Coronado and Foothill Big Winners at Falcon Invitational

Phil Lawton


Coronado won three of the four team races and had one individual champion, while Foothill produced one win and three runner-ups and two individual champions at the Falcon Cross Country Invitational at Foothill H.S. on Saturday over a 2.5 mile course on the campus. 
The event drew 14 local teams, mostly from the Sunrise Conference, and over 400 individual runners. Four races were held: two freshman-sophomore races and two junior-senior races. Among the leading Sunrise programs only Green Valley-competing in California on Saturday-was absent. 
The freshman-sophomore boy's race went to Coronado (33) over Foothill (40), Tech (71), and Basic (106). The top five individual finishers were Foothill sophomore, Brian Marshall (13:28.8); Coronado sophomores, Alan Ekanger (13:32.1) and Ryan Gehring (13:32.4); Tech sophomore, Zach Zimdars (13:41.8); and Coronado sophomore, Mark Hickey (13:54.6). [NOTE: this is correct, despite what the "official" results show. Nametags were switched]
The frosh-soph girl's race also went to Coronado (35) over Foothill (52), Basic (64), and Tech (119). This was one of the more competitive races of the day. Tech sophomore Taylor Coss led for most of the race until she was overtaken in the last half mile by Boulder City sophomore Jessica Tobler. Tobler won in 16:00.9; Coss finished second in 16:06.4. 
Tobler, runner-up at State as a freshman in the 2009 3A state meet, was satisfied with her come-from behind win.
 "It was faster than I expected. I caught her on the second loop." She added, "I feel good about my chances of winning state this year since the race is on our home course (Veteran's Memorial Park in Boulder City)." 
The next two finishers in the freshman-sophomore girl's race were a pair of freshman, Alyse Vanek of Foothill (16:16.9) and Sara Dort of Coronado (16:19.8). Basic sophomore, Jessica Raymond (16:27.9) finished fifth. 
The junior-senior boy's race produced the closest team finish and the  fastest time-of-the-day. In team competition Foothill (60) edged out Basic (68), Durango (69), and Coronado (70). Individually, Foothill senior, Carl Greene-leading from the start-won easily (13:01.6) over the next finisher, his Foothill teammate junior Kyler Campbell (13:15.9). 
Campbell, who last year ran for Basic and earned a trip to state before being rezoned for Foothill, is one of the reasons Foothill's boy's team is among the favorites to go to state.
Finishing 3-5 in the junior-senior race were Durango senior, Matt Shelton (13:26.2); Del Sol senior, Walter Casey (13:26.6); and Coronado senior, Cameron Neal (13:32.0).
Del Sol's number one runner, Colin Smith, took a day off in preparation for the Stanford Invitational next Saturday. 
Winner Greene deflected attention from himself after the race. "Our team is coming together. We have at least 14 guys on our team (who are competitive) and everyone wants to win. We're looking towards Region and State." About the race today he added: "This is the fastest course in town. I was just running for place and decided to relax and let it happen." 
Foothill coach, Tim Simonis, was effusive in his praise for Greene, calling him "so, so coachable. He listens and does what you tell him.... He was 16 seconds fastest over this course from last year."
The final race of the day, the junior-senior girls race saw Coronado senior Erin Smith take it out fast and never look back, leading her team to victory with the lowest team score of the day (31) over Foothill 54), Tech (76), and Basic (77). Smith's time of 15:44.8 was over ten seconds faster than that of the runner-up, senior Cheyenne Jones of Foothill (15:54.9). They were the only two girls to break 16. Kristal Hosaka, Coronado senior, finished third in 16:00.3; Boulder City senior Stephanie Adams was fourth (16:20.3); and Foothill junior Sage Long finished fifth (16:30.6).
After the race, Smith was pleased with the race today and the season so far. "Today's race was hard, but I love this fast course.  "I broke 20 for the first time this week on Green Valley's new (3.1 mile) course.... Last year I would just stay with the pack; now I try to lead myself."
 Coronado coach, Mark Tondryk, was also pleased with today's results. "My boys are young, but they are doing better than I expected; they're a pleasant surprise." The girls are 12 deep. Erin and Kristal usually lead but after that I never know from one week to the next.... I have three freshmen who are fighting to make the top seven (Sara Dort, Logan Lucas, Emma Czenoinski)." 
(Phil Lawton)