The San Benito High cross country career of Vanessa Estrada ended Saturday with an eighth place finish in the 2012 California Interscholastic Federation State Championship at Woodward Park in Fresno.
In the Division I final, Estrada ran a time of 17:51 in the 5,000-meter race to finish more than a minute behind winner Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley (16:40). Estrada, though, ran nearly 30 seconds faster than last years race, when she placed 17th.
Teammate Amy Quinones, a sophomore, had a strong debut at the state championship, placing 73rd with a time of 19:08. Quinones time and place was strikingly similar to Estrada finish at the state championship her sophomore year. During Estrada’s first state finals – during her sophomore year – she placed 76th with a time of 19:01.
Also making his debut at the state championship, junior Steven Velarde placed 64th in the boys Division I race with a time of 16:05. Juan Gonzalez of El Toro took first with a time of 15:05. Gonzalez defeated Arcadia’s Estevan De La Rosa by tenths of a second.
In the Division V race, Anzar senior Deigo Leon ran a career best 16:47 on the 5,000-meter course to take 35th place. He improved his time by more than a minute in the state championship after finishing in 89th place last year.
Look for more in Tuesday’s Free Lance.
