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FRESHMEN DOMINATE CROSS-COUNTRY
TROJANS END SONOMA COUNTY LEAGUE SEASON WITH 6-0 RECORD
DATE: Friday, November 4, 2005
BYLINE: By NATHAN WRIGHT
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
By CRISTA JEREMIASON / The Press Democrat
Petaluma High freshman Sterling Lockkey has a chance
to qualify for the state cross-country tournament.
Six months ago, Sterling Lockkey was thinking about playing football in his first year at
Petaluma High School.
The 14-year-old freshman had a change of heart and decided to run cross-country instead,
a decision that has led to his emergence as one of the top runners in the Bay Area.
The Trojans finished the Sonoma County League this week with a 6-0 record, and are looking
to win the league championship meet next Tuesday at Spring Lake.
More often than not Lockkey has led the way for the Trojans, including a first-place finish
against league-rival Analy High School on Wednesday.
His early success has come as a surprise.
``Starting at something and being decent at it was really shocking, and it still is,''
Lockkey said. ``I know for a fact I wouldn't be doing as well as I am without my team pushing me.''
Trojan cross-country coach Jim Lynch attributes his young runner's early success to natural
talent and a strong work ethic.
``When I first watched him I knew there was something special with his abilities,'' he said.
``He has an outstanding stride and outstanding running mechanics. Most of the time you need to
work with kids to develop coordination so they can run without expending unnecessary energy.
Sterling is gifted with those abilities already.''
Even so, Lockkey and his teammates have surprised their coach. Four of the team's seven
varsity runners are freshman, and two are sophomores.
``It's really a phenomenon on how far these freshmen have developed,'' Lynch said. ``A
freshman isn't normally developed enough to beat a senior runner. It's really unheard of.''
Lockkey said running against older boys is mentally challenging.
``I was scared out of my pants in my first varsity race,'' he said. ``I didn't know how I'd do.
It was hugely intimidating, and it still is.''
Lynch believes the difference for his freshmen runners -- Lockkey, Benjamin Stern, Brandon Felipe
and Ben Nelson -- may be found in their lifestyles.
``These are really outdoorsy, athletic, energetic kids,'' he said. ``They really take the energy
they have and put it in a positive direction. They love to run and they love to be active. They're
not afraid of competition and they're not afraid of working hard. The maturity and the development
of these guys over the past two months is remarkable.''
The freshmen, along with team captain Jason Grubb, a senior, sophomores Cole Yungert and
Patrick Foley and junior Matt Ramos have taken their team from unranked in the pre-season on the
running Web site DyeStatCal.com all the way to No. 2 among Division 2 schools in the North Coast
Section entering next week's championship.
The Trojans will run again on Nov. 19 in Hayward for the NCS championship. The top four schools
in each division will qualify for the state championship on Nov. 26 in Fresno.
The boys' team will have plenty of company at the NCS meet.
The Trojan girls have not been as dominating as the boys this year, but they also went 6-0 in
league and are looking for an invitation to the state final.
Petaluma junior Taylor Parks was the only Trojan runner to advance to state last year.
You can reach Correspondent Nathan Wright at 694-4053 or nwright01@yahoo.com.