Blair Slaton is the Fastest at Ming

By the time of the varsity races, the weather had turned comfortable. The poor underclassmen have to face
the heat and the daunting three mile course in the first meet of many of their lives. Why everyone runs 3 miles
at this season opening meet is a question that never gets answered. Year after year at the coaches meeting
after the season, they all agreed that only the varsity should run three miles.

Despite this decision, the EB Invite remains three miles for everyone. What I would like to see is make it a run
around the lake and on the backside of the lake, run on the trail instead of the bike path. This course would be
around 2 miles and year after year it would be the same. The 3 mile course has changed over the years, so
comparing times is difficult.


Another change that would be to make all the races by class like they do at many early season meets. Then
coaches would not have to put underclassmen on varsity and the competition for class bragging rights would
be interesting and would go on for four years. Plus everyone runs the same distance and it would be easy to
compare times.


But this is not the race we have, so here is what I saw.

The boys race played out in much the same manner as the girls race. Again it was a true team battle that
would come down to the team's fifth runner. The team race was also a contest between the young guns of
Stockdale versus the veterans of Highland. The trio of Van Zandt, Thomas and Lewis have been 1,2,3
knockout punch for years now but have placed second at the valley meet two years in a row. This is their
senior at Highland and they want a valley title.

Stockdale with Curtis Kelly (soph), soph Cameron Miller and much anticipated frosh Connor Fisher filling out a
squad with two veteran runners in Slaton and Burke are the highest ranked Kern County squad in division one.
So at the 1.7 mile point in the race, it was no surprise to see two Mustangs and two Scotsmen with Sandles
(Golden Valley) at the front of the race. Behind them was one from each school too.

In the last mile, Slaton took the lead and held on for the win in under 16 minute as he predicted. When I found
him with his family after the race, he was in his sweats and looked like he was waiting for his race to start.
Behind him was an exciting race for second between Lewis (Highland) and Kelly (Stockdale). Lewis came on
strong and when Kelly looked over his shoulder it was all over for him.

Behind them was Sandles for fourth place. Then the team competition got fierce Van Zandt took 5th for
Highland, Miller took 6th for Stockdale and was followed by Ivan (HHS). Then it went Stockdale and Highland
again. But Burke came in 15th and sealed the win for the Mustangs.

Team scores -- 1. Stockdale 33; 2. Highland 43; 3. Centennial 120; 4. East 122; 5. North 153; 6. Liberty 155;
7. Frontier 184; 8. Foothill 191; 9. Garces 215; 10. Golden Valley 275; 11. South 298; 12. Bakersfield 349.

Individual results -- 1. Slaton, St, 15:52; 2. Lewis, H, 16:01; 3. Kelly, St, 16:04; 4. Sandles, GV, 16:08; 5. Van
Zandt, H, 16:20; 6. Miller, St, 16:22; 7. Esquivios, H, 16:26; 8. Fisher, St, 16:30; 9. Turner, H, 16:36; 10.
Hinsley, C, 16:40; 11. Bautista, Fo, 16:46; 12. Lazarit, E, 16:51; 13. Lopez, N, 16:53; 14. Shotts, L, 16:55; 15.
Burke, St, 16:56; 16. Mosqueda, E, 17:01; 17. Millan, C, 17:04; 18. Hernandez, N, 17:15; 19. O'Malley, G, 17:
24; 20. Jungo, H, 17:26.

JV--Stockdale 36, Frontier 61, Highland 79; FS--North 51, Foothill 98, Bakersfield 124