This will be Piner’s sixth trip to state in the last eight years.
Piner is ranked 8th this year after finishing 2nd to state contender Sir Francis Drake at the NCS finals.
Senior Jonny Vargas is making his third journey to Fresno as he placed 26th last year and also made it there in 2015 as a team member.
Vargas should improve on his 26th last year after running the fastest Empire time at NCS and finishing runner-up to Munir Kabbara of San Rafael who is the #8 ranked individual in the state.
Junior Nathan Hayes should also help the Prospectors team chances as he finished 10th at NCS and was second in the SCL.
Another junior Emanuel Delgado has been their number three runner the last two meets taking 17th at NCS.
Senior Kevin Garcia placed 6th at the SCL finals as their #4 runner.
Probably three of these four will make up the team at state: Sophomores Jeremiah Cano, Rene Villeda, Austin Luong and/or Senior Ben Somma.
Photos by Brad Zanetti and Melanie Rosales
PINER AT STATE
best qualifiers:
Luis Luna, 5th III ’11, 6th III ’10, 11th ’09, 73rd ’08
Efren Reyes 8th IV 2012, 11th ’13
Jaime Silva 9th IV 2012
Dawit Tesfasilas, 10th III ’04
Team 3rd III 2011, 9th IV ’12, 15th III ’10, 16th III ’15, 18th IV ’13
last qualifier:
Jonny Vargas 26th IV 2016, 76th III 2015
Empire’s division IV State Top 20 Placings
4th Mike Perez, Lower Lake 2005
6th Brent Shaw, Cardinal Newman 1998
6th Brian King, Cardinal Newman 2009
7th* Brian Schulz, El Molino 2015
8th J.K. Withers, Cardinal Newman 2003
8th Efren Reyes, Piner 2012, 11th ’13
9th Jaime Silva, Piner 2012
11th Steve Laurie, Maria Carrillo 1997
14th* Brian Cole, St. Helena 2004
14th Alexi Taylor, Cardinal Newman 2010
17th Justin Cude, Middletown 1993
19th Rob Isom, Fort Bragg 1991
Woodward Park is in Fresno and has been used since 1987 for the state championships.
Woodward Park All-Time Records
Name School Year Time
Ryan Mack Ukiah 1998 15:23
Reesey Byers Santa Rosa 2009 15:23
Todd Trask Healdsburg 1986 15:24
Celedonia Rodriguez Elsie Allen 1998 15:25
Sterling Lockert Petaluma 2008 15:25
Luca Mazzanti, Santa Rosa 2016 15:25 State
Luis Luna Piner 2011 15:28
Hugh Dowdy Petaluma 2009 15:29 State, 15:48 Clovis
Rory McLeod Santa Rosa 2008 15:30
Ryan Anderson Maria Carrillo 2013 15:36 Clovis, 15:37 State
(10)
Forrest Shaffer Petaluma 2010 15:37
Alex Conner Sonoma Valley 2011 15:38
Brian Schulz El Molino 2015 15:39
Andrew Zellman Ukiah 2009 15:40
Ben Lawson, Maria Carrillo 2016 15:43 Clovis
Steve Guerrini Santa Rosa 1990 15:46
Efren Reyes Piner 2012 15:48
Brian Cole St. Helena 2006 15:50
Matt Salazar Casa Grande 2013 15:51
Paul Holden Ukiah 2011 15:52
(20)
Jaime Silva Piner 2012 15:53
Daniel Pride Santa Rosa 2015 15:53
Nate Kabanuck Casa Grande 1999 15:56
Devin Lockert Petaluma 2008 15:56
Brian King Cardinal Newman 2009 15:56
Dawit Tesfasilas Piner 2004 15:57
Kevin Poteracke Petaluma 2010 15:57
Ryan Douglas Petaluma 2012 15:57
Jordan Scobey Maria Carrillo 2014 15:59
Mike Contos Montgomery 1987 16:00
