Rancho Cotate Invitational
North Coast Section
Friday, September 2, 2005 @ At Rancho Cotate HS - 2.75 miles

 
File photos courtesy of Maria Carrillo XC (left) and Joe Hartman (right).
Maria Carrillo HS junior Michael Brew (left) toured the 2.75-mile layout in a swift 14:21
to record the third-fastest time in meet history! At right, Kristen Sanzari handily won the
girls race in 17:06 as the Pumas rolled to victory! Maria Carrillo is in Division II this year!

Participating teams: Healdsburg, Casa Grande, Petaluma, Justin Siena, Windsor, Cardinal Newman/Ursuline, Albany, Santa Rosa Christian, Santa Rosa, Montgomery, Maria Carrillo, Rancho Cotate

Alex Wolf-Root's fine summary!

Varsity Boys 2.75 miles
TEAM SCORES: 1. Maria Carrillo 27 (74:23); 2. Petaluma 72; 3. Albany 137; 4. Santa Rosa Christian 140; 5. Santa Rosa 143 (beats Montgomery on 6th-runner tiebreaker); 6. Montgomery 143; 7. Healdsburg 192; 8. Windsor 264; Also: Casa Grande DNS; Rancho Cotate DNS; Justin Siena DNS; Cardinal Newman DNS.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
1 Michael Brew Maria Carrillo 14:21 (#3 all-time -- 1. Steve Laurie, Maria Carrillo HS, 13:58 in 1998;                  2.Celedonio Rodriguez, Elsie Allen HS, 14:07 in 1998)
2 Logan Ensign Maria Carrillo 14:32
3 Ryan Aldridge Maria Carrillo 14:45
4 Berg A 14:55
5 McDowall M 15:02
6 Withers CN 15:05
7 Lockey Pet 15:07
8 Vann CN 15:16
9 Winkler SR 15:18
10 Hartz MC 15:22
11 Lunz MC 15:23
12 Kurrman MC 15:25
13 Nave' SRC 15:26
14 Grubb Pet 15:27
15 Stern Pet 15:28
16 Haugen JS 15:28
17 Felipe Pet 15:33
18 McQuaid W 15:35
19 Yungert Pet 15:35
20 Dingrslaw SRC 15:38
21 Cutcher M 15:40
22 Williams MC 15:46
23 Murphy H 15:50
24 Ross SR 15:52
25 Yia A 16:04
26 Thigpen MC 16:09
27 Dunn SR 16:11
28 Perry M 16:15
29 Walia SRC 16:36
30 Lehr SRC 16:37
31 Hollinger CG 16:37
32 Webster H 16:40
33 Huang A 16:46
34 Filsouf A 16:46
35 White H 16:48
36 Seguin JS 16:52
37 Ginn CG 16:53
38 Martindill M 16:56
39 Hayes RC 16:57
40 Hanuls SR 17:01
41 Ungson A 17:04
42 Gisser CG 17:04
43 Petersen SR 17:10
44 Hoff JS 17:20
45 Hendrix SR 17:30
46 Cisnerous RC 17:31
47 Brookhouse SR 17:42
48 Diermanga SRC 17:49
49 Bertalon H 18:01
50 VanRiper SR 18:06
51 Fritz M 18:17
52 Baker W 18:17
53 Stolfi H 18:18
54 Diekmann SRC 18:19
55 Haugen JS 18:23
56 Ott M 18:27
57 Sutton SRC 18:28
58 Aggio RC 18:28
59 Bryan CG 18:29
60 Quast SR 18:34
61 Schindler SRC 18:42
62 Magnell SRC 18:44
63 Buskirk W 19:28
64 Schuster RC 19:46
65 Ruondviaz W 20:08
66 Horzhim W 21:03
67 Henry W 23:08

Varsity Girls 2.75 miles

TEAM SCORES: 1. Maria Carrillo 33 (89:17); 2. Petaluma ; 3. Albany ; 4. Santa Rosa Christian ; 5. Santa Rosa ; 6. Montgomery ; 7. Healdsburg ; 8. Windsor ; Also: Casa Grande ; Rancho Cotate ; Justin Siena ; Cardinal Newman .

