Saratoga News

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Prospect's Laura Kniskern runs alone on the trails of Alum Rock Park. Kniskern is one of the top sophomore runners in CCS this fall.

Panthers racing for title

Heerwagen, Kurasch win Falcon Fun Run

By Dick Sparrer

They're running on a collision course.

And when the girls' cross-country teams from Prospect and Santa Teresa finally collide, the dual meet championship will be decided in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

The two teams were scheduled to meet on Oct. 27 with the title on the line in the division. The Saints were 5-0 after running to a tight 28-29 win over Leigh last week, and the Panthers were 4-0 after racing to an easy 15-50 win over Westmont.

Prospect improved to 4-0 by putting five runners through the finish gate before any Westmont runner could finish.

Mariko Yoshihara covered the 2.85-mile course at Alum Rock Park in 20:05 to finish first for the Panthers.

Laura Kniskern was second in 20:20, with Elizabeth Giles third in 20:38, Sarah Yarnall fourth in 20:53 and Alison Prehn fifth in 20:59.

The Prospect boys lost 20-41 to Westmont the same day, but Greg Ortiz of the Panthers finished first overall in 16:48 to lead the individual race to the finish line.

Westmont senior Greg Johnson was second in 17:21, with Jordan Lee third in 17:46, Kevin Cookson fourth in 17:56, and Craig Renteria fifth in 18:00. Lee and Cookson are just freshmen.

The teams of the BVAL are looking ahead to league finals set for Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m., at Crystal Springs.

Falcon Fun Run

Belinda Heerwagen and Steve Kurasch were the overall winners when runners from Saratoga High and the community joined together for the annual Falcon Fun Run.

Kurasch finished first overall in the race that started and finished on the high school track. Jake Christopherson was second in the men's division, with Greg Burke third. Kurasch was also a winner in the men's 40-49 age group. Christopherson was first in the men's 14-15 class, and Burke was a winner in the men's 50-59 division.

Heerwagen was the women's overall winner, with Jane Cowley second and Anne Richards third. Heerwagen was the women's 30-39 age winner, with Cowley second in the division. Richards took the women's 12-13 title.

Winners in the run include:

Women's division: 5-and-under: 1) Anne Marie Schmidt, 2) Teresa Skelly, 3) Katie Rose Skelly; 6-7: 1) Tiffany Gohmow, 2) Rachel Sabes, 3) Nicole Sabes; 8-9: 1) Kelly Schmidt, 2) Nichole Raisch, 3) Beth Mitchell; 10-11: 1) Alicia Follmar, 2) Allison McGuire, 3) Caroline Heerwagen; 12-13: 1) Anne Richards, 2) Katie Turley-Moloney, 3) Amanda Burns; 14-15: 1) Jody Kellogg, 2) Carol Lui, 3) Jenny Yoo; 16-17: 1) Whitney Dotzler, 2) Justine Lam, 3) Ashley Babb; 18-19: 1) Sara Harley; 20-29: 1) Kathryn Picango, 2) Melanie Burgonio, 3) Patrice Boyan; 30-39: 1) Belinda Heerwagen, 2) Jane Cowley, 3) Gretchen Schiffer; 40-49: 1) Debbie Follmar, 2) Fran Charters, 3) Paivi Malinen; 50-59: 1) Diane Rose.

Men's division: 5-and-under: 1) Patrick Skelly, 2) Nathan Andre; 6-7: 1) John Schmidt, 2) Christopher Feulner, 3) Tyler Thornburg; 8-9: 1) Henry Barmeir, 2) Scott Surette, 3) Conner Skelly; 10-11: 1) Devin Triantos, 2) Cameron Askew, 3) Danny Wallace; 12-13: 1) Brett Stanger, 2) Nicholas McGuire, 3) Troy Follmar; 14-15: 1) Jake Christopherson, 2) Ian Jang, 3) Richard La; 16-17: 1) Richard Chen, 2) Chad Allen, 3) Kevin Higgins; 20-29: 1) Pete Wilson, 2) Jonathan Goldstein, 3) Kevin Picaco; 30-39: 1) Larry Provost, 2) Tom Surette, 3) Doug Demmerline; 40-49: 1) Steve Kurasch, 2) Dave Bitner, 3) Frank Schneider; 50-59: 1) Greg Burke, 2) Bill Schmidt, 3) Hank Nothhaft; 60-69: 1) Dan Teller.

Team competition: Adult men and women: 1) Concentric, 2) Scoutmasters Troop 508, 3) Argonaut 2nd-Grade Dads; Student boys and girls: 1) St. Andrew's School, 2) Redwood Cross-Country; Adult women's: 1) Redwood Teachers, 2) Lil's Team, 3) Jan's Team; Student girls: 1) Saratoga High School Cross-Country, 2) Argonaut 2nd-Graders.

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