Today was the battle between the undefeated and it lived up to the hype. All three squads had large numbers and there were a lot of fans at the meet too. Zach Ewing from the paper was there to report on the meet as well. His accurate scoring of the meet as soon as the last scoring runner came in was appreciated.2009 photos HERE.
The course was very well marked and much of the race could be seen from the visitor stands. A nice touch at this meet was Coach Setser (Ridgeview) introduced each varsity athlete as they took the starting line. Many of the athletes did not know what to make of this and that made the gesture even better.
In the girls race, Lynch took the early lead as expected but the team battle was behind her. As the race entered the last mile it looked as though Ridgeview had the win but coming down the homestretch things changed. Amber Nelson caught and passed a couple Ridgeview runners and Carolin Haney ran a gutsy race (she was very sick).
As I looked over Ewing's shoulder we both did the math and got 28 for Stockdale and after a few errors we got 28 for Ridgeview. Then we double checked because many thought the girl's race would not be very close. But it was a tie! So the race came down to the 6th runner and Stockdale was the winner.
In the boys race, Stockdale tried to stay up with Ridgeview's top guns early on but could not hang on. Alex Garcia and Robby Baker of Ridgeview (Alex won the sprint)) entered the track together with a sizable lead over Blair Slaton and Curtis Kelly of Stockdale. In the end, Ridgeview's top 4 where too much for Stockdale to overcome.
Girl's team score -- Stockdale 28, Ridgeview 28, with the underdog Mustangs the winner on sixth runner.
Ridgeview's Tijerra Lynch, finished in 18:55, about 20 seconds off her best. Stockdale's Riddhi Patel was second in 19:43, and Ridgeview's Desiree Aremendariz next in 19:49. With Tori Blackmon, fourth in 19:50, and Nelson, Stockdale's No. 4 runner (running with a hip-flexor injury) finished fifth in the race in 20:10.
Ridgeview held off Stockdale 24-31 in the boys showdown between the teams, with Wolf Pack teammates Alex Garcia (15:39) and Robby Baker (15:40) neck-and-neck for the top two spots.
Stockdale's Blair Slaton (16:11) and Curtis Kelly (16:12) were third and fourth.
Boys cross country
Ridgeview 24, Stockdale 31; Ridgeview 15, South 49; Stockdale 15, South 50
At Ridgeview (Wednesday)
1. Garcia, R, 15:39; 2. Baker, R, 15:40; 3. Slaton, St, 16:11; 4. Kelly, St, 16:12; 5. Lewis, R, 16:15; 6. Soliz, R, 16:18; 7. Fisher, St, 16:22; 8. Miller, St, 16:24; 9. Bourke, St, 17:20; 10. Madrigal, R, 17:24.
JV--Stockdale 22, Ridgeview 33; Ridgeview 16, South 47; Stockdale 15, South 48
FS--Ridgeview 23, Stockdale 34; Ridgeview 15, South 45; Stockdale 15, South 48
Girls cross country
Ridgeview 15, South 49; Stockdale 15, South 50; Stockdale 28, Ridgeview 28 (Stockdale wins on sixth runner) At Ridgeview (Wednesday)
1. Lynch, R, 18:55; 2. Patel, St, 19:43; 3. Armendariz, R, 19:49; 4. Blackmon, 19:50; 5. Nelson, St, 20:10; 6. Morgan, R, 20:14; 7. Huizar, R, 20:18; 8. Haney, St, 20:47; 9. Jones, St, 21:09.
JV--Stockdale 15, Ridgeview 49; South 26, Ridgeview 31; Stockdale 15, South 46.
FS--Stockd. 26, Ridgev. 33.
Meet Preview:
Both squads are undefeated in SWYL duels and both squads have won invites on the boys and girls sides. But one thing have not done is race against each other this season. Well Wednesday at Ridgeview they will.
Both schools have run Woodward Park this season. The 5k course is where valley and state are held. Ridgeview ran their first meet of the year there and won the McLane Highlander Invite instead of running the EB Invite that Stockdale won. Last weekend, Stockdale won the Clovis West Invite at Woodward instead of competing at Ridgeview's Wolf Pack Invite where Ridgeview took a close second behind McFarland
Now comparing a first meet performance to Stockdale's more recent performance is not ideal but it was over 100 when Stockdale ran. With these factors in mind, below are the school's times:
- baker,robby 16:33 12 ridgeview
- kelly,curtis 17:05 10 stockdale
- garcia,alex 17:07 12 ridgeview
- miller,cameron 17:16 stockdale
- solis,brian 17:39 12 ridgeview
- slaton,blair 17:41 stockdale
- fisher,connor 17:47 stockdale
- lewis,jerrid 17:51 12 ridgeview
- pennel,seth 18:28 stockdale
- magno 18:30 ridgeview
Ridgeview - 1,3,5,8,10 for 27
Stockdale - 2,4,6,7,9 for 28
Next Wednesday, it ain't on paper! So don't miss this SWYL showdown at Ridgeview!
