MIDDLETOWN >> The Middletown and Lower Lake cross country teams opened their Coastal Mountain Conference schedules with clean sweeps on Wednesday at the 2.8-mile Diamond D Ranch in Middletown.
Middletown scored against Cloverdale during the meet while Lower Lake went up against Willits. All three Middletown and Lower Lake teams — varsity boys, girls and junior varsity boys — registered victories.
For the host Mustangs, coach Sarah Carlisle’s varsity boys and girls squads are an interesting mix of veterans and new runners, a formula that is working out well in the early going for Middletown.
“It’s a nice place to be,” Carlisle said. “The new runners are doing great and they’re pushing the older runners.”
Varsity boys
Paden Collard of Cloverdale was clearly the class of the field in the varsity boys race, winning in 15 minutes and 48 seconds. Two new Middletown runners, sophomore Tyler Cobb (17:30) and freshman Isaac Rascon (17:31), battled it out for the runner-up spot, Cobb edging out his teammate in a dash to the finish.
“I’m happy to have them,” Carlisle said of Cobb and Rascon. “They both ran pretty hard today.”
Billy Melvin of Lower Lake nailed down fourth place at 18:12 while Middletown veteran Dimitri Imbrunetti finished fifth in 18:21, just a second ahead of a Willits runner (name not available) and another new Middletown runner, senior Jayson Tostie, who crossed the finish line in a dead heat for sixth place at 18:22.
Middletown’s Mickey Dusatko, the champion in the JV division last week at the Lake County Meet in Kelseyville, made his varsity debut with a ninth-place finish of 18:33, two seconds in front of Lower Lake’s Jared Meek at 18:35.
Team scoring had Middletown beating Cloverdale 21-40 and Lower Lake defeating an incomplete Willits squad (fewer than five runners).
Girls
Cloverdale’s Julie Edwards held a small lead over Middletown’s Grace Southern as they went through the creek about 300 meters shy of the finish, but it was Southern who won the sprint to the line, taking the girls race in 19:37 to Edwards’ 19:45.
“There was water in the creek,” Carlisle said. “Julie was ahead coming out of the creek but Grace caught her.”
Southern and Edwards were the only two girls to crack 20 minutes. Lily Wetmore of Lower Lake secured third place at 21:57 while Middletown’s Mercy Cobb (22:10) and Lower Lake’s Jenny Landeta (22:23) rounded out the top five.
Middletown runners Jessica Zell (22:48), Erica Kinsel (22:49) and Abi Murphy (23:30) finished sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
Like the Middletown varsity boys squad, the Mustang girls are a mix of youth and experience. Veterans include Southern, Zell and Murphy while Cobb and Kinser are the new blood on the Middletown squad.
“They all ran a lot better today than they did last week (at the Lake County Meet),” Carlisle said. “I think the (cooler) temperature today had a lot to do with that. I’m really happy with my new runners. They are pushing the veterans. There’s a lot of competition to finish in the top 10 and now in the top seven.”
Middletown defeated Cloverdale 19-38 in team scoring. Lower Lake beat an incomplete Willits squad.
JV boys
Forrest Devine of Middletown ran away from the field in the JV boys race, taking first in 20:03. The next fastest runner clocked in at 21:45.
Two other Middletown runners also cracked the top five – Dorian Smith in 23:13 and Kyle Martin in 23:34.
“He had a great run,” Carlisle said of Devine. “He pushes himself. His goal is to be on the varsity. He really wants it and he’s running well.”
Middletown and Lower Lake had the only two complete teams.
Middletown scores against Lower Lake next Wednesday when both teams head to Willits.
