Experience tends to separate the good from the great.
Marea Zlatunich is a big believer of that.
Racing at the California Interscholastic Federation state meet for the fourth straight season on Saturday, the Aptos High senior cross country runner conserved her energy for the final mile and passed up a half dozen runners to earn a spot on the podium for the third straight year.
She took sixth in the Division III race by completing the 5,000-meter Woodward Park course in Fresno with a time of 18 minutes, 23.7 seconds.
The last two seasons Zlatunich, this year’s Central Coast Section D-III runner-up and the champion the year prior, took fourth as an individual, while the Mariners finished third as a team in 2016 and won the state title in 2015.
Zlatunich, who is still weighing her options as to where she will run competitively at the next level, said she’s more than happy with her final performance in the Mariner blue.
“Being on the podium, racing with the fastest girls in the state, it’s just a great feeling to get on the podium again,” Zlatunich said.
Aptos finished seventh as a team with 215 points. Campolindo High, of the North Coast Section, won the D-III championship with a score of 101.
La Costa Canyon, of the San Diego Section, was the favorite to win the title but its top runner, Kristin Fahy, collapsed and could not finish the race. The Mavericks finished third.
Senior Sofia Natividad followed Zlatunich in 34th (19:30.4). The rest of the Mariners’ scoring five finish outside of the top 70.
“We threw it out there but it’s always a crapshoot at state — you never know what’s going to happen,” said Aptos head coach Dan Gruber. “That’s why we’re always ecstatic when we make the podium. It’s a special thing.”
Zlatunich could possibly extend her senior season another week or two. She said she is leaning toward making the trip to Southern California for the West Regionals of the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships in a week’s time.
Last season she took sixth at the regional round and advanced to the national level, which this season is scheduled for Dec. 9 at Balboa Park in San Diego.
“She wasn’t too sure about earlier but now she’s game,” Gruber said. “I’m happy for her. She wants to race…Those races are always tough to predict. The good thing is there’s no better pack runner than her.”
Hours earlier Watsonville High made its return to the state meet for the first time since 2000 when freshman Layla Ruiz and senior Daniela Salazar competed in the Division I race.
Ruiz, a third-place finisher in the CCS D-I race two weeks ago, raced to finish 30th in 18:36.7 and Salazar finished 109th with a time of 19:40.7.
Watsonville High freshman runner Layla Ruiz (1891) keeps a steady pace with the rest of the runners in the CIF cross country championship Division I race at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday. — Contributed/Ed Kelly
Watsonville coach Tony Roman said he was proud of both of his runners and highlighted Ruiz’s poise as a first-year runner on such a grand stage.
“I wouldn’t call it expectations because I don’t want to put too much pressure on her but it wasn’t surprising,” Roman said of Ruiz. “It’s what we thought she could do.”
The Wildcatz’ first female league champion since 1989, Ruiz, according to Roman, has changed the program.
“She’s kind of changed the culture — you can feel it,” Roman said of Ruiz, who was the second fastest freshman in her race and seventh fastest overall. “I’m excited for the future. We’re going to try to build the program around her.”
The Aptos boys, meanwhile, took 11th in the Division III race with 282 points.
Senior Jorge Benitez finished 26th in 16:20.6 and Jackson Schenone was 58th in 16:42.1 but the rest of the Mariners all finished outside of the top 70.
“He ran a tough, gusty race and I’m proud of Jorge,” Gruber said. “Taking top 30 is no easy task and he really ran well.”
St. Francis High junior E.J. Kelly also gutted out a finish in the top 30, taking 29th in the Division V race with a time of 16:43.1.
“It felt a lot more familiar this time around,” Kelly said. “I just felt more comfortable the entire time.”
It was Kelly’s third straight trip to Fresno. Two years ago he was joined by a fully-loaded St. Francis squad and last year he ran side-by-side with teammate Braxton Rico. This season, however, he was the lone Shark on the course.
But he didn’t feel alone.
St. Francis High junior runner E.J. Kelly (1684) leads a pack of runner during the Division V race of Saturday’s CIF cross country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno. — Contributed/Ed Kelly
Kelly became an impromptu member of nearly every team from Santa Cruz County. He ran his practice race the morning before with the Aptos boys, had dinner with the San Lorenzo Valley High team the night before and was cheered on throughout the course by runners from Santa Cruz High, Watsonville and Aptos.
“That’s what makes state special,” Kelly said. “You’re running to not only represent your team but your entire county. I had a lot of people behind me.”
