BROOKTRAILS >> Middletown High School”s cross country teams went head to head with host Willits during a four-team Coastal Mountain Conference meet on Wednesday at the 2.87-mile Brooktrails course. Fort Bragg and Lower Lake also took part.
Middletown”s varsity boys” and girls” squads nailed down victories, the boys winning 22-35 and the girls 20-38.
Mustangs coach Sarah Carlisle said several Middletown runners were still weak from a cold/flu bug that swept the team in the last week, but most ran well anyway.
“I”m happy both teams were able to pull wins,” Carlisle said.
In the varsity boys” race, Justin Hingston led Middletown with a third-place time of 17:11. Finishing behind him were teammates Diego Munoz, fourth in 17:23, and Joe Swehla, fifth in 17:27. Jake Olson was seventh overall in 18:00 and Tanner Tarelli just finished outside the top 10, coming in 11th at 18:44.
“He had a very good day,” Carlisley said of Hingston.
In the varsity girls” race won by Fort Bragg”s Amelia Wirt, Middletown”s Tori Roderick came in fifth at 21:24 and teammate Abby Murphy ran sixth in 23:28. Also for Middletown, Tiyanna Meek and Natalie Jekel ran 10th and 11th, respectively, in 24:50 and 24:58.
Middletown”s other scorer was Carissa Forest, 14th in 25:43, a personal-best time.
Neither Middletown or Willits had complete teams (at least five runners) in the junior varsity boys” division although Middletown”s Parker Spadaro won the race (time not available).
Lower Lake results were not reported to the Record-Bee.
