DyeStatCal Cross-Country State Athletes of the Week

September 19-23, 2005

Doug Speck

Girls Athlete of the Week

Kauren Tarver (Serrano, Phelan) - Southern Section

The super soph from the high desert of the Southern Section has had a super start to her 2005 harrier season right where she left off in 2004. The young lady is a super tennis and soccer athlete in addition to her running, with a frosh fall campaign last year that ended with the ninth grader the top finisher for her class in the National Foot Locker individual championships at sixteenth place last December in San Diego. She was the California State Division II Champion last fall in Cross-Country, with an obvious chance to take four of those titles before she is through. All that was done last fall while playing on a fine varsity tennis team. We notice that she is not showing up in the team’s tennis results that we have seen this Fall, so one can imagine the possibilities if she really focuses 100% on running for the season! She had an amazing track campaign last spring where she spent part of the time recovering from a soccer injury, then placed second in the June state meet in the 800 at 2:12.08 and third at 1600m in 4:55.21. She showed some real speed in the spring sport.

Her 2005 cross-country season has been off to a super start with early races highlighted with last weekend’s 16:37 win at the Woodbridge Invitational, putting her in some very select company on the all-time list.

1-Lauren Fleshman (Canyon, CC) 16:35 - Top US Olympic level athlete
2-Kauren Tarver (Serrano, Phelan) 16:37
3-Liza Pasciuto (Murrieta Valley) 16:38 - scorer on Univ Colorado NCAA Champs last year
4-Kevyn Murphy (Mira Costa, MB) 16:39
5-Anita Siraki (Hoover, Glendale) 16:44 -

 

Boys Athlete of the Week

Diego Mercado - John Dye photo

Diego Mercado (West Covina) - Southern Section

Another super Southern Section star, this one from the greater San Gabriel Valley, Diego Mercado (West Covina), has had a super start to his 2005 Fall, with a new Course Record run last weekend in the Woodbridge Invitational, with his 14:13 taking down the 14:17 All-Time best by Mohamed Trafeh (Duarte).

Long known as a very aggressive racer, Diego’s last year of running has set him up for a super senior campaign, with a fine 20th from last year’s National Foot Locker Finals in San Diego in December. He was third last Fall in the State Division I Finals in CC behind Brandon Bethke (El Toro) and AJ Acosta (El Camino, Oceanside), with some showdowns later in the Fall against Acosta, who returns for the 2005-2006 year! In track he was third in State over 3200m behind Michael Cybulski and Mark Matusak with a 9:04.84 eight lap best, with summer action that included a 14:25.89 5000m on the track for third in the US Junior Nationals.

Off to a hot start, Diego Mercado will be one of the big stars of this Fall’s harrier campaign down the road!!!

 

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Previous Athletes of Week

9/5-9
9/12-16