Kauren Tarver (Serrano HS)

Frosh Suthern Section Star

Karen (left) with grandfather and father-Serrano Team-Donna Dye photos

Kauren Tarver – Serrano HS of Phelan Frosh Star

Colors, colors, colors! Standing near the finish line at Mt. SAC with races run very quickly outside the Sweeps events, and the facility’s ability to overlap during races with no problem, it is kind of a game to pick out athletes who win by a long ways and end up running up through the pack in the previous event. No trouble for any of the runners involved, but it makes kind of an interesting game if you are trying to do things like take pictures of the race winners along the way, almost all of whom are able to overrun some beginners in the previous race (or two).
Such an occurrence took place early this past Saturday at Mt. SAC, where, in looking for the winner of Girls Varsity race #45 wearing yellow, a slight young lady in a blue uniform and yellow number flashed by pretty far up into the previous race near the finish. With the clock at the finish line showing a time in the 17:40’s, it seemed worth chasing the winner down even though we had blown the photo of her coming in, and after a hike through the chute, the blue-clad lass was collared before she headed off to congratulations of her teammates and others. We had heard of the running of Serrano HS of Phelan’s ninth grader Kauren Tarver this season, but this was the first time we were able to see her in action, and she lived up to all her clippings. Her 17:41 winning clocking rated among the top half dozen times run overall on the Girls’ half of the meet Saturday, and was easily the top frosh time run for the weekend. A fine all-around athlete, Kauren offered an uncluttered explanation of her approach to the event this day, and is really off to a stunning start in our harrier sport. A multi-sport athlete she had better be pretty darn good in the other ones to top her potential in the one involving pure running.

When asked about how long she had been running, Kauren indicated that ”I started running in the seventh grade and I just keep running.” She does show up in last year’s elementary results from the Mt. SAC Invite Meet, racing to a 42 second win at 8:06 over the elementary level course last year as an eighth grader at Pinon Mesa School. It appears that was the fastest time run by a girl in last year’s elementary/middle school level meet at the course (one race with current La Costa Canyon frosh Katy Andrews below, had no times). In the December Regionals on the course racing a tad longer, Kauren raced 12:10 for the middle school division, placing third behind National JO Midget runner-up Erin Gillingham from San Diego and current La Costa Canyon frosh Katy Andrews. So Kauren has done some racing.

When asked how Cross-Country has been for her this year, she replied, “It’s been good and I really like it.” Her plan for the Mt. SAC Invite race: “We have been training along the way, and I figured I would try to start out ahead, because if I started out regular and would get behind at the start I might stay there. It’s usually the way I start out.” When asked about pacing splits along the way, she indicated, “I did not have any times along the way in mind, I just wanted a good time at the finish.” As for goals this season, she stated, “I want to break 17 minutes on a course, and I would like to make it to state.” Her other sports, “I play tennis, cross-country, soccer, and this year I’m probably going to run track.” Asked where she was during the current tennis season for her Serrrano HS Varsity squad (she does do both sports at once), she indicated, “I am the #2 Varsity player.” She has played tennis four years.

There is a lot more to the athletic story of the Tarver family, with sister Lauren (sorry about the name mix-ups along the way in all of this – using age as an excuse this week!), a sophomore, an All-CIF First Team Soccer player last year for the Section Champs Diamondback squad, and she appears to be the #1 player on this year’s Serrano Girls Varsity Tennis team, with Kauren #2. Oh yeah, Lauren was 20:24 for 22nd in the Mt. SAC Race #45 for the wining Serrano cross-country crew, so she is also a Fall multi-sporter (the Southern Section has Girls Tennis and Cross-Country on the Fall Sports schedules). My, these folks keep busy!!! Little sister, Skyler, we assume still a middle-schooler, was eighth in the same race won by Kauren at the Mt. SAC Invite last year (2003), a tad over a minute behind her sister who is achieving so much this year. Obviously an amazing family, and great group of athletes we will hear a ton more from in the future! Serrano runs in the Mojave River League, with powers Rim of the World and Sultana along for the ride, there will be some super competition to push the whole group! A mid-October League gathering had Rim win with 40, Serrano with 44, and long-time power Sultana third at 52, with Kauren 52 seconds ahead of the pack that day!