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Bulldogs bring home medals from Hughson competition
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The members of Ceres High's boys and girls cross country teams had a blast on Wednesday at the First Annual Stanislaus County Supercross Country Invitational in Hughson.

The 2.5 mile course featured obstacles, including a 20-yard mud pit and sections of hay bales.

"This will definitely be something we'll come back to," Bulldogs coach Natalie Alvarez said. "It's just so new, different and fun. I wish they had a coaches race so I could run it."

Ceres High had three runners medal at the inaugural Hughson High event, including Alejandro Garcia, Gabriel Sanchez and Mayra Abreo.

Garcia dominated the varsity boys race, besting 55 other runners on his way to winning in 13 minutes, 51 seconds.

"I'm not surprised he won because he works very hard," Alvarez said. "He puts in extra time during the weekend."

Alejandro was greeted by his parents after crossing the finishing line 25 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Zach Tanis of Hughson (14:16).

"My stomach started to hurt midway through the race but I was able to finish," he said.

Garcia enjoyed the competition.

"It's a fun course because it puts you in different settings," he said. "The second time coming back through the mud, I was losing my balance. But I was able to keep going."

Gabriel brought home a seventh-place medal (15:48). Mathew May (17:39), Keegan Overbey (17:59), Alex Morales (18:00) and Edward Lopez (18:48) took 25th, 28th, 29th and 36th, respectively.

Ceres High's Mayra Abreo finished 10th with a time of 19 minutes, 24 seconds in the varsity girls race. She topped 36 other runners, including Bulldog teammates Jennifer Perez Michelle Excina and Erica Castrejon.

Perez (20:16), Excina (20:28) and Castrejon (22:40) placed 13th, 14th and 26th, respectively.

"That was adventurous," Abreo said when asked to describe what it was like to compete on a course that had a mud pit. "If felt really good on my feet. It was refreshing."

Six schools participated in the Supercross Country Invitational, including host Hughson, Ceres High, Pitman, Downey, Turlock and Waterford.

At the conclusion of the meet, team and individual scores were announced near midfield of the football stadium.

The host Huskies swept the varsity boys and girls titles.

"It's going to get really big in the future," Alvarez said. "They'll have to move it to a Saturday meet."