In horse racing parlance, Saturday
’s State Cross-Country Finals favored the “mudders.” Not only
was it rainy and cold at Fresno’s Woodward Park, but by the time
Live Oak High’s Cobbie Jones and Lisa Herrera competed, the course
had been chewed up by several preceding races. But the Acorns
overcame the conditions, with Jone
s finishing 18th overall in 18:40.
In horse racing parlance, Saturday’s State Cross-Country Finals favored the “mudders.” Not only was it rainy and cold at Fresno’s Woodward Park, but by the time Live Oak High’s Cobbie Jones and Lisa Herrera competed, the course had been chewed up by several preceding races.
But the Acorns overcame the conditions, with Jones finishing 18th overall in 18:40.
It was a course PR for the Central Coast Section champion by 38 seconds. Jones also improved by 32 places over last year, and had the top finish of any CCS runner this year.
“I wasn’t sure what kind of mudders they were,” LO coach Dean Raymond said. “But I was hoping for the best and I got their best.”,
Herrera, who battled the nerves usually associated with competing at the state level in one’s first year in a sport, finished in 19:54, good for 92nd place overall.
And, Monte Vista Christian sophomore Wes Buntman, a Morgan Hill resident also competing in his first year in cross-country, placed 18th in a PR of 16:25 in the Division IV boys race.