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
1 Kristen Sanzari Maria Carrillo 17:06
2 Jacqui Wentz Maria Carrillo 17:20
3 Rich RC 17:23
4 Martindale M 17:28
5 Leanne Fogg MC 17:42
6 Roginz W 17:44
7 Mendez W 17:48
8 Quin A 17:53
9 Parks Pet 17:58
10 Gray MC 18:08
11 Phillips RC 18:31
12 Heisler SR 18:36
13 Berg M 18:52
14 Ponticello Ur 18:55
15 Roberts MC 19:01
16 Immordino Ur 19:10
17 Vaughan Pet 19:12
18 Baer MC 19:16
19 Mohammadi A 19:20
20 Weth MC 19:29
21 Forrey Pet 19:31
22 Buck-Bauer A 19:38
23 Halahan MC 19:42
24 Herold RC 19:45
25 O'Brien CG 19:54
26 Wagner W 19:57
27 Atkinson H 20:07
28 Ruiz SR 20:18
29 Krug M 20:35
30 DeRousseau MC 20:42
31 Strunin SR 20:47
32 Park SR 21:13
33 Lomeli RC 21:22
34 Les CG 21:30
35 Anderson SR 21:39
36 Gnoss M 21:39
37 VanRiper SR 21:43
38 Petterson W 22:10
39 Wahl M 22:14
40 Winkler SR 22:20
41 Bliss SR 22:20
42 Keys CG 23:35
43 Busert W 23:41
44 Carmody CG 23:46
45 Guinn W 24:34:00
46 Geoffrez CG 24:45:00
47 Haredah CG 24:49:00
48 Kestel W 29:59:00

Junior Varsity Boys - 2.75 miles
1 McCleod SR 16:11
2 Smonski MC 16:17
3 Taylor MC 16:19
4 Olson MC 16:36
5 Manlanis MC 16:45
6 Bandana MC 16:49
7 Bozzini JS 16:51
8 Buck A 16:52
9 Richardson A 16:54
10 Strobino SR 17:12
11 Mora CG 16:59
12 Chodora SR 17:12
13 Alexander 17:22
14 Derner CN 17:22
15 Hutchinson W 17:28
16 Hauge CN 17:42
17 Allen A 17:46
18 Carroll Pet 17:48
19 Edwards SR 17:52
20 Zauala 17:53
21 Bellega CN 17:53
22 Main M 17:55
23 Slevin Pet 17:56
24 Hermosillo SR 14:09
25 Varnte MC 18:06
26 Phillips A 18:09
27 Petersen SR 18:10
28 Glenn SR 18:13
29 Dearden MC 18:14
30 Stone MC 18:16
31 Gibb CN 18:18
32 Catania CN 18:19
33 Alley M 18:21
34 Lucia MC 18:27
35 O'Leary MC 18:29
36 Breazeale M 18:30
37 Conroy CN 18:32
38 Miller SR 18:34
39 Mueller H 18:35
40 Zavala CN 18:38
41 Anderson MC 18:41
42 Ongaro Pet 18:44
43 McSweny CG 18:48
44 Iund JS 18:48
45 Farrington Pet 18:54
46 DeMarco CN 18:56
47 McGillirary SR 18:57
48 Brott M 18:58
49 McCleod SR 18:59
50 Prendergoat CN 19:00
51 Strong H 19:07
52 Hilton MC 19:04
53 LeRoy MC 19:05
54 Nelson Pet 19:06
55 Magnell SRC 19:08
56 Thompson RC 19:09
57 Esposti MC 19:10
58 Stephenson MC 19:13
59 Hes RC 19:22
60 Danron SRC 19:25
61 Kimari SR 19:45
62 O'Reilly H 19:46
63 Shea A 19:47
64 Spence A 19:50
65 Kelly CN 19:51
66 Rennard MC 19:54
67 Edsrud SR 19:56
68 Wright H 20:07
69 Ricke CG 20:09
70 Quacchis H 20:11
71 McMahan CG 20:11
72 Patterson CG 20:15
73 Love M 20:19
74 Myers MC 20:20
75 Avina JS 20:22
76 VonSeggern SR 20:25
77 Bingham H 20:26
78 Ashton CG 20:28
79 Nickerson MC 20:42
80 Trubovics SRC 20:54
81 Archer SR 21:02
82 Fung M 21:03
83 Thiel SR 21:07
84 Booth CN 21:13
85 Bilendan Pet 21:20
86 Wahl M 21:26
87 Simmons RC 21:35
88 Hendrix SR 21:43
89 Strunin SR 22:11
90 Wallace A 22:36
91 Ma A 23:31
92 Frayne CG 23:31
93 Navarra JS 23:32
94 Stone CN 23:47
95 Singleton MC 23:55
96 Carver SRC 24:41:00
97 Vassallo CN 30:47:00
98 Cameron CN 33:16:00

