The Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champion San Lorenzo Valley boys cross country team fought through a flu bug that struck the team last week to qualify for the state championship meet.
Six of the seven boys on the team battled flu-like symptoms the week before the Central Coast Section race Saturday, Nov. 14, at Crystal Springs in Belmont, causing some to miss school and practices in the days leading up to the race, coach Rob Collins said.
With a gutsy performance by each team member, however, the Cougars claimed second place in Division IV and earned an automatic spot in the Nov. 28 state championship in Fresno.
“I’m real proud of the boys,” Collins said. “I’m not worried, because I know they will be prepared for state.”
Senior Allan Hetke, the team’s top runner, is the only Cougar with experience at state, having qualified last year as an individual.
At the section meet, Hetke finished eighth in 16 minutes, 29 seconds. Freshman Cody Johnson took 15th (16:47) and Landis McMillan was 16th (16:49). Other Cougars scorers were Matt Shisler (21st), Alejandro Torres (22nd) and Alex Rinkert (34th).
“If we run to our very best and we’re very healthy, we can be a top-four team in state,” Collins said.
Top runners for the SLV girls included senior Emma Ussat, who finished 25th in 20:22, and sophomore Sierra Wallen, who finished 27th. The girls team placed seventh out of 14 teams.
Three Falcons in top five
Scotts Valley freshman Vanessa Fraser finished second in Division IV in a time of 18:41 to qualify for the state meet. She will be joined by teammate Lauren Germany, who finished 10th in 19:25, at the state race in Fresno.
Kayla Germany finished 15th and missed qualifying for state by 13 seconds as the Falcons girls team took fourth.
Two Scotts Valley boys also qualified for state individually. Seniors Kevin Mangen (16:12) and Kyle McNulty (16:15) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
As a group, the boys finished fifth of 10 teams.
