DUBLIN DISTANCE FIESTA

May 1, 2021

This past Saturday was the most meaningful athletic event that our distance team has been able to experience in well over a year.  We are so thankful to Coach Williams and the Dublin Crew for successfully pulling off a terrific meet while being able to abide by all safety measures.

The Dublin Distance Fiesta (aka “Dublin Social Distance Fiesta” this year) is arguably the best and most efficient meet each season.  As soon as it appeared that not only would the meet happen, but that Whitney was permitted to participate (safety guidelines stated within 120 miles, and Whitney sits 113 miles from the Dublin campus), we made every effort to get our runners to this event.  All of our runners, but especially freshmen and other first-timers, got to experience a high quality high school track meet.  

Several things stood out.  Of course the most obvious is all the great performances and PR’s by our runners and others.  But what also stood out was how Whitney Distance is a true team.  Not only were we among the larger programs (a testament to these runners sticking with it throughout the pandemic), entering two or three runners in most heats, but our spirit was felt and heard by all.  From the coaches’ area on the far side of the track, a solid line of maroon could be seen throughout the day, as many of our runners who weren’t actively racing or warming up, were there cheering en masse.  It was clear that no other team had quite the presence as Whitney.  This team operating as a family is truly a priority in all that we do. 

Thirty-eight Whitney runners traveled to Dublin, most entered in two races.  Of all the races run by Wildcats, there were 54 season bests, and of those, 41 were lifetime PR’s.  The table below shows each runner who PR’d, which event, and the previous mark improved upon.

In addition to the personal marks was the chance at a Dublin T-shirt–if any of our runners could place top 3 in their heat.  In the end, 22 of our runners came away with a t-shirt!  Scott Abbott, the announcer (who did a phenomenal job all day long), commented on how many Whitney runners were finishing near the front of their races. 

Here are some highlights…  First, from the Girls’ 1600m heats:
    • Anna Giorgi broke 8 minutes for the first time this season, going 7:37, inching very close to a lifetime PR
    • Mikaela Pock got 2nd in her heat with a big PR and Whitney’s first t-shirt of the day
    • Taylor Bettencourt broke 7 minutes for the first time ever
    • Ashlyn Fujioka ran super tough in a tight heat to pull off 3rd place and get a t-shirt
    • Sophie Bowen continues to rise, crushing the 6-minute barrier (going 5:52), storming to the finish nearly catching the lead runner to finish 2nd and earn a t-shirt
    • Kirsten Ransford ran a super smart race, letting a frenzy of activity fizzle out in front of her, then emerged to the lead and held on for a solid sub-6-minute win and a t-shirt
    • It was wonderful to see Haley Bedrin step onto the track and perform near PR level, running a gutsy race; very emotional as so much maroon cheered her on 🙂
    • Ava Kopec established herself as one of the top runners in the area, moving to the front mid-race with a strong pace that wore out the other girls with faster seed times in her heat, and PR’d by a bunch at 5:21, winning her heat and a t-shirt, and a time that puts her at #7 on the all-time Whitney list
    • In the “Sombrero Heat” (the final heat with all the fastest seed times), Katie Kopec emerged as the star we already knew we had, as Katie’s seed time was near the back of this elite pack, but she had an incredible race moving all the way up to 8th and a huge PR at 5:10, which puts her 2nd on the all-time Whitney list

 