Junior Varsity Girls - 2.75 miles
1 Davis MC 19:58
2 Fidler JS 20:02
3 Steinberg MC 20:52
4 Dirado MC 20:56
5 Germini Ur 20:56
6 Puccioni Ur 20:59
7 Zhu MC 21:16
8 Titone MC 21:17
9 Luccnesi Pet 21:18
10 Galles JS 21:34
11 Sanford MC 21:38
12 Farison MC 21:44
13 Kidd SRC 22:01
14 Leake MC 22:02
15 Zanetti,M M 22:05
16 Zanetti,L M 22:06
17 Ayer SR 22:09
18 Trask M 22:10
19 McManus M 22:10
20 Oser M 22:19
21 Davey M 22:23
22 Chapman MC 22:31
23 Cast H 22:32
24 Murphy H 22:34
25 Sumpter H 22:37
26 Brookhouse SR 23:02
27 Wellman RC 23:18
28 Conroy CG 23:38
29 Hall M 23:54
30 Tunzi M 23:57
31 Starkey 24:03:00
32 Mosa CG 24:07:00
33 Martinez CG 24:07:00
34 Lebrchock M 24:08:00
35 Bryan MC 24:16:00
36 Marks JS 24:21:00
37 Reddie M 24:26:00
38 Arostegui JS 24:29:00
39 Ruffatto M 24:39:00
40 McKaley M 24:41:00
41 Beilhes CG 24:54:00
42 Geoffray CG 25:15:00
43 Mullaney SR 25:19:00
44 Sawhney CG 25:20:00
45 Holtan CG 25:21:00
46 Delaat JS 25:50:00
47 Parker CG 25:32:00
48 Cobar Ur 25:56:00
49 Gross RC 26:17:00
50 Gioo SRC 26:43:00
51 Fulton JS 26:43:00
52 Karpinski SRC 28:31:00
53 Parreira CG 28:32:00
54 Beck CG 29:21:00

Rancho Cotate Invite report, by Alex Wolf-Root (Da Man!)
Rancho Cotate Invite 2005
9/3/05

