Blue Devil harriers succeed at section meet
By Abbey Fisk,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–
Davis High cross-country runners and supporters headed to Folsom High School for the annual Sac-Joaquin Section Championships on Saturday, Nov. 15.
“Kellen had an outstanding race,” assistant coach Tim Groth said. Placing 1st for DHS and running a personal record of 16:11, junior Kellen Browning led the varsity boys in winning the section.
The men’s varsity beat second-place Granite Bay by 10 points and third-place Jesuit by 40 points. As a team, they improved by more than two minutes since the Davis/Jesuit Jamboree, held earlier in the season on the same course.
The men’s varsity will head to the California state meet on Nov. 29 in Fresno.
Junior Winston Tran led the men’s JV team to victory, placing 4th overall and 1st for DHS. Following Tran were juniors Brendan Deas (8th) and Samuel Ruhe (9th). Deas ran a personal record of 18:09, beating his time from the beginning of the season by 1 minute and 37 seconds. Ruhe beat his personal record by 43 seconds.
“Every time I race here I do better,” sophomore Dave Meddin said. Meddin placed 7th for DHS in the sophomore race with a time of 13:37; 3 minutes and 30 seconds faster than the beginning of the season. The men’s sophomore team as a team placed 4th in the race.
Sam Blakewell led the men’s freshmen with a time of 11:29; DHS placed 6th overall the race.
“Considering the circumstances, we did really well,” senior Maggie McManis said of the women’s varsity race.
Junior Fiona O’Keeffe won the race in 16:57, a time that would have put her 27th in the men’s varsity race.
O’Keeffe was followed by sophomore Sofia Castiglioni (4th) and McManis (14th). The varsity girls were missing several key runners due to injury, but juniors Jasmine Casillas and Elise Chu and senior Claire Dicker, have “stepped up,” to take their place, according to Groth.
The women’s varsity took 2nd overall, falling to Bella Vista but beating St. Francis by three points, and will also move on to race at the state meet.
DHS placed 4th in both women’s JV and frosh/soph. Junior Sarah Sherwin led the JV team with a 10th place finish, while freshman Hana Du led frosh/soph by taking 5th.
Very good result for the Varsity Boy’s squad as they dominated the race as a group. Mighty blow for Jesuit not making state with their high potential and state ranking. Other than Fiona’s epic race, I thought the girls’ result was sub-par, and we should of beaten Bella Vista for the section title. Congrats to all who made State.