CROSS COUNTRY: Trio of Knights take co-ed relay race
Aug. 1, 2014
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - Desert Christian cross country assistant coach Christian Powers wasn't even going to participate in Thursday's sixth installment of the High Desert Runners' Cross Country Series.
But how could he turn down being part of a potent co-ed relay team comprised of past, present and honorary Knights?
"They picked me up," Powers said.
They being Monica Aguilar, a former Desert Christian standout, and Joseph Biehl, a current one, made Thursday a day fit for three Knights.
The Desert Christian trio topped all others, coming in first at 17 minutes, 8 seconds.
In a race deemed "the fun run," that time was enough for a comfortable victory.
"I'm really proud of (Desert Christian)," said Aguilar, who attends Biola Universtiy. "I love that cross country team."
The race required teams to have members of both genders in them with each one completing a mile in the three-mile course. Aguilar, the top female finisher in each of the last four long-distance races at Pelona Vista Park, and Biehl, a sophomore in DC's cross country team, were on the lookout for a third member.
Asking Powers, who's won two of the first five installments of the series, to join turned the team into an All-Star squad of sorts.
"I was kind of excited about it coming into today," Aguilar said. "I was like, 'Oh, I hope I don't mess up.'"
Aguilar's contribution served its purpose, as her team finished 32 seconds ahead of the hard-charging second-place team of Aaron Erickson, Mariah Theologidy and Joe Coleman (17:40).
Dillon Murphy, Kristin Monson and Matthew Bauer were third (18:40); Lester Velasquez, Makenna Starkey and David Velasquez came in fourth (19:20); Gabby Velasquez, Daniel Apuan and Brent Wilson were fifth (19:44); and Ervin Velasquez, Kassidy McLoughlin and Josh Maderazo came in sixth place (19:53).
While Biehl's name hasn't resounded as much as Aguilar's and Powers' in this series, he was credited by his teammates for giving their squad the decisive edge that put them ahead of everyone else.
Biehl, who started the race and passed the baton off to Aguilar, was just pleased to be part of the Knight crew.
"I feel honored," he said, "to run with somebody who used to go to my school and my coach."
While the Desert Christian runners were the favorites for this event, 41 other teams took part in the recreational race, some with very different approaches.
One of the runners who always runs with a peculiar mindset is former Palmdale High graduate David Perez, 24, who took part in the race barefoot.
"It started out as a joke," said Perez, who ran alongside Eric Lenorgat and Laura Wiebe. "Because one time I showed up without shoes and my friends were like, 'Oh, you're not going to do it barefoot,' so then I actually did it barefoot once."
And so a tradition was born, one he's kept for some time as he participates in his seventh summer series. Perez, just as the majority of competitors, isn't running to rack up first-place finishes.
"For me right now it's just running for my health," Perez said. "I come out here to have fun and that's it."
Also running with heart were a trio of youngsters who figure to be top finishers in future series. Thomas Rivera, 12, Anthony Zavalza, 9, and Brianna Delgado, 8, came in 25th place at 24:25.
Rivera, Zavalza and Delgado gathered to greet series organizer Alan Brown after the conclusion of the event, one he's been putting together since before any of the youthful runners were born.
"It's a lot of work," Brown said. "I enjoy being involved with the running community. They've been good to me.
"Most runners are really good people, the kind of people you want to associate with."
Brown's 20th season of involvement with the series will come to an end next Thursday, as the final race will determine the winner of the competition.
After weeks of coaches limiting their runners to control their conditioning process, the final installment of the series, which goes back to individual racing, figures to be different, Brown said.
"Most of (the coaches) will allow their runners to put it at 95 percent or above," he said.
Ready or not, it's everyone for themselves next Thursday at 6:20 p.m. No holding back.
"Be prepared," Brown said.
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - Desert Christian cross country assistant coach Christian Powers wasn't even going to participate in Thursday's sixth installment of the High Desert Runners' Cross Country Series.
But how could he turn down being part of a potent co-ed relay team comprised of past, present and honorary Knights?
"They picked me up," Powers said.
They being Monica Aguilar, a former Desert Christian standout, and Joseph Biehl, a current one, made Thursday a day fit for three Knights.
The Desert Christian trio topped all others, coming in first at 17 minutes, 8 seconds.
In a race deemed "the fun run," that time was enough for a comfortable victory.
"I'm really proud of (Desert Christian)," said Aguilar, who attends Biola Universtiy. "I love that cross country team."
The race required teams to have members of both genders in them with each one completing a mile in the three-mile course. Aguilar, the top female finisher in each of the last four long-distance races at Pelona Vista Park, and Biehl, a sophomore in DC's cross country team, were on the lookout for a third member.
Asking Powers, who's won two of the first five installments of the series, to join turned the team into an All-Star squad of sorts.
"I was kind of excited about it coming into today," Aguilar said. "I was like, 'Oh, I hope I don't mess up.'"
Aguilar's contribution served its purpose, as her team finished 32 seconds ahead of the hard-charging second-place team of Aaron Erickson, Mariah Theologidy and Joe Coleman (17:40).
Dillon Murphy, Kristin Monson and Matthew Bauer were third (18:40); Lester Velasquez, Makenna Starkey and David Velasquez came in fourth (19:20); Gabby Velasquez, Daniel Apuan and Brent Wilson were fifth (19:44); and Ervin Velasquez, Kassidy McLoughlin and Josh Maderazo came in sixth place (19:53).
While Biehl's name hasn't resounded as much as Aguilar's and Powers' in this series, he was credited by his teammates for giving their squad the decisive edge that put them ahead of everyone else.
Biehl, who started the race and passed the baton off to Aguilar, was just pleased to be part of the Knight crew.
"I feel honored," he said, "to run with somebody who used to go to my school and my coach."
While the Desert Christian runners were the favorites for this event, 41 other teams took part in the recreational race, some with very different approaches.
One of the runners who always runs with a peculiar mindset is former Palmdale High graduate David Perez, 24, who took part in the race barefoot.
"It started out as a joke," said Perez, who ran alongside Eric Lenorgat and Laura Wiebe. "Because one time I showed up without shoes and my friends were like, 'Oh, you're not going to do it barefoot,' so then I actually did it barefoot once."
And so a tradition was born, one he's kept for some time as he participates in his seventh summer series. Perez, just as the majority of competitors, isn't running to rack up first-place finishes.
"For me right now it's just running for my health," Perez said. "I come out here to have fun and that's it."
Also running with heart were a trio of youngsters who figure to be top finishers in future series. Thomas Rivera, 12, Anthony Zavalza, 9, and Brianna Delgado, 8, came in 25th place at 24:25.
Rivera, Zavalza and Delgado gathered to greet series organizer Alan Brown after the conclusion of the event, one he's been putting together since before any of the youthful runners were born.
"It's a lot of work," Brown said. "I enjoy being involved with the running community. They've been good to me.
"Most runners are really good people, the kind of people you want to associate with."
Brown's 20th season of involvement with the series will come to an end next Thursday, as the final race will determine the winner of the competition.
After weeks of coaches limiting their runners to control their conditioning process, the final installment of the series, which goes back to individual racing, figures to be different, Brown said.
"Most of (the coaches) will allow their runners to put it at 95 percent or above," he said.
Ready or not, it's everyone for themselves next Thursday at 6:20 p.m. No holding back.
"Be prepared," Brown said.