LOWER LAKE — Running on his home course for the second week in a row and for the final time in his high school career, Middletown senior Xander Romero definitely saved his best for last Wednesday during a Coastal Mountain Conference cross country meet at the 2.9 Six Sigma Ranch and Winery course near Lower Lake.
In fact, nearly all of the assembled 25 runners from Middletown, Clear Lake and Willits high schools bettered their times from a week earlier on the same Six Sigma course, largely because the weather conditions couldn’t have been more ideal — 71 degrees at race time with a cool breeze. Compare that to a season-opening race at Six Sigma on Sept. 8 when the race-time temperature was 104 degrees with no breeze.
“I am stoked about today,” Middletown head coach Taylor Tiraterra said of the times turned in by his runners, including Romero, who posted the top boys time and top time overall with a personal-best 17 minutes, 41 seconds, or 46 seconds faster than a week ago when he came in second at 18:27 behind Mendocino’s Hector Alanis (17:17).
Clear Lake sophomore Hannah Garrity led the girls at 18:06 — her fifth meet win in a row – and was 36 seconds faster than a week ago at Six Sigma. Garrity went out with the lead pack of boys that included Romero, Middletown’s Evan Macklin and Parker Boden, and Willits’ Daniel LaCount. Only Romero beat her to the finish line.
Middletown had the only complete boys and girls teams (at least five runners).
Boys
Middletown ran 11 boys and nine of them finished in the top 10. Only Willits’ LaCount, who came in third in 19:18, broke up the string of purple and gold jerseys.
Macklin finished a solid second in 19:06, Boden came in fourth in 19:23, and Dean McComas was fifth in 20:15.
Next across the finish line were Baron Chang, sixth in 20:16; Javier Perez, seventh in 20:33; Bryton Caviness, eighth in 20:54; Caden Gotz, ninth in 24:35; and Aidan Cadwallader, 10th in 25:32.
Along with Romero, fellow Middletown seniors Boden, Perez, Kenny Carter, Olivia Gallagher and Katie Dow all were honored by Tiraterra, who is in his second season with the Mustangs, and former head coach and current assistant Anna Schneider following the final home meet of the fall 2021 season. Both coaches shared memories of their runners while also presenting them with flowers and gift bags.
Girls
While Garrity set the pace among the girls, Middletown junior Nicole Pyzer placed a solid second at 20:38. The battles for third and sixth place went down to the final strides between Middletown and Willits runners.
Willits’ Nicole Keough (20:57) edged out Middletown’s Maya Leonard (20:58) for third place, Leonard closing ground in a hurry over the final 50 yards. Cat Barriga was all by herself in fifth place 22:04 while older sister Issy Barriga (22:51) caught and passed Willits’ Savannah Lewis (22:53) for sixth place with a strong finishing kick.
Clear Lake’s Lilianna Cruz (24:57) came in eighth, Middletown’s Gallagher (27:15) was ninth, and Clear Lake’s Madison Waechtler (35:15) was 10th.
Schedule
Middletown and Lower Lake travel to Kelseyville next Wednesday for a three-team meet. Clear Lake hosts Fort Bragg and Cloverdale at Highland Springs. Both races start at 3:30 p.m.
