Sobrato’s Wolfsmith racing for two-mile state title Saturday
MORGAN HILL — Lance Wolfsmith still feels it.
He still feels the runner’s high from his win last Friday in the 3,200 meters at CIF-Central Coast Section Finals. He smiled when asked about it Wednesday, and he doesn’t smile that often when he talks about racing.
“I just did a run right now and was thinking about it,” he said. “I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget the feeling of winning that race.”
The Sobrato senior treasures it more than any other win on his lengthy resume; more than his national-record setting victory in the 3,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational, more than his triumph in the 3,200 at CCS Top 8, or his back-to-back first-place finishes in the mile and two-mile at Blossom Valley Athletic League Finals.
That he won the 3,200 Friday, becoming the third section champion in Sobrato history, was special, but Wolfsmith isn’t sitting on it.
Morgan Hill’s most decorated distance runner has one race left in his prep career; one big chance to make his high last a little longer — at least until he starts racing for the Air Force Academy in fall.
Saturday he will try to distinguish himself as the best two-miler in California at the CIF State Championships in Clovis.
“I’m leaving right after graduation,” Wolfsmith said. “I’m missing out on Grad Night, but it’s worth it.”
Wolfsmith is confident he can win Saturday.
Although his personal-best time of nine minutes, 7.10 seconds — clocked Friday — has him seeded No. 11 for state, Wolfsmith has an edge over his top competitors: He has beaten most of them this year. He defeated No. 1 Erik Olson of Novato and No. 4 Sam Pons of South Pasadena at Stanford, outkicked No. 6 Isaac Chavez of Barstow at the Upland Invitational and outlasted No. 13 Garrett Rowe of Mountain View and No. 18 Philip Macquitty of Palo Alto at Section Finals.
Wolfsmith was undefeated against CCS opponents in 2009.
“If anyone deserves to win Saturday, it’s Lance,” said San Benito High School distance coach Jeff Morales, who guided his son, Ben, to section titles in cross country and the 3,200. “I’ve seen Lance race many times. The way he runs is special. No one does it with more heart.”
The underlining question, of course, is why Wolfsmith is seeded so far down for Saturday. Although he beat Olson and Pons in the 3,000 at Stanford, the two underclassmen literally ran away with section titles in the 3,200. Olson, a junior, clocked the state’s fastest time (8:55.06) at the CIF-North Coast Section Meet of Champions, and Pons took third (9:00.95) at the CIF-Southern Section Masters — a week after the sophomore won Division III section titles in the mile and two-mile. Having battled the likes of Rowe and Macquitty in CCS competition, Wolfsmith said he is better prepared for state than Olson.
“The way he races is completely different than the way I race,” said Wolfsmith, who placed 14th (9:14.54) at state a year ago. “He’s a solo kind of guy. He ran at Stanford, but he’s shied away from a lot of the big meets. I think that’ll hurt him. He’s going to try to break away from the field, but I’ll be comfortable with that. I beat him in a 3K. I can go another half lap.”
Wolfsmith plans to stay within striking distance of Olson while keeping pace with CIF-San Diego Section champion Collin Jarvis of Rancho Buena Vista.
“If he can stay in the top five going into that last lap, he’ll have a great chance of winning,” Wolfsmith’s father and coach, Dave Wolfsmith, said Tuesday. “It’s all going to be tactical. Just because you’re the fastest, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win this race. Anything is possible.”
Lance learned that the hard way in early April, when he went out too fast and was butchered down the stretch at the Arcadia Invitational. He finished 25th (9:29.36), more than half a minute past the winner, Jarvis (8:58.15). The race brought Lance’s consistency into question.
“He got caught up in the adrenaline,” Dave said. “It was just stupid. It was a kamikaze pace. He blew up, but he learned a lot about controlling himself. He can’t let that happen again.”
Although humbling, Lance’s blunder at Arcadia had its benefits. He has become a more patient runner, using a steady pace to weed out his competition before blasting away with his devastating final burst.
“He can handle anything — that’s what’s scary about him,” Jeff Morales said. “Plus he has that kick. It’s unbelievable.”
Lance had to put that on display earlier than usual Friday, after Rowe started his push with about 300 meters to go. Lance retook the lead in the closing 200 and gritted his teeth through the finish line.
He hopes Saturday’s race at Veterans Memorial Stadium plays out similarly.
“I take my races very personally,” he said. “I won’t go out the fastest; I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I just have to stay in the front pack.
“The field is looking pretty even. I believe state is going to come down to the kick. And if that happens, I have as good a chance as anybody.”
