UPPER LAKE — Meghan Beare of Clear Lake High School won the varsity girls” race and Zachary Sneathen of host Upper Lake High School placed third in the varsity boys” race on Saturday during the annual Cougar Classic cross country race at Upper Lake High School.
Beare and Sneathen, both sophomore stars on the rise, turned in solid outings in their first test of 2013. Beare completed the 2.07-mile Upper Lake course in 14 minutes, 20 seconds, well ahead of runner-up Katherine Wong of Ukiah (14:43) and third-place finisher Amelia Wirt of Fort Bragg (14:51).
Middletown runners Tori Roderick (14:57) and Mary Ann Pejana (15:06) rounded out the top five.
Tiyanna Meese of Middletown also cracked the top 15, finished 13th overall in 15:50. Upper Lake”s top finisher was Yamileth Plata, 18th in 16:18, one place behind Middletown”s Carmen Sandoval (16:00).
Cardinal Newman finished first in the team standings followed by Ukiah.
Varsity boys
Anthony Rink of Cardinal Newman won the varsity boys” race in 11:13 although Cesareo Ruiz of Ukiah (11:19), Sneathen (11:21) and Beau Brown of Ukiah (11:27) made a race of it.
Middletown”s Cassidy Parker came in ninth at 11:48 and Clear Lake”s Owen Lawler was 11th in 12:02.
Other Lake County leaders were Middletown”s Jake Tangerman, 17th in 12:24, and teammate Madax McDowell, 20th in 12:31.
Ukiah captured top team honors followed by Calistoga in second.
JV boys
Middletown dominated the junior varsity boys” race, capturing the top three spots. Diego Munoz won in 12:32 and teammates Ian Bright (12:37) and Riley Adams (12:48) were next across the finish line.
Clear Lake”s Alex Comstock was seventh in 13:20.
Middletown won the team title and Ukiah was second.
JV girls
Emma Barash of Ukiah won the JV girls” race in 16:35, three seconds faster than teammate Naomi Brown (16:38). Middletown”s Maggie Dols (17:21) and Carissa Smith finished third and fourth, respectively, and another Middletown runner, Chelsea Bright, was sixth in 17:53.
Narumi Mitchell had the top Clear Lake time of 20:08, good for 14th place. Teammate Amelia Tejeda was 15th in 20:11.
Ukiah won the team trophy and Fort Bragg was second.
Eight schools entered runners in the Cougar Classic.
Lake County”s cross country teams return to action Wednesday in the annual Lake County Meet at 3:30 p.m. in Middletown.