       Historically, the Rancho Cotate Invite has been a key coming out meet for some of the North Coast Sections big stars. National and state champions such as Sara Bei, Julia Stamps, Celedonio Rodriguez, and the 2000 girls team from Montgomery have all had successful debuts at this meet and still own key top all-time marks. And today we saw some up and coming studs from the North Bay begin to claim their spots in NCS history.
        The meet started off with the JV boys race, a race highlighted by freshmen Rory McCleud of Santa Rosa and Keith Taylor of Maria Carrillo. Rory had a very solid 8th grad track season, winning the league title in the 1600m with a Redwood Empire best 4:53. Through the first mile of the extremely fast 2.75 mile course, McCleud led a pack which included Taylor and sophomore teammate Brandon Smonski. Those three stayed together until they hit the track with 300m remaining. Taylor unfortunately made a freshman mistake and kicked too early, unaware that the course did not end at the same spot where it started, but 200m away. This surge of Taylor’s pushed McCleud to a very strong finish, clocking 16:11, which would have placed him 27th in the varsity race. Taylor’s unfortunate mistake cost him 2nd, as he was passed by Smonski. They clocked times of 16:17 and 16:19. They were then followed by a trio of Maria Carrillo athletes to finish with 20 points.
After the race I tried to track down the undefeated McCleud, but was unable to do so. Fortunately, his coach, Doug Coutermarche, was able to talk with me. He said that he did not seem very surprised at McCleud’s victory, even though he was the “fastest freshman ever for Santa Rosa.” A key to McCleud’s victory was that he was “very confident,” not exactly what one would expect from a freshman’s first race. Courtermarche also noted that McCleud did something few freshmen do at their first meet: “race smart”. About halfway through the race he tried to surge on multiple occasions and, realizing he was unable to drop the duo from Carrillo, waited for the final stretch of the race to use his superior finishing speed, which was what ultimately won the race for him. We may very well see more of this young athlete in the future. Watch out NCS.
         The JV girls race also featured some very talented young freshmen. Carrillo athlete Jordan Davis led this race wire to wire. After mile one, she had a 7 second lead, which she was able to hold for practically the entire race. As far as this reporter could tell, she was never legitimately challenged. Yet this seems to have surprised even her. After her race, I asked her when she realized she had stolen the show. Her response: “I didn’t!” Apparently she was running scared, thinking the entire time that “someone was going to come up and sprint” to take the win from her. Yet it seemed to work for her. Although she “felt very nervous” before the start of the race, unlike the winner of the JV boys race, she was able to break the 20 minute clocking a 19:58 which would have been good enough for 27th in the varsity girls race. In the team battle, Maria Carrillo again had a solid showing, with all 5 scorers in the top 8. After all the excitement died down, Davis was able to put all of her feelings into one simple statement: “I feel awesome!”
          Two years ago, the Maria Carrillo boys team used the Rancho Cotate Invite to tell the NCS to look out. They backed up a phenomenal opening meet with an undefeated season in the North Bay League, a 2nd place finish in the NCS, and the first state berth in school history. Last year, the Pumas easily defended their title with a 1-2 finish, and again went undefeated in the NBL and qualified for state. What more could they possibly prove this year? What is better than a 1-2 finish? Why, a 1-2-3 finish of course! The Carrillo Trio of Michael Brew, Logan Ensign, and Ryan (Uh-Oh) Aldridge went into this meet with high expectations. A 1-2-3 finish was not unexpected. They clocked a 5:18 first mile, well within their comfort zone, joined by Berg of Albany, junior Blake McDowall of Montgomery, and sophomore Joe Withers of Cardinal Newman. And then they took off. Once they made their move together, they had the race won. The real question was who would come in places 4-6. Berg, McDowall, and Withers all looked strong about half way, but Berg was able to pull away from the two NBL athletes to clock a time that would have been only 1 second of winning last year’s race. In the team battle, Carrillo closed out its scoring with its 4-5 taking 10th (sophomore Alex Hartz) and 11th (senior Matt Lanz), and they had the 12th placer (junior Anton Karrman) for good measure.
