MIDDLETOWN — It wasn”t all that long ago that Middletown High School had no track program. Now it has the best one in Lake County.
Middletown”s varsity boys and girls dominated again on Wednesday and Thursday to bring home team titles at the annual Lake County Meet, which took place at Middletown for the first time. The Mustangs — both boys and girls — have now won the county meet six years in a row under head coach Louise Owens, who said the winning part doesn”t get old.
“That”s the way we like it,” Owens said. “I put a little pressure on the kids to keep it (the winning streak) going and they came through. I”ve got kids here who have bought into what we”re trying to do. I”m very excited.”
Middletown”s senior girls have known nothing but success during their high school years, according to Owens.
“They”ve won league every year coming into this year and the county meet every year,” Owens said.
To win league again this year, the Middletown girls face a formidable task, according to Owens, and will have to get by St. Helena and Clear Lake.
Middletown”s boys are battling St. Helena and Fort Bragg for the league title.
“It”s a very strong group,” Owens said of the boys. “We”ve changed our lineup a little bit to give us the best chance.”
Varsity boys
Middletown”s varsity boys finished with 114 points to Clear Lake”s 84, Kelseyville”s 65, Upper Lake”s 37 and Lower Lake”s 22.
Zuhuri Manley of Clear Lake won the most individual events, taking firsts in the 100 meters (12.1 seconds), the long jump (21 feet, 7 1/2 inches) and the triple jump (42-1).
Nick Santos led Middletown with firsts in the 400 (53.4) and 800 (2 minutes, 15.9 seconds). Teammate Brett Southern won the 300 hurdles in 44.6 and also ran on the Mustangs” winning 4×100 (47.46) and 4×400 (3:48.9) relay teams.
Varsity girls
In varsity girls” scoring, Middletown had 142 points to 105 for Clear Lake, 51 for Kelseyville, 10 for Upper Lake and seven for Lower Lake.
Clear Lake”s Meghan Beare scored victories in the 400 (1:06.2), 1,600 (6:13.4) and 3,200 (13:50.8) while Kelseyville”s Megan Touros won the 100 (13.6) and long jump (16-5).
Middletown leaders were Emily Reed, who won the triple jump (28-7 1/2) and anchored the Mustangs” winning 4×100 relay team; Miah Bazzano, who won the pole vault (5-6) and ran the first leg on the winning 4×400 relay team; and Kelly Wilkinson and Aly Mino, who each ran a leg on both winning relay teams.
JV boys
The Lower Lake Trojans beat Clear Lake 99-88 in the junior varsity boys” division. Upper Lake came in third with 51 points, Middletown followed with 21 and Kelseyville had 20.
Upper Lake”s Zack Sneathen was the lone multiple-event winner, taking firsts in the 800 (2:34.6) and 1,600 (5:37.3).
