Let me restate that the mission of this blog is to give the hard-working distance runners of Stanislaus County the recognition they richly deserve. Given that XC is both and individual and a team sport, I have tabulated the top five male and female teams and the top ten male and female individuals. Tonight's post will include the All StanCo boys' team. I have spent all Fall attending meets, photographing the runners, and writing up the results in this blog. Even with all of those hours under my belt, this list of ten boys was not an easy one to finalize. I started with a list of about 20 runners. After the SubSect meet the order changed. After the Section meet it changed again. Some runners seemed to be clear choices. Others I tried to compared head to head to head. I AGONIZED. I listed, erased, and checked results again, AND AGAIN. As I stated previously, it is an impure science. I questioned how much should one meet be worth...What about the athletes who didn't run varsity all season...the choices were all tough ones as maybe 15 runners were vying in my head for ten spots. Ultimately I decided that if a runner didn't run (varsity) all season, that put him a step behind those who did. It was a tough call (one you might not understand or agree with), but it was a major piece of the puzzle and the decisions as to who did and did not make the list.
Please feel free to share your differing opinions with me at screaminscott64@yahoo.com . If you agree or disagree it shows that you care about the runners and obviously cared enough to read the blog, and I thank you for both.
ALL STANCO BOYS' TEAM (in no particular order)
MARIO MEDINA (Gregori) 12th Highlights--1st MMC 1; 1st MMC 2; 1st MMC 3; 1st MMC 4; 2nd OA Sierra Inv; 17th D1 SS (17:17); 12th D1 Sect (16:34). Medina was the top boy in the MMC. His cool demeanor belies his competitive spirit. He missed qualifying for State by 1 sec.
ADAN CHAVEZ (Riverbank) 12th Highlights--1st TVL 1; 2nd TVL 2; 1st TVL 3; 1st StanCo HMB; 9th D4 SS (17:27); 2nd D4 Sect (16:46)--qualified for State. Adan was solid in every race this season. He runs with the strength and heart of a champion.
MARC ALANIA (Modesto) 11th Highlights--4th MMC 1; 2nd MMC 2; 6th MMC 3; 3rd MMC 4; 44th D1 SS (17:42); 27th D1 Sect (17:00). Alania was one of a wave of MoHi front runners. He is a tough competitor who runs for the win. He returns next year to help lead the Panthers again.
DANIEL YANEZ (Hughson) 11th Highlights--4th TVL 1; 3rd TVL 2; 2nd TVL 3; 2nd Hugh SC; 4th D4 SS (17:19); 7th D4 Sect (17:03)--qualified for State. In one season Yanez goes from running F/S to qualifying for State. If his progress continues he will dominate D4 next year.
ANTHONY ARAUZA (Gregori) 12th Highlights--2nd MMC 1; 4th MMC 2; 2nd MMC 3; 6th MMC 4; 33rd D1 SS (17:30); 53rd D1 Sect (17:37). Arauza has grow as a runner through the years. His ability to "kick" at the end of races propelled him past many runners in many races.
EMMANUEL CHAVEZ (Riverbank) 12th Highlights--2nd TVL 1; 2nd StanCo HMB; 3rd TVL 3; 14th D4 SS (17:30); 5th D4 Sect (17:03)--qualified for State. Emmanuel and his brother were a gift to Riverbank last year. They have carried a young group on their shoulders back to the State meet.
ORLANDO CARDENAS (Modesto) 11th Highlights--5th MMC 1; 3rd MMC 2; 4th MMC 3; 2nd MMC 4; 3rd StanCo HMB; 15th D1 SS (17:08); 26th D1 Sect (16:59). Cardenas, like Yanez, was running F/S last year. He improved as the year progressed and will be the favorite to dominate the MMC next year.
ANDREW WILLIAMS (Modesto) 12th Highlights--10th MMC 1; 9th MMC 2; 3rd MMC 3; 11th MMC 4; 33rd D1 SS (17:03); 30th D1 Sect (17:03). Williams finished SS as the fastest StanCo performer. On the strength of that effort, over perhaps the most difficult course in the section, he makes this list.
JUSTIN GOERING (Downey) 12th Highlights--6th MMC 1; 6th MMC 2; 7th MMC 3; 8th MMC 4; 5th StanCo HMB; 17th D2 SS (17:16); 36th D2 Sect (17:28). Goering anchored the resurgent Downey team. He had a solid season, but it was his 3rd best StanCo performance at SS that vaults him onto this list.
JAMES DE LA O (Modesto) 12th Highlights--8th MMC 1: 7th MMC 2; 9th MMC 3; 7th MMC 4; 47th D1 SS (17:45); 52nd D1 Sect (17:37). DeLaO had a solid season. He provided the senior leadership that launched MoHi to the top StanCo team.
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