Highlights from the Boys’ 1600m heats:
    • Dario Ruscica PR’d by 16 seconds, propelling him to 2nd place in his heat, our first guy to finish in the top 3 and get a t-shirt
    • Aidan Barkve also earned a lifetime PR, finishing 5th 
    • Noah Reed PR’d in his heat as well
    • Brendan Whitmore PR’d and finished near the front in his race
    • David Hurren nearly joined the “Sub-5” group, hitting 5:06 which is a substantial PR, and placed 6th in his heat
    • Noah Lopez was 5th in his heat and got even closer to breaking 5 minutes, going 5:00.9
    • Jaden Rapp placed 7th in his heat, but more importantly broke 5 with a solid 4:58
    • Joel Tajiri looked like a pro in a heat that featured 13 runners going 5 flat or better, breaking the 5-minute barrier with a strong 4:55 effort for 4th place
    • Mateo DelGadillo had a great breakthrough, hitting 4:47 and winning his heat by a good margin, earning a t-shirt as well
    • Nick Herrmann found himself in a very tight front pack where the top 4 runners were separated by 8 tenths of a second, but Nick was 2nd, earned a t-shirt, and a new PR
    • Brandon Olah PR’d at 4:47, finishing near the front in his heat
    • Callum Turner hit a huge PR last week at Folsom, then came very close to breaking that
    • Cole Jamieson became our 3rd runner this season to break 4:40, hitting 4:38 for 2nd place and a t-shirt, and also puts him on the top 20 all-time list at Whitney
    • Jason Finta placed 5th in the 2nd fastest heat, hitting a new PR at 4:28, which moves him into the Top 10 on the all-time list at Whitney

 

Interestingly, only a few runners chose the 800, opting instead for the 3200.  Usually it’s the other way around. 

But we did have a few highlights from the 800m heats:
  • Taylor Bettencourt followed up her PR in the 1600 with a PR in the 800
  • Aidan Barkve won his heat, got a t-shirt, and a new PR
  • Dario Ruscica won his heat, got a t-shirt, and a new PR
  • Justin Cooper got 2nd in his heat, got a t-shirt, and a new PR
  • Jaden Rapp hit a new PR
  • Nick Herrmann PR’d and fought hard for 3rd and got a t-shirt

 

Highlights from the Girls’ 3200m heats:
  • Kirsten Ransford broke 13 minutes, which is a season best, and got a t-shirt for 2nd place
  • Sophie Bowen also broke 13, which is a PR, and a t-shirt for 3rd place
  • Marianna Blanding placed 4th, just missing a t-shirt, but breaking 13 for a new PR
  • Grace Scott hit a huge PR, running 12:32, which puts her in the top 20 all-time at Whitney
  • Ava Kopec PR’d at 11:34, good enough for 7th on the all-time list at Whitney
  • Katie Kopec pulled away from the entire field in her race en route to an elite time of 11:10, earning a t-shirt, a huge PR, and a #2 spot on the all time list at Whitney

 

Highlights from the Boys’ 3200m heats:
  • Max Sommerhauser ran a season best 12:02 for 4th place, just missing a t-shirt
  • Dylan DeValk hit a new lifetime PR
  • Brendan Whitmore ran a gutsy race as the only freshman in the top 10 of his heat, holding off 7 runners who were within 6 seconds behind him at the finish, placing 3rd with a new PR and a new t-shirt
  • Luca Ruscica hit a new lifetime PR
  • Joel Tajiri broke 11 minutes, won his race in a thrilling finish, beating 2nd place by a hundredth of a second, after managing maybe his best race of his season… new PR and a t-shirt
  • Noah Lopez placed 3rd in his heat, breaking 11 minutes, and earning a t-shirt
  • Callum Turner destroyed his old PR, nearly breaking 10 minutes after leading much of the race, finished 2nd and won a t-shirt, and also placed #16 on the all-time Whitney list
  • Brandon Olah hit a huge PR at 10:21, holding off several runners in his pack, placing 3rd and winning a t-shirt
  • Mateo DelGadillo timed 10:28, which is a new PR for him
  • Ryan Hart was in the lead pack all race, finished 2nd and nearly broke 10 minutes by clocking 10:01, and he won a t-shirt, plus he moved into #14 on the all-time Whitney list
  • Aidan Ransford hit a new PR at 10:11, getting closer to breaking the 10-minute barrier, and places him at #17 on the all-time Whitney list
  • Cole Jamieson nearly broke 10 minutes, going 10:08, placing him #15 on the all-time Whitney list
  • Jason Finta ran 9:44, a big PR, which puts him at #8 on the all-time Whitney list