Trojans run well at Foot Locker West Regionals

Four Oak Ridge cross country athletes competed in the Foot Locker West Regionals on Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College in Los Angeles. Senior Addie Clinton, junior Oscar Carrillo, freshmen Giuliana Martino and Lauren Tiedeman competed. Athletes from 12 western states competed at this meet. The historic Mt. SAC course has three significant hills (switchbacks, poop out, and reservoir). Clinton and Carrillo competed in the girls' and boys' championship races, which were very competitive, the girls' race featuring 107 athletes and the boys' race had 245 competitors. Clinton placed 20th in the 5K race with a time of 18 minutes, 53.8 and earned a medal for a top-24 finish. Carrillo placed 215th with a time of 18:26.2 Martino and Tiedeman competed in the freshman girls' race featuring 128 athletes. "Giuliana and Lauren put in outstanding efforts in this competitive race," Oak Ridge coach Rob Fairley said. "Strategically, they ran a very smart race. They went out with the lead pack during the first mile and got in a really nice rhythm with their pace and breathing. Giuliana took the lead a little after the first mile and would not relinquish it. Both girls ran the three major hills very well and took advantage of the downhills nicely by opening up their stride and letting gravity take them downhill at a fast pace. Giuliana had a couple of competitors about 10 to 15 meters behind her going up reservoir hill which is about a half mile to the finish. She attacked reservoir hill and opened up her lead to about 20 meters at the top. She continued to push the pace going down reservoir hill and opened up about a 40-meter lead at the bottom. Giuliana showed a lot of determination the last quarter mile by kicking it in with a fast pace all the way through the finish line to place first." Martino won the race 18-seconds ahead of the second-place finisher with a time of 19:14.8. Tiedeman placed 13th overall in 20:32.6. Both girls received medals.