         I was able to catch up with two-time champ Michael Brew after the race, and he gave me the run-down of how it all played out. “After the 1st mile, Logan, Ryan, and I pulled away. By the 2nd mile we were relaxed and had strided out a nice 10:33. The rest of the race we turned it up…. I felt comfortable with the support of my team” And let me just add, this reporter can attest to the ability Brew has to “turn it up.” I was the man he moved on with 800m last year to take the win by a full 10 seconds. When this guy moves, he moves. When asked what his goals were for the upcoming season, he enthusiastically replied “NCS title!” (From previous discussions, I assume he was talking about a team title, but an individual one is not out of the possibility as well.) All I can say is, good luck to anyone who stands in the way of that goal.
For those stat junkies (like Rich and I) out there, you will be interested to know that Brew, Ensign, and Aldridge were all able to make the all-time list for the Rancho Cotate Invite. Brew placed 3rd all-time behind Carrillo alumnus Steve Laurie (9:14.77) and state cross country and NCAA 10k champ Celedonio Rodriguez of Elsie Allen. His time puts him in front of another Carrillo alumnus, Jordan Kinley (4:13.67). Ensign was able to place 8th all-time, right behind Montgomery’s state 1600m qualifier, KC Cody (4:19.42). Aldridge ended up 19th all –time.
        Yet the excitement did not end there. The lady Pumas, who finished 2nd at the state for D3 last year, were ready to roll. Though the Pumas had lost 2 key runners off of last year’s squad (Amy Robinson and Kristin Fladseth, last year’s 1-2), they were still able to win in a dominant style. Reigning champ in the NBL for cross country, 800m, and 1600m (as well as, oddly enough, long jump), Kristen Sanzari, was able to join national champions Julia Stamps and Sara Bei as a Rancho winner. Her time was good enough to bump her up from 14th to 13th all time, even though she was not truly challenged throughout the race. She was in complete control the entire time, even though she did not take the lead until after the first mile. “I didn’t want to lead the first mile and thought I’d make my move from there,” she explained. It obviously worked, as her win was the biggest margin of victory of the day, with a 14 second gap over senior teammate Jacqui Wentz.
Wentz’s finish shows a huge improvement over the last year. At the beginning of last year’s season, Wentz was a distant 5th for the Pumas. But the last year has seen constant improvement by her. She finished 6th in the NBL for cross country, but had even more to prove. Coming on extremely strong at the end of the 2005 track season, Wentz clocked an 11:20.06 to place 6th in the NCS MOC, a 14 second PR.
Although Wentz was able to complete the 1-2 punch for Carrillo, it was not without competition. She was closely chased by Rancho Cotate’s Shannon Rich (jr) and Montgomery’s Jennifer Martindale (sr). Last year, Rich was the sole athlete to stop Carrillo from a perfect score at the NBL championships. She ran a very strong last 800m to pull away from Martindale, who also has shown much improvement over the last year. She is only in her 2nd year as a cross country athlete, yet led her team in the 1600m and 3200m this last fall. According to her coach (and her very solid performance today), she has had a “fabulous summer training” and should be expected to improve even more this year. She is apparently considering UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis, so coaches keep an eye out!
         Another success story comes with 5th placer Leanne Fogg (jr). Though her 5th place may not seem like anything astounding for last years NCS runner-up, unlike the other athletes mentioned above, she did not have a good summer of training. Nor an impressive track season. Yet this is due not to any fault on her part, but to a rare condition known as Grave’s Disease. Without getting into the details, Fogg was sidelined during the entire track season, and slowly began recovery during the summer. For what must have seemed like years, she struggled to run a 9 minute mile, knowing full well what she should (and used to) be capable of. Yet none of this stopped her. Whereas most people would give up and live a peaceful, easy life in such conditions, Fogg rose to the challenge. After the race, the smile on Leanne “Miles of smiles” Fogg showed her excitement at finally being back. (She earned said nickname after her victory in the 3200m at the 2004 All City Meet where she would not stop smiling during the entire race.) She was very glad to share her feelings post-race. “I was excited to race since I haven’t been out there for quite a while…. It was fun.” Which is exactly as it should be.
After all the excitement died down, I was able to talk to the Maria Carrillo head coach, Danny Aldridge. Although he was extremely pleased with how the Pumas performed, he noted that they had a “4-5 gap we have to fill.” Although he says there are no sure bets for those spots, or even for all top 7, there are “more to choose from” than last year’s squad. There are about 6 athletes fighting for the last 4 spots, and he hopes that at least 2 will be able to step it up if this team is to perform well at the state meet. But still, he was happy with his team, noting that, in any case, “we’re a pretty good team right now.”