A group of runners from the Scotts Valley High track team will attempt to bring home the gold at this weekend’s Central Coast Section track and field championships.
Junior Austin George will compete in the 800-meter run, while senior Patrick Goodrich, junior Jeremy Kain, sophomore Amber Boothby and freshman Ashlyn Boothby will race in the 1,600. Kain and Amber will also race in the 3,200.
The finals will take place at Soquel High School on Saturday at 11am.
Todd Hoffman, assistant coach for both track and field and cross country, said the athletes have been persistent since the Covid-19 pandemic started. The end result of their hard work is a trip to the CCS finals.
“They just kept running through it,” he said. “They’ve earned this and they worked hard for it. It’s really cool to see them moving on.”
George will try to run the fastest half mile on Saturday as one of 12 qualifiers for the 800. He finished in 1 minute, 58.48 seconds at last week’s CCS preliminary round.
Hoffman said they began giving George workout routines at the start of the cross country season, which he had to do on his own time.
“He kept doing it and he just got a lot of speed, and he’s a tough runner. He’s a competitor,” Hoffman said. “He’s not afraid to go.”
Kain had the fastest qualifying time in the 1,600 in 4:16.72. Goodrich, who made the cut in the 12th spot (4:24.28), will join him.
Hoffman said he’s seen Goodrich develop into a great runner ever since he joined the team as a freshman.
“He’s such an inspiration to the team, really the team leader the whole time,” Hoffman said.
Kain, who also qualified for the 3,200 in 9:26.54, took on a role as one of the team captains this year. He won the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League cross country championship and placed first in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the track and field league final.
Hoffman said that Kain has been a ball of energy from the get-go.
“He’s such a positive person, when he gets to practice everybody knows he’s there,” Hoffman said.
The Boothby sisters both qualified for the 1,600 run. Amber finished with the third-fastest time in 5:07.41 and Ashlyn nabbed the fourth-fastest in 5:10.09.
“They have a lot of talent,” Hoffman said. “They work hard and they work well together.”
Hoffman mentioned that they love to compete against each other, but when the race is over they are also their own biggest supporters, as well. He said the friendly competition helps them push each other during practice or in a meet.
Ashlyn made an immediate impact when she joined the team and other people started to take notice, including Hoffman. She won this year’s SCCAL cross county championship.
“She surprised a lot of people,” he said. “She just keeps progressing and keeps getting better.”
Hoffman said the athletes have been appreciative of being able to have both a cross country and track and field season.
“To see them come out….they’re just so happy and they really appreciate being together,” he said. “For me, just sitting there and watching them be this happy is what it’s all about.”
San Lorenzo Valley High sophomore Katharina Guth advanced to the discus throw with a mark of 96 feet, 11 inches. Sophomore Kaitlin Seigle made the cut in the 800 after Harker senior Anna Weirich dropped out of the final.
Scotts Valley sophomore Rafaela Putnam is the first alternate in the 800. SLV senior Lulu Mattingly is the first alternate in the 100 hurdles.
