WILLITS — If you came out to watch Middletown High School’s top runners do their thing on Wednesday during a Coastal Mountain Conference cross country meet on the 2.87-mile Brooktrails Course, you went home unhappy.
Not wanting to tip his hand to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, who the Middletown Mustangs score against next week at Bald Hill in Fort Bragg, Middletown head coach Don Cobb rested his top four boys and top four girls. Middletown’s remaining runners still took care of business, beating Willits in head-to-head scoring to remain undefeated in both the varsity boys and girls conference standings. Fort Bragg’s teams beat Lower Lake to also remain undefeated, setting up next week’s showdown on the Mendocino County coast.
Varsity boys
Remy Namvar of Fort Bragg won the varsity boys race in 17 minutes flat, holding off Willits’ Logan Simms (17:12) for top honors. Teo Labus (17:40) of Willits and Misael Triplett (17:52) of Mendocino also clocked in under 18 minutes. Lower Lake’s Billy Melvin rounded out the top five at 18:36.
With teammates Isaac Rascon, Tyler Cobb, Isaiah Diaz and Forrest Devine all sitting this one out, Middletown’s Jordan Rego led the Mustangs with a sixth-place time of 18:43. Also for the Mustangs, Parker Boden was 10th in 19:07, Jackson Scheibal was 11th in 19:19, and Filemon Sanchez was 13th in 19:46.
Girls
Dylan Hutchinson and Haley Hutchinson of Fort Bragg ran one-two in the girls race, Dylan easily winning in 19:14 while Haley took second in 21:02. With Middletown’s Brooklyn Huffman, Grace Southern, Erica Kinsel and Mariel Martin del Campo not running, teammate Giana Tyrrell finished third for the Mustangs in 22:14.
“She did very well today, finishing third overall and first for out team,” Cobb said.
Middletown’s other top-10 finisher was Lilith Engle, eighth in 24:28. Also for the Mustangs, Arianna Forest came in 12th in 25:23. Lower Lake’s Molly Collins was 14th in 25:59.
Schedule
Before Middletown returns to conference action next week in Fort Bragg, the Mustangs will tune up for their showdown with the Timberwolves by competing Saturday in the Sacramento Invitational.
Lower Lake scores against Clear Lake next Wednesday in Fort Bragg.
