ASTI — If you went by temperature alone, it could have been a cross country race held during the late autumn Wednesday afternoon as 38 runners from seven high schools converged on the 3-mile Asti course just south of Cloverdale.
Although the mercury was hovering in the mid-80s, which is normal for a cross country race taking place in late October, there were telltale signs this was no fall race but instead a COVID-19-induced late winter/early spring oddity. For instance, there were no grapes on the vines as high school boys and girls from Middletown, Sonoma Academy, Technology, Credo, Mendocino, Willits and host Cloverdale navigated the up-and-down 3-mile layout; the hills were green instead of brown; and wildflowers were in full bloom as far as the eye could see.
The more picturesque scenery for an early spring race on the Asti course, with Geyser Peak and the lower foothills serving as the backdrop, suited Middletown’s Isaac Rascon, a senior, and teammate Nicole Pyzer, a sophomore, just fine. With boys and girls running in a single race instead of the usual two races (one for girls and junior varsity boys and the other for varsity boys), the two Mustangs conquered their toughest challenge this season between the hilly terrain, high weeds in some locations, and questionable footing in others.
“They thought it was a hard course, especially the second mile (which is hilly),” Middletown head coach Taylor Tiraterra said. “Most did very well and they gave it their all. It’s the toughest course we’ve seen so far.”
And probably the most challenging course they will see this season, which has two weeks remaining unless the Coastal Mountain Conference holds a championship meet in late April. The North Coast Section and California Interscholastic Federation have already canceled the section and state championship races because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was very happy to see no one tripped, fell or got hurt today,” Tiraterra said. “We are in great shape to finish the season strong.”
So is Rascon, who beat his closest opponent by more than a minute even though he was competing on the Asti course for the first time.
“Even with a course preview (runners traditionally walk the course before the race), I underestimated it,” Rascon said of the Asti course. “I went out too fast on the first mile and had to pull back. The second mile was scary.”
Without any course knowledge, Rascon said he did the best he could.
“I would be able to PR it now knowing the course,” he said.
“I think he did great,” Tiraterra said of Rascon. “He still finished in first by a wide margin.”
Boys
Rascon broke away from the pack almost immediately and spent the remainder of the race pulling away. Sonoma Academy’s Tiernan Colby did his best to stay reasonably close in the early going but couldn’t maintain Rascon’s pace and fell back. He came in second in 18:38.
Athena Ryan was a minute behind his teammate in third place at 19:34, Parker Boden of Middletown was fourth in 20:50, and Travis Pace of Technology rounded out the top five in 21:06.
Cracking the top 10 were Middletown’s Isaiah Diaz, sixth in 21:21, and teammate Xander Romero, seventh in 21:26.
Also for Middletown, Shane Guill placed 12th in 22:26, Kevin Nance was 13th in 22:37, and Filemon Sanchez came in 14th in 22:43.
There were 26 runners in the boys race.
Girls
Pyzer took the early lead in the girls race and held it the rest of the way. Cooling off in the shade along with teammate Mariah Ketchum following the race, Pyzer said it was the toughest course she’s experienced this season, though she still won by a 45-second margin over Maria-Teresa Kaufman of Credo (25:00).
Middletown’s Erica Kinsel (26:39), Maya Leonard (27:30) and Ketchum (31:38) rounded out the top five. Teammate Izzy Barriga was eighth in 37:02.
Middletown had the only complete girls team in the field.
Schedule
Middletown hosts Lower Lake, Credo and Willits next Wednesday at Six Sigma Ranch and Winery near Lower Lake. On April 14, the Mustangs hit the road for their regular-season finale against host Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Sonoma Academy and Mendocino. The site of that meet could be Clear Lake State Park near Kelseyville, a venue that hasn’t been used for high school cross country before in the past.
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April 01, 2021 at 08:54AM
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Rascon, Pyzer post best times on Asti course - Lake County Record-Bee
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