Healdsburg’s cross country program is historically strong, but this year’s runners have set a high bar even for Greyhounds. At the North Bay League Championships meet last weekend, on Nov. 8, three of the top four finishers in the boys varsity, and five of the top 10, represented Healdsburg High in the Division 5 competition.
It added up to a convincing team victory for the Hounds, ahead of the other Redwood division teams Piner, Ukiah, Cardinal Newman and Rancho Cotate.
Sophomore Lucas Welty (15:14.7 minutes) and senior Jake McWilliams (15:50.3) finished one-two in the Redwood division, with Domenico Cornilsen (16.36) in fourth and Phoenix De Maria Nall (16:56.4) in fifth place.
The race’s finish was dramatic. The Oak division’s eventual champion, senior Trenton Dawson, spent much of the race chasing Welty, only catching up at the finish line. Dawson’s time was 15:14.2; Welty’s was 15:14.7, a half-second behind in the combined race but first in the Redwood division.
Other Greyhounds on the course included Liam McKenzie, Jack Beckman and Lukas Brennan. The entire team of six finished in the top 13, walking away with the title trophy.
“It truly was an exciting weekend at Spring Lake! We’re incredibly proud of how our runners performed and the energy they’ve brought to this season,” said coach Kate Guthrie.
The girls also represented well, with two finishers in the top 10 over the 2.97-mile Spring Lake course. June Nelson and Justina Domenichelli pointed for the team as did Madeleine Herzberg, Olive Munden and Zoe Williams.
Coach Kate Guthrie was unwavering in her support for the girls team. “With athletes setting personal bests throughout and showing an unwavering dedication to the pursuit of progress,” she told The Tribune, “their steady improvement demonstrates that future success is on the horizon.
While the NBL cross country season is over, here comes the Northern California CIF Championship on Nov. 22. The team’s presence there is all but assured, but Guthrie has hopes for an even longer season for some runners, perhaps to the CIF State Championship on Nov. 29.
“While we are brimming with pride about capturing the NBL pennant,” Guthrie said, “our real focus now is on the upcoming NCS Championships on Nov. 22. Our varsity boys have a legitimate shot at qualifying as a team for the CIF State Championship on Nov. 29.
“We’ve had individual runners advance in the past, but as far as I know Healdsburg High has never qualified a full team and this group has a real chance to make school history,” the coach said.
But to qualify as a team they must place in the top four teams at the Nov. 22 NCS Championship meet, she cautioned. Based on recent performances, the Greyhounds may still be running over Thanksgiving weekend.
