Being third best was good enough to qualify for the Central
Coast Section cross country meet.
Salinas – Being third best was good enough to qualify for the Central Coast Section cross country meet.
The Gilroy boys and girls both finished third Saturday at the Tri-County Athletic League cross country race to qualify their entire teams for the CCS meet Nov. 11. Like the TCAL race, the CCS meet is at Toro Park.
As expected, San Benito’s boys and girls gained top honors. And each used the same recipe — four runners in the top 10.
Alisal junior Diego Estrada led the way in the boys’ meet in a sizzling 15:41, 29 seconds ahead of Haybalers’ senior Rigo Vasquez. Other San Benito runners in the top 10 were Adrian Rodriquez, fourth; Erik Rodriquez, ninth; and Octaviana Vega, 10th. The ‘Balers had 43 points.
Gilroy runners Jaime Reyes and Derek Pesta also cracked the top 10, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. Reyes was clocked in 16:56, a personal best at Toro Park, and Pesta finished in 17:01.
Mustangs’ freshman Juan Velasquez was 14th in 17:31 and Manuel Cazas was 21st in 18:00. Gilroy’s team total of 80 points was just two more than runner-up Alisal. The Mustangs finished in front of Palma (88), which beat Gilroy during the regular season.
“They ran great on a hot day,” GHS coach Art Silva said. “Jaime is running more than a minute-and-a-half better than last year. And Juan tied his best at Toro.”
San Benito edged Salinas 38-39 on the girls side with Gilroy next at 87. The Mustangs were far in front of fourth-place finisher Alisal (111), which beat GHS during the regular season.
Cowboys’ senior Shannon McVannel was as dominant as Estrada. Her time of 18:59 was 43 seconds better than runner-up Courtney Allen of San Benito. Salinas also had the third-place finisher, Alexandria Bell, but the Balers took sixth (Lauren Villasenor), seventh (AnnMari Rich) and ninth (Sandy Meza).
Gilroy sophomore Kathleen Miller finished fifth overall in 20:24. Other top finishers were Paty Hernandez, 11th, 21:02; Brandie Rodriguez, 17th, 21:34; Christine Bobula, 26th, 22:50; and Anne Donahoe, 28th, 22:58.
For one girl being hurt (Miller, who feel two days earlier) and another being sick (Hernandez), I thought the girls ran real well,” Silva said. “They were right where they should have run.”
