Hollister High’s Isidro Trujillo couldn’t let go with his
patented smile. Not yet.
SALINAS – Hollister High’s Isidro Trujillo couldn’t let go with his patented smile. Not yet. His concerned look in the final 30 yards of Saturday’s Central Coast Section Division I boys cross country race at 3.0-mile Toro Park worried his fast-growing fan club. Trujillo wasn’t quite sure if he had snuck in amongst the herd for a trip to the state meet in Fresno on Nov. 30.
Not until the awards ceremony could Trujillo smile. He was going to Fresno after placing seventh in a time of 16:26. Trujillo’s time was nearly eight seconds slower than his PR, but he had a good excuse, having been under the weather the for the past two weeks.
“I ran slow at first,” Trujillo said. “I didn’t feel that strong. But, I kicked hard the last half of the race and that did it.”
The Baler boys finished sixth in the team scoring with 163 points. Junior Jonathan Rivera, who was ahead of Trujillo by a wide margin at the half-way point in the race, showed some promise with a time of 16:44 for 15th. Josh Vasquez, a sophomore, ran a PR 16:59 for 29th. Other Balers included Kyle Fowles (45th, 17:27), Patrick Hansen (70th, 18:27), Jeff Spencer (72nd, 18:36) and Victor Hernandez (85th, 19:47).
“I’m proud of the way we ran,” said Baler coach Randy Logue. “Vasquez ran his best race and Rivera was strong. Fowles improved a great deal as did Hansen. And Trujillo’s going to state is great.”
The Balers girls were also sixth, scoring 162 points. Lee Ann Morales was the best Baler at 21:39, good for 26th. Nereyda Garcia ran a strong race for a freshman, clocking 21:47, placing 31st. Kory Case was 45th at 22:44, while Teralynn Hill next at 22:50. Katherine Parker, in her last race as a Baler, was 51st at 23:18. Briana Colorado was 56th at 24-flat. Freshman Ambur Cameron was 61st at 24:58.
“Teralynn and Nereyda had a good race,” said Baler girls coach Jennifer Logue. “We’re looking forward to next year because we only lose one girl. It was good experience for our girls.”
D-V boys: Anzar High entered the Division V boys competition with a full squad. The Hawks placed fifth. Remigio Mireles was 12th at 18:36, while Cisco Heath was 14th at 18:38. The Hawks Caleb Ellison was 15th at 18:39.
Tourney notes: Menlo-Atherton’s Jeremy Mineau, a junior, broke the Toro Park record with a time of 15:21. Alex Dunn of San Lorenzo and the Balers Ben Morales previously held the course record at 15:24. Dunn, who ran his 15:24 at the Monterey Bay Invitational on Oct. 24, ran a 15:27 on Saturday to take the Division III title.
“It was a slightly different course back then,” said Randy Logue. “That’s the CCS and the tournament director’s call to rule it a course record or not.”
Michelle Gallagher of Sacred Heart Cathedral established the girls course record on Saturday with a time of 17:53 to win Division III.
