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Thiele-led Bulldogs enjoy memorable outing
• Bulldogs qualify one team, three individuals for section meet
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Gabby Soto and the Ceres High frosh-soph girls cross country team will compete at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III Championships this Saturday in Folsom. - photo by Contributed

Ceres High’s cross country program had a memorable outing at the Sac-Joaquin Division-III Sub-Section Championships on Saturday at Frogtown.

“I’m very pleased with their performance,” coach Katie Thiele said. “They all worked very hard.”

The Bulldogs had one team and three individuals extend their seasons.

Ceres High’s frosh-soph girls squad advanced to the Section meet.

The Bulldogs totaled 96 points while taking fourth.

Carmen Ramirez was Ceres High’s top finish.

She placed 15th with a time of 15 minutes, 36 seconds on the 2-mile course.

Bulldog teammates Gabby Soto (17:24), Andrea Contreras (17:54), Elizabeth Mercado (18:46), Monika Lepe Perez (19:12) and Karen Vang (22:11) took 32nd, 40th, 43rd, 45th and 65th, respectively.

“This is definitely a big moment for the team and me. This is my first team to qualify for Sections. It’s a milestone.”
Coach Katie Thiele

“This is definitely a big moment for the team and me,” Thiele said. “This is my first team to qualify for Sections. It’s  a milestone.”

Ceres High’s varsity boys posted a team score of 521 on its way to a 19th-place finish.

A newcomer to cross country, sophomore Luis Yepez secured an individual berth to the Section meet.

He took 41st in a field of 183.

Yepez completed the 3-mile course in 18 minutes, 7 seconds.

“I don’t know if he realizes how huge of an accomplishment it is,” Thiele said. “He’s very talented. He’s not afraid to push himself.”

Bulldog teammates Fernando Cardoza (20:19), Bryan Erenas (20:35), David Aguilar (21:05), Daniel Yepez (21:16), Colton Johnson (21:19), Miguel Prado (21:46) and Kolton Vaughn (23:26) placed 119th, 123rd, 140th, 143rd, 146th, 155th and 167th, respectively.

Aaron Alarcon, Ceres High’s top runner, suffered an asthma attack during the meet.

“He raced but did not finish the race,” Thiele said. “He was heartbroken not being able to finish his senior season off strong.”

Mark Aguilar and Elijah Van Dinis qualified for the frosh boys section meet.

Aguilar (14:18) and Van Dinis (14:25) placed 16th and 19th, respectively, at the sub-section championships.

Ceres High’s varsity girls team had two individuals compete at Sub-Sections.

Senior Destiny Suarez placed 65th with a time of 24 minutes on the 3-mile course.

“She was three individual spots away from qualifying for Sections,” Thiele said. 

Suarez set a personal record while finishing ahead of 84 other runners.

“She was really sick leading up to the meet,” Thiele said. “She made it out to the race. I’m not surprised. She always gives 100 percent.”

Junior Jacqueline Rodriguez (25:42) took 99th.

Alejandro Carrasco, Jose Elizalde, Sameed Kalhoon, Alfredo Rojas, Angel Alverado, Daniel Arendt and Matthew Ochoa helped lead Ceres High’s junior-varsity boys squad to an 18th-place showing.

The Bulldogs posted a team score of 490 in Division 3-4-5.

Carrasco (22:05), Elizalde (22:50), Kalhoon (24:47), Rojas (25:11), Alverado (26:26), Arendt (27:10) and Ochoa (32:52) finished 99th, 114th, 153rd, 157th, 173rd, 176th and 203rd, respectively.

Marissa Prestia (32:34) placed 50th during the JV girls Division 3-4-5 race.

Jacob Cardoza (13:50) took 53rd in the sophomore boys division.