Take 2: Flames win again
STOCKTON — For the second time in three weeks, the Lodi High cross-country teams dominated a Tri-City Athletic League meet.
Moving an inch closer toward winning at least a share of the league team titles, the Flames’ boys and girls squads sprinted to first place finishes at the TCAL’s No. 2 meet at Oak Grove Regional Park. In the varsity boys’ 3.1 miles race, Lodi finished with 41 points, while St. Mary’s had 45 in the 3.1 miles race around the park. Tokay took fifth with 126 points.
For the girls, Lodi finished with 38 points for a first place finish, and Lincoln second at 58. St. Mary’s was third at 83 points, and Tokay fourth with 110, as this race was also 3.1 miles. At Lodi Lake on Sept. 13, the Flames’ squads dominated the league’s first meet.
In the boys’ race, Lodi’s Peter Vo and Bryson Goehring led the way. Vo, who took second place at the first league meet, was third at 16 minutes, 25 seconds and Goehring fourth at 16:39. Flames who rounded out the top 10 were James Angel, ninth place at 16:53. St. Mary’s had three finish in the top 10, and six in the top 25.
“St. Mary’s was better than us on paper,” said Lodi coach Greg Wright.
Tokay’s best finisher was Alek Francovich, taking seventh place at 16:49 that is his personal record this season. Placing in the top 25 for the Tigers were Homero DeLaCruz, 18th at 17:17 and Cameron Wisely, 24th at 17:41.
“He did amazing,” said Tokay coach Karey Harty of Francovich. “He’s looking very aggressive.”
Lodi girls had four girls who placed in the top 10, which started with Ruth Hernandez, who won the first race at Lodi Lake, taking second at 19:33. Teammate Frida Rodriguez was fifth at 20:24, Yasmin Melendrez eighth at 20:46 and Rachel Maddox 10th at 20:58.
“Ruth ran a Division I recruited time,” Wright said. “Once you run (19:33), colleges will start looking at you. Ruth is in her junior year, has a lot of AP classes. This will be good in the long run.”
Hernandez felt the course at Oak Grove Regional Park was longer than Lodi Lake. But the perk at this park was the start of the race that was on grass.
“That helped me start off real fast,” Hernandez said.
Tokay’s Janette Vazquez, who was nursing a shoulder injury in the first league meet, took 14th place at 21:26. Katiana Reedy was on Vazquez’s footsteps, taking 16th place at 21:44 and Natalie Fornito 20th at 23:05.
“She had a better race today,” said Harty of Vazquez. “She looked more aggressive.”
At the halfway point of this season, Harty notes that runners for both the boys and girls are working toward lowering their times at each league meets and weekend invitational. Tokay had captured the last seven league titles on the boys’ side. At the first league meet, both squads finished near the bottom of team points.
“It’s a different season for us,” Harty said. “Trying to get each individual their each individual goal. For the varsity boys, it was everybody for themselves, get a PR.”
The league’s No. 3 meet is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18 Eagal Lakes Resort in Tracy.