On the girl's side it will also be close. Again one is comparing a season opener meet to a recent meet but the weather was brutal for Stockdale. One thing to also note is Patel ran in the frosh/soph race at Woodward for Stockdale and this week she won the double duel meet against North and Centennial.
Below are the team's Woodward Park times for this season:
- Lynch; 21:11; Ridgeview
- Huizar, 21:33 Ridgeview
- Carolin Haney Jr 103 12 22:02
- Armendariz, 22:24 Ridgeview
- Amber Nelson Jr 109 20 23:14
- Cynthia Lopez Jr 106 21 23:35
- Shelbe Pennel Sr 111 26 24:03
- Jennifer Hawthorne Jr 104 29 24:31
- Carr, 24.46 Ridgeview
- Morgan, 25:59 Ridgeview
Ridgeview 1,2,4,9,10,= 26
Stockdale 3,5,6,7,8 = 29
But if you factor in Patel's Woodward time:
- Lynch; 21:11; Rid
- Huizar, 21:33 Rid
- Riddhi Patel Fr 110 1 21:36
- Carolin Haney Jr 103 12 22:02
- Armendariz, 22:24 Rid
- Amber Nelson Jr 109 20 23:14
- Cynthia Lopez Jr 106 21 23:35
- Shelbe Pennel Sr 111 26 24:03
- Carr, 24.46 Rid
- Morgan, 25:59 Rid
Stockdale 3,4,6,7,8 = 28
So needless to say both races show be really close baring any injuries or illness.
They plan to run 6 races. Which will allow for room at the start for all runners as well as a chance for our lower level kids to shine in their respective races. Below is the tentative schedule for races, if they can get ahead they will. .
F/S Girls 3:40
F/S Boys 4:00
JV Girls 4:15
JV Boys 4:40
V Girls 5:00
V Boys 5:25
Nelson's late surge fuels Stockdale girls to victory
ReplyDeleteBY ZACH EWING, Californian staff write
Stockdale girls cross country coach Bree Tape was out of breath by the time she found Amber Nelson on Wednesday, but she had plenty of energy for a big hug.
Tape had been running around Ridgeview's track stadium, keeping count of runners and trying to do math in her head. When the final tally came out -- Stockdale 28, Ridgeview 28, with the underdog Mustangs the winner on sixth runner -- she knew Nelson had made the difference.
Nelson, Stockdale's No. 4 runner, was battling a hip-flexor injury but still finished fifth in the race in 20:10. But it was her finish, in which she sprinted past two Ridgeview runners, that made all the difference.
"We needed every single point," Tape said. "And Amber sprinted past two of them. That was amazing."
Ridgeview came in ranked fourth in the Central Section, with Stockdale eighth. Both coaches said they have runners battling sickness and injury. But the race didn't disappoint, and it was the Mustangs who made every runner count.
"Stockdale came, they saw and they conquered," Wolf Pack coach Adam Setser said. "That's all there is to it. ... They came and took it. They wanted it more, and I've got to give them credit."
Ridgeview's Tijerra Lynch, the area's top runner, went out hard at the start and left the field in her dust. She finished in 18:55, about 20 seconds off her best.
"We had a strategy to stick as a pack at first, but I wasn't really comfortable with that," Lynch said. "I wanted to (get a personal record) today, so when the gun went off, I just kind of went."
Stockdale's Riddhi Patel was second in 19:43, and Ridgeview's Desiree Aremendariz next in 19:49. But Tori Blackmon, fourth in 19:50, and Nelson made up that gap.
"They've been ranked ahead of us all year," Tape said, "but we showed up to run today. I can't even talk about it; I'm all emotional."
Ridgeview held off Stockdale 24-31 in the boys showdown between the teams, with Wolf Pack teammates Alex Garcia (15:39) and Robby Baker (15:40) neck-and-neck for the top two spots.
"We were just thinking of sticking together," Garcia said. "Helping each other out, pushing each other. We never really say, but usually it just comes down to who kicks better."
Stockdale's Blair Slaton (16:11) and Curtis Kelly (16:12) were third and fourth, but it wasn't enough to overcome Ridgeview. "At the two-mile mark, they started to fall back," Garcia said. "We were kind of worried, but we're pretty relieved and happy."