Petaluma and Casa Grande primed for big efforts in NCS cross country run

<p>After dominating Sonoma County League cross country all season, Petaluma’s Trojans and Casa Grande’s Gauchos go for even greater glory in the North Coast Section championships Saturday in Hayward.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>The schools are in different divisions, but have had similar success, Petaluma with its boys team and Casa Grande with its girls. </p><p>Last season, Petaluma’s boys were second to Campolindo in the Division III race, while Casa Grande’s girls were third in the Division II run. Both teams earned advancement to the state meet. To reach state again, the local teams have to be among the top three finishers in their division races. </p><p>Petaluma’s boys appear ready to make a big push, not only for a state qualifying, but for the NCS title. Trojan coach Jim Lynch expects it to come down once again to the Trojans and Campolindo. </p><p>“It will depend on who is healthy,” he acknowledges.</p><p>As of early in the week, Petaluma was not completely healthy. No. 3 runner Clark Bernard reported a sore throat, and the coach is hoping it is not a sign of something more serious that will prevent Bernard from running Saturday.</p><p>“Realistically, the boys will make state,” Lynch says.. In Hugh Dowdy and Forrest Shaffer, Petaluma has two seniors who are among the best in the North Coast Section. Dowdy is expected to give Novato’s highly rated andStanford-bound Eric Olsen a run for individual honors and Shaffer will be among the top finishers.</p><p>“Our three through six runners (Bernard, Kevin Poteracke, Ryan Douglas and Prescott Nicole) are all running real well,” the coach says. “We have a real good shot at winning the section.”</p><p>The Petaluma girls have already been through the flu thing, and Lynch says they are healthy and could be a surprise in the NCS meet. </p><p>“The girls are pretty much on the upswing,” he says. “If we run the way were are capable, and are healthy, we have a good shot at state, but we have no room for an error.”</p><p>Senior Isabell Andrade leads the Petaluma girls, and is expected to be among the top runners in the race. Francesca Honey has come back from an early season injury to also rank with the best runners in the Redwood Empire. </p><p>Freshmen Kirby Franklin and Hailey Lynch, who is coming back after a battle with the flu, have improved and matured. With Dorthea Parker and Kailyn Paretti, Petaluma has a solid, and hopefully healthy. team. </p><p>In the Divsion II race, Casa Grande’s girls will attempt to return to state for the third time in as many seasons. Last year, the Lady Gauchos were third as a team, while the amazing Jacque Taylor dominated the run to finish first. </p><p>Not only is Taylor back, looking for another NCS championship, but the Lady Gauchos also return Dominique Rato, Eva Luu, Taylor Falk, Melanie Cox and Chloe Hall. </p><p>Casa Grande coach Carl Triola expects something special.</p><p>“Our girls are really coming together,” he says. “The girls are primed and ready to go. They have been there (to state) and their goal is to get back.”</p><p>Triola said the Gaucho boys may surprise some people. </p><p>Senior Spencer Hall broke the school record at Spring Lake Park that had stood for 16 years and is primed to challenge the section’s top runners. </p><p>With Austin Minnick, Ben Tarango, Tyler Harwood and Phil Johnson, the Gauchos have a strong group of talented runners.</p><p>“It is a very solid team,” says Triola. “It may be the best boys team I’ve ever coached, and they are running really well.”</p><p>Petaluma and Casa Grande go into the NCS run coming off dominating performances in last week’s Sonoma County League championship run at Spring Lake. </p><p>Petaluma’s boys easily defended their title, winning with 18 points to 50 for Casa Grande, 105 for El Molino, 115 for Analy, 132 for Sonoma, 142 for Healdsburg and 162 for Windsor. </p><p>Dowdy won in a cruising 15:24, with Shaffer second in 15:29.</p><p>Casa’s Hall broke up the Trojan dominance, finishing third in 15:37.</p><p>Petaluma completed its championship with Poteracke fourth in 15:56, Douglas fifth in 16:09 and Nicole seventh 16:10.</p><p>Casa Grande’s girls won the SCL title again, scoring 34 points to 40 for Petaluma, 111 for Windsor, 117 for Healdburg, 119 for Analy, 144 for El Molino and 167 for Windsor.</p><p>Despite a broken and flopping shoe lace, Taylor easily won the girls race, finishing in 17:15, with Petaluma’s Andrade second in 18:01. </p><p>Casa’s Ratto was third in 18:35 and Petaluma’s Honey finished fifth in 19:08.</p>