Buchanan’s Corie Smith keeps her undefeated season running. Next up: state championships
An illness prevented Buchanan High star cross country runner Corie Smith from defending her state championship last season.
The senior appears determined to make it two out of three when this season’s state meet happens Nov. 30.
Smith showed she’s in great shape at Thursday’s Central Section meet, winning the girls Division I race for a third time. She jumped out to an early lead and cruised to first place in 17 minutes 15.58 seconds on the 5,000-meter course at Woodward Park.
Clovis East freshman Erika Nyberg was second in 18:05.37.
Smith led the Bears to a first-place team finish with 26 points, well ahead of runner-up Arroyo Grande with 118.
“This race was really more about my team more than me,” Smith said. “I just go out and do what I can for the day and for them and it was just more going out there just seeing where we can improve as a team. This was a great practice and another good hard workout for us going into the state meet.”
Buchanan coach Brian Weaver said “she’s coming right along” after Smith won her ninth straight meet without defeat this season.
The illness obviously came at a bad time for Smith and Weaver is looking forward to seeing how she does in her final state meet. Smith figures to need more speed next week but has demonstrated it’s there, running the Clovis Invitational on the same course Oct. 12 in 16:53.9 to win by 3 seconds.
“Hopefully we find out in a week what she can do,” Weaver said. “We’ve been working on this all year and she has her goals. She’s working really hard and all the time she’s put in is really paying off for her.”
What’s next week’s plan heading into the state meet so she doesn’t get sick again?
“Definitely making sure I eat the same thing that I always eat kind of a thing,” Smith said. “For me, it’s just the routine that I’ve been in this whole season and kind of just not strain. I’m not going to try anything new right now.
“I know what works for me and how my body works and what I like and don’t like and for me it’s about just sticking to my routine and just finish the week as relaxed and easy as I can.”
Buchanan had seven finish in the top 13: freshman Sydney Sundgren (third), sophomore Kaylee Elliott (sixth), freshman Caroline Mendyk (seventh), senior Mia Jauregui (ninth), junior Morgan Hutchison (12th) and freshman Grace Hutchison (13th). Only the top five finishes count toward the team total.
Other meet highlights:
Division I
The Clovis North boys raced to a team victory with 59 points, led by senior Isaiah Galindo who won in 15:14.79 ahead of Damian Gavilan of Paso Robles (15:19.62).
Division II
Madera senior Unique Ford ran 18:15.51 to win her second straight section title.
Ford said she felt confident before the race started and “hit the hills hard.”
Madera, the County/Metro Athletic Conference champion, finished fourth with 73 points behind San Luis Obispo (59), Sanger (62) and Paso Robles (65).
Division III
The Central boys were the runaway winners with 35 points, led by individual champion Abel-Rudisha Teffra.
Teffra. dominated the race in 15:41.40.
“I kind of took it easy first,” Teffra said. “The last two miles I wasn’t pressing. The first 1,200 meters I knew I was going to start out (fast) before everybody else. I’m ready (for state).”
Jessica Valles of Sunnyside won the girls race in 18:52.77. Edison took the title with 92 points.
Division IV
Jorge Sanchez of Porterville won in 16:52.66, just ahead of Chowchilla’s Connor Borba at 16:56.30.
Led by Sanchez, the Panthers took the title with 76 points, followed by the Tribe’s 93.
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 5:43 PM.