Ricky Esponda Casa Grande 1992 16:00
(31)
Blake McDowall Montgomery 2006 16:01
Matt Fitch Montgomery 2002 16:02
Carson Kimball Maria Carrillo 2015 16:02
Mike Perez Lower Lake 2005 16:04
Benjamin Stern Petaluma 2008 16:04
Wes Methum, Rincon Vly. Christian 2016 16:04
Steve Laurie Maria Carrillo 1998 16:05
Jonny Vargas, Piner 2017 16:05 Clovis
Dan Held Santa Rosa 1989 16:06
Austin Orr Sonoma Academy 2012 16:06
(41)
Alexi Taylor Cardinal Newman 2010 16:07
Peter Egerton Santa Rosa 1994 16:08
Brent Shaw Cardinal Newman 1998 16:08
Brandon Felipe Petaluma 2007 16:08
David Toomey Montgomery 1993 16:09
Nate Huckeba Maria Carrillo 2007 16:11
Jordan Kinley Maria Carrillo 1999 16:12
Calvin Thigpen Maria Carrillo 2006 16:12
JK Withers Cardinal Newman 2003 16:13
Cody Jinright Petaluma 2008 16:14
Clark Bernard Petaluma 2010 16:14
Zac West Maria Carrillo 2014 16:14
(53)
Zach Barrett Santa Rosa 1994 16:15
Daniel Hauptman Maria Carrillo 2010 16:15
Andre Williams, Kelseyville 2016 16:16 now at Sonoma Academy
Dan Brecht Petaluma 1995 16:17
Aria Kiani Montgomery 2009 16:17 Clovis
Team Times
1:19:55 Petaluma 2008 (15:59 0:43), (North Coast Section record)
1:20:42 Piner 2011 (16:09 1:20)
1:20:50 Petaluma 2010 (16:10)
1:21:04 Petaluma 2009 (16:13)
1:21:21 Maria Carrillo 2013, Clovis
1:21:32 Maria Carrillo 2017, Clovis
1:21:51 Petaluma 2007 (16:23)
1:22:07 Maria Carrillo 2012 (16:26 1:08)
1:22:17 Petaluma 2006 (16:28)
1:22:38 Montgomery 1992 (16:32)
(10)
1:23:21 Santa Rosa 2008 (16:41)
1:23:38 Maria Carrillo 2015 (16:44), 1:25:55 (17:11), Clovis
1:23:39 Santa Rosa 2009 (16:44)
1:23:48 Maria Carrillo 2006 (16:46)
1:23:49 Montgomery 2000 (16:46)
1:23:49 Maria Carrillo 2016 (16:46), 1:25:20 (17:04), Clovis
1:23:50 Ukiah 1997 (16:46)
1:23:53 Piner 2010 (16:47)
1:23:55 Piner 2012 (16:47 2:05)
1:23:56 Maria Carrillo 2007 (16:48)
(20)
1:23:59 Sonoma Academy 2012 (16:48 1:29)
1:24:03 Santa Rosa 1988 (16:49)
1:24:04 Maria Carrillo 2014 (16:49 1:31)
1:24:17 Santa Rosa 1994 (16:52)
1:24:19 Piner 2015 (16:52) State, 1:28:10 (17:38), Clovis
1:24:20 Casa Grande 2014 (16:52 1:21)
1:24:34 Maria Carrillo 2003 (16:55)
1:24:39 Montgomery 1993 (16:56)
1:24:48 Petaluma 2005 (16:58)
1:25:07 Montgomery 2002 (17:02)
(30)
1:25:11 Piner 2017 Clovis
1:25:13 Maria Carrillo 2011 (17:03 0:58)
1:25:19 Maria Carrillo 2005 (17:04)
1:25:20 Casa Grande 2013 (17:04 1:46)
1:25:25 Maria Carrillo 2004 (17:05)
1:25:33 Sonoma Academy 2016 (17:07)
1:25:35 Montgomery 1996 (17:07)
1:26:13 Piner 2013, Clovis
1:26:34 Ukiah 2001 (17:19)
1:26:38 Cardinal Newman 2011 (17:20 1:40)
(40)
1:26:45 Casa Garnde 1992 (17:21)
1:26:45 Montgomery 2007 (17:21)
1:26:48 Santa Rosa 2003 (17:22)
1:26:52 Montgomery 1990 (17:23)
1:27:13 Cardinal Newman 2003 (17:27)
1:27:51 Sonoma Academy 2011 (17:35 0:54)
1:27:53 Santa Rosa 2002 (17:35)
1:28:48 Piner 2016, (17:46) Clovis
1:29:12 Montgomery 2005 (17:51)
1:29:36 Cardinal Newman 2002 (17:56)
(50)
Other school records
1:31:57 Santa Rosa Christian 2005 (18:24)
compiled by Jim Crowhurst