Ridgeview Boys and Shafter Girls Start the Year with Wins

Everyone's goal is to be running at Woodward Park on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That is the day of the State cross country meet. Several local schools decided to preview the course early and had good results.

The Highlander Invite is a very low key affair much like the EB Invite. No meet sponsor, race bibs, computer timing or results but one does get to preview the state course (of course last year it was marked wrong).

In the boys race, Robby Baker (16:33) picked up were he left off last year, with a clocking that was only a second or two off his best time. His team includes three who placed in the top 15 at last year's valley meet. With this core of veteran athletes, the boys won the team title over their divisional rivals Roosevelt and Shafter.

The Shafter boys took third and were lead by Villalpando (17:39). Last track season, Shafter had numerous underclassmen breaking 5 minutes in the 1600 and by November they will be tough.

On the girls side, it was a real team affair. The top 5 for Ridgeview and Shafter tied 50 to 50 so the title had to be decided by the 6th runner:

20. Lenea Lara, 25:34 (Shafter)
31. Boss, 26:20 (Ridgeview)

So Shafter took the crown despite Ridgeview placing 1st, 3rd, 5th, 16th and 25th to Shafter's 4th,7th,11th,13th and 15th. This shows how cross country is a team sport and that one needs a fifth and sometimes 6th runner to make one's team complete.

Ridgeview's Lynch (21:11) was first overall and Moriah Millwee (21:59) came in 4th for Shafter.

Highlander Invitational

5K course at Woodward Park

Boys

Team scores -- 1. Ridgeview 32; 2. Roosevelt 65; 3. Shafter 106; Avenal 108; 5. Sunnyside 11.

RIDGEVIEW 2. Baker, 16:33; 4. Garcia, 17:07; 6. Solis, 17:39; 7. Lewis, 17:51; 13. Magno, 18:30; 24. Madrigal, 18:59; 32. Hobson, 19:44; 37. Samora, 20:00.

SHAFTER -- 5. Jesus Villalpando, 17:39; 17. Jesus Aros, 18:44; 25. Chris Handel, 19:02; 26. Erik Manzo, 19:04; 28. Simon Viss, 19:09.

Girls

Team scores -- 1. Shafter 50; 2 Ridgeview 50; 3. Sunnyside 87.

SHAFTER -- 4. Moriah Millwee, 21:59; 7. Carli Preston, 23:01; 11. Cambria Tudor, 23:28; 13. Irene Rodriguez, 23:56; 15. Ashley Foster, 24:46; 20. Lenea Lara, 25:34.

RIDGEVIEW 1. Lynch; 21:11; 3. Huizar, 21:33; 5. Armendariz, 22:24; 16. Carr, 24.46; 25. Morgan, 25:59; 27. Johnson 26:04; 31. Boss, 26:20.

Results On Athletic.Net HERE.

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