning 23-34 and 21-36, respectively. Clear Lake”s junior varsity squad did beat an incomplete Fort Bragg team.
Varsity boys
Sonoma Academy”s powerful varsity boys” team had the top five finishers, led by race winner Jacob Gaynor in 19:04. Not far behind were Jax Reiff (19:13) and Aaron Rotman (19:15).
Clear Lake”s Brice Beare came in seventh in 20:14. Tightly bunched with three other runners late in the race, Beare pulled away near the finish line.
“He came down the hill in a group of four and beat out the other three guys,” Stanley said. “Brice was really strong as always.”
Jake Blue had the next best Clear Lake finish and was 11th overall in 20:46.
“He had only one day of practice but he wanted to run,” Stanley said. “He loves to run.”
Jose Estrada was Clear Lake”s third finisher and was 19th overall in 22:51.
“Jose has really moved up this year,” Stanley said. “He was our top JV kid a year ago.”
Varsity girls
Alex Sciocchetti of Fort Bragg won the varsity girls” race in 21:53, finishing well in front of Mendocino”s Erin Thomas (22:33) and Sonoma Academy”s Kiana Herold (24:37). Clear Lake”s Kelsie Lawson was fourth in 25:39.
“She was happy,” Stanley said.
Tamara Rojas was next across the finish line for Clear Lake, placing 11th in 28:14, and Taylor Kruszewski was 16th in 30:16.
JV boys
Eli Rosen Duran of Sonoma Academy won the junior varsity boys” race in 21:39. Clear Lake”s Christian Vander Jagt finished fifth in 23:19.
“Through his hard work he has become our No. 1 JV runner,” Stanley said. “He”s persistent and consistent.”
Two other Clear Lake JVs turned in season-best efforts. Josef Hoeck was seventh overall in 23:36 and Nathan Williams was 12th in 25:04.
“That”s the highest he”s placed,” Stanley said of Hoeck. “I”m really happy with his run.”
Williams also had his best race of the season.
“Best race ever,” Stanley added.
Two freshmen who came out less than two weeks ago also saw their first action of the season. Rio Dominguez completed the course in 27:39 and Nick Dudley finished in 37:13.
