LOWER LAKE >> Middleotwn High School’s Diego Munoz pulled away from the pack and coasted to an easy victory in the varsity boys’ division on Wednesday during a four-team Coastal Mountain Conference cross country meet at Anderson Marsh State Park in Lower Lake.
While Lower Lake used to run all of its home meets at Anderson Marsh, the Trojans have used several other venues in past seasons, including Boggs Forest, which is now out of commission because of the Valley Fire, an improvised layout near the high school, and a hilly course off Dam Road. The 2.8-mile Anderson Marsh setup suited Munoz just fine as he won going away in 17 minutes, 19 seconds, a solid 42 seconds ahead of runner-up Brandon Dickey (18:01) of Clear Lake.
Lower Lake runners won the other two races as Aleia Milano captured the girls’ division in 19:58, beating out Tiyanna Meese (20:21) of Middletown, and Lucas Allie (20:05) beat out Trojan teammate Jared Meek (20:12) in the junior varsity boys’ division.
In team scoring, Middletown scored wins over Lower Lake in the varsity boys’ and girls’ divisions while Clear Lake’s varsity boys and girls defeated Willits. JV boys’ wins went to Middletown and Clear Lake.
While it was a warm day bordering on hot day in Lower Lake, an intermittent cool breeze helped make it a bit more tolerable for the runners as they made their way along the course, which begins on flat ground and gradually climbs before looping back downhill toward the finish line.
Varsity boys
Munoz, a veteran of the high school cross country wars, went unchallenged during Wednesday’s action and appeared relaxed and in good form as he traversed the back end of the Anderson Marsh course. He was well on his way toward the final leg when a handful of other varsity runners appeared, including Clear Lake’s Brandon Dickey (18:01), who ran his best race of the season.
“This was definitely his best race,” Clear Lake coach Peter Stanley said. “He won the JV race at the county meet (last month) going away. Now he is among a group of six strong runners on our varsity team. Alex (Beare) has been our top runner the last couple of weeks, but they keep trading it around.”
After Dickey finished second behind Munoz, it was Middletown’s Justin Hingston (18:26) in third place, Beare (18:32) in fourth, Clear Lake’s Solano Dominguez (18:47) in fifth, Middletown’s Tanner Tarelli (18:49), Jake Olson (18:59) and Parker Spadaro (19:01.8) in sixth, seventh and eighth places, Lower Lake’s Alex Montanez (19:01.9) in ninth, and Clear Lake’s Takumi Mithcell (19:03) in 10th.
“Takumi ran well today and beat people he doesn’t usually beat,” Stanley said. “He’s been our seventh or eighth man, but he stepped it up today.”
Middletown beat Lower Lake 15-48 in head-to-head scoring and Clear Lake defeated an incomplete Willits squad (fewer than five runners). Both Middletown and Clear Lake are undefeated on the season and they score against each other next Wednesday at a course to be determined (either Anderson Marsh or a new Middletown course (the old Diamond D course burned in the Valley Fire).
“We’ve beaten every team so far and now we go up against Middletown,” Stanley said. “Our runners run in a pack and their runners run in a pack. It’s going to be a good battle.”
Girls
Milano didn’t enjoy the huge lead that Munoz had in the varsity boys’ race, but her 23-second win over Meese in the girls’ race was another solid showing from the sophomore and two-time Lake County Meet champion.
Morgan Riley of Willits was the next to finish in 20:55, Meghan Beare of Clear Lake was fourth in 21:12, and first-year runner Kailei Foltmer of Middletown rounded out the top five in 22:31.
Placing in the top 10 were Grace Southern of Middletown in 23:00; Jenny Landeta of Lower Lake in 23:05, Kamrin Williams of Middletown in 23:43, Rainey Vanoven of Clear Lake in 24:15, and Carissa Forest of Middletown in 24:52.
Middletown defeated Lower Lake 22-39 in head-to-head scoring while Clear Lake beat Willits 20-35.
JV boys
The JV boys’ race was a battle between Lower Lake’s Allie and teammate Meek, Allie winning in 20:05 to Meek’s 20:12. Clear Lake runners Sereno Dominguez (20:17) and Dylan Bennett (20:25) were next in line followed by Middletown’s Caden McDowell in 20:49.
“Sereno and Dylan have been switching up all season,” Stanley said of the battle for the No. 1 spot on the Clear Lake team. “They were tied with about 200 yards to go. Sereno won the sprint.”
Middletown and Clear Lake both beat incomplete teams.
