Ever since she was an unusually fast seventh grader at Britton
Middle School, Cobbie Jones dreamed about winning a Central Coast
Section cross-country title. She thought about it as she ran for
countless hours in her quest to be one of the top runners in the
state. Four years later, the Live Oak High junior realized her
childhood dream, racing to the CCS Division I girls individual
championship at Toro Park on Saturday. Jones finished the course in
18:30, a full five seconds ahead of Hollister-San Benito
’s Amanda Boyd in second.
Ever since she was an unusually fast seventh grader at Britton Middle School, Cobbie Jones dreamed about winning a Central Coast Section cross-country title. She thought about it as she ran for countless hours in her quest to be one of the top runners in the state.
Four years later, the Live Oak High junior realized her childhood dream, racing to the CCS Division I girls individual championship at Toro Park on Saturday. Jones finished the course in 18:30, a full five seconds ahead of Hollister-San Benito’s Amanda Boyd in second.
It was the third try for the immensely talented runner, who also made the CCS finals in her freshman and sophomore years, and came as little surprise.
“I was really confident in myself and I felt confident coming in,” Jones said. “I was just very consistent. This was the race I wanted to (run) all year.”
Jones’ section title is believed to be the first in the cross-country program’s history.
In fact, it was a banner day for Live Oak cross-country in general, as first-year runner Lisa Herrera surprised everyone by joining Jones as a State Finals qualifier, and the Acorn boys team took fourth overall for its best-ever showing at CCS.
Herrera finished seventh in 19:11, shaving 24 seconds off her time at the league finals on the same course two weeks ago.
“I was just aiming for the Top 10,” Herrera said. “I wasn’t sure I had a chance to go to state.”
Jones and Herrera will compete in the State Finals at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday, Nov. 27.
Jones, who also competed at state in both cross-country and track her first two years in high school, said it will be even better not to have to go to state by herself for a change.
“I’m really excited,” Jones said. “And, it’s even batter that I get to go with a teammate.”
For the Acorn boys, Saturday’s section finals were a bittersweet experience, according to Coach Dean Raymond.
As a team, the LO boys came within a single point of taking third place, and, individually, senior Billy Wong came within one spot of finishing in seventh and earning a spot in the state finals.
Wong closed out his high school cross-country career with a rousing kick to the finish, overtaking the ninth-place runner – Josh Vasquez of league rival Hollister-San Benito – to secure an eighth-place finish in 16:13. He trailed the seventh-place runner by just a second.
“It was bittersweet for them but I’m really pleased with their performance,” Raymond said. “They had really high expectations but, again, this is CCS and it’s tough.”
Other top finishers for the Acorn boys were Jonathan Kamei (27th in 16:54), and Orlando Lucero (31st in 17:01).
MH resident Wes Buntman, a sophomore competing for Monte Vista Christian, also qualified for the state meet by finishing fifth in Division IV.
