FORT BRAGG — Joe Carrillo of Cloverdale broke the course record in the varsity boys” race and Mendocino”s Erin Thomas scored a big upset in the varsity girls” race Wednesday during the Coastal Mountain Conference Cross Country Championships at the 2.9-mile Bald Hill course in Fort Bragg.
While complete meet results weren”t immediately available, the day”s highlights included Carrillo”s winning time of 16 minutes, 38 seconds, which beat the old course record of 16:53 set in 1982.
“Sonoma Academy runners finished two, three, four, five and six,” Clear Lake coach Peter Stanley said. “They blew everyone away (in team scoring).”
Thomas beat the favored Katy Lee of Sonoma Academy in the varsity girls” race.
Clear Lake”s Kelsie Lawson came in sixth, Upper Lake”s Tonya Bennett was eighth and Upper Lake”s Bianca Cruz, a freshman, finished 11th.
“The last 400 yards she was alone in sixth,” Stanley said of Lawson”s finish. “I”m really happy for her.”
Also winning a medal and All-Conference honors — awarded to the top 15 finishers in the varsity races and top 10 in the junior varsity boys” race — was Clear Lake”s Tamara Rojas, who placed 15th.
Clear Lake picked up another medal in the JV boys” race as Josh Tate finished first. Upper Lake”s Brandon Lovrin came in third.
In the varsity boys” race, Jared Wade earned All-Conference honors for Upper Lake.
Coach of the Year honors in the 15-team conference went to Upper Lake”s John Woods, who started up the cross country team at the school in 2007. Five seasons later the Cougars are among the CMC”s best-run and most successful programs.
