WILLITS >> Middletown High School’s Isaac Rascon and Grace Southern ran strong races while placing first in their respective divisions on Wednesday afternoon during a Coastal Mountain Conference cross country meet at the scenic Brooktrails course in Willits.
It was Southern’s second straight victory after placing first on the Diamond D Ranch course in Middletown a week ago. Rascon, who placed third on his home course last week, captured the varsity boys race in 17 minutes, 56 seconds while leading the Mustangs to a 17-44 team win against Lower Lake. Clear Lake scored against Willits during the meet while Mendocino sent a handful of runners but did not score against another team.
Middletown’s girls, led by Southern’s winning time of 21:23 on the 2.87-mile course, also beat Lower Lake, 21-40. Middletown’s junior varsity boys made it a clean sweep for the Mustangs by defeating Lower Lake 24-32. Forrest Devine led the way with a third-place time of 20:29.
“Everyone was a little disappointed they weren’t a little faster than last week,” Middletown coach Sarah Carlisle said of the Mustang runners in the field, “but it was 20 degrees warmer today than it was last week (in Middletown) and that makes a difference.”
Varsity boys
“Isaac led from the start and maintained his lead the whole way,” Carlisle said of race winner Rascon, whose closest pursuer turned out to be none other than teammate Tyler Cobb at 18:19.
Clear Lake’s Ethan Wynchat wasn’t far behind as he finished a strong third in 18:28 while leading the Cardinals to a 26-30 team win over Willits. Middletown’s Dimitri Imbrunetti rounded out the top five at 18:44, just two seconds in front of Lower Lake’s Billy Melvin, sixth in 18:46.
“Ethan ran really well to finish third,” Clear Lake coach Peter Stanley said. “He ran a strong race.”
The final four spots in the top 10 also featured Lake County runners. Middletown’s Jayson Totsie was seventh in 19:13, teammate Jack Farres was close behind him at 19:15, Lower Lake’s Jared Meek was ninth in 19:32 and Middletown’s Amida Verhey was 10th in 19:53.
While Willits had three runners across the finish line to Clear Lake’s two at one point, a strong kick by the rest of the Cardinals allowed them to beat the Wolverines in head-to-head scoring. Cole Saiz finished 13th in 21:11, Tanner Morton was 15th in 22:02, Jaron Mertle was 18th in 22:51 and Brandt Mason was 19th in 23:12.
“We bunched our runners and that’s how you win in cross country,” Stanley said.
Girls
Southern won by more than two minutes – a cross country eternity – in the girls division.
“She went out strong, she stayed strong and finished strong,” Carlisle said of the Mustangs’ No. 1 runner. “She looked good the whole way.”
Southern’s teammate, Erica Kinsel, was next across the finish line in 23:25 and Lower Lake’s Jenny Landeta placed third in 23:46. Rounding out the top five were Middletown’s Jessica Zell in 24:16 and Lower Lake’s Lily Wetmore in 24:54.
Two other Middletown runners cracked the top 10. Abi Murphy was eighth in 26:17 and Mercy Cobb was ninth in 26:33.
Clear Lake’s top runner, Jordan Peters, placed 15th in 27:56. Clear Lake beat an incomplete Willits team (fewer than five runners) in head-to-head scoring.
“Jordan is our No. 1 runner right now and is doing well,” Stanley said.
JV boys
Mendocino’s Misael Triplett dominated the JV boys field and ran the only sub-20-minute time in the field while winning in 19:18. Clear Lake’s Quinn Wynacht and Middletown’s Forrest Devine staged a good battle for second place, Wynacht finishing in 20:27 to Devine’s 20:30.
Rounding out the top five finishers were Middletown’s Isaiah Diaz, fourth in 20:41, and Lower Lake’s Nick Newell, fifth in 22:38.
Clear Lake beat an incomplete Willits team.
“The Mendocino runner ran away from the field and Quinn pretty much ran away from everyone else,” Stanley said.
Schedule
Clear Lake, Lower Lake and Middletown join Kelseyville in a CMC meet next Wednesday at Highland Springs. Middletown scores against Clear Lake while Lower Lake goes up against Kelseyville.
