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By DEWEY FORGET
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
   Youth was served Tuesday in the Sonoma County League cross country championships. 
Two freshman upstaged more experienced runners at Spring Lake Park to take home 
the top individual honors. 
Petaluma freshman Sterling Lockkey outsprinted teammate Jason Grubb in the final 
100 yards to take home the boys’ title, and Windsor’s Laura Rogina, who set course 
records in her last two races, easily captured the girls race on the hilly 2.97 
mile course.
Petaluma, ranked No. 2 in the North Coast Section Div. II, completed an unbeaten 
league season in the boys’ team competition. Analy took second and Casa Grande 
third. 
The Trojans had four runners in the top 10. Benjamin Stern was fourth and Brandon 
Felipe finished 6th.
The Analy girls turned the tables on Petaluma, edging the Trojans by two points to 
gain a tie for the league title for the second consecutive year.
“We were pretty sure we would come out and get them this week,” said Lisa Isabeau, 
who is in her 19th season as the Tigers coach. “We lost to them last time by just a 
point. The girls have been running really strong the past couple of weeks.”
The girl’s individual title was decided at the two-mile mark when Rogina pulled away 
from her nearest competitor and ran alone the final mile. In the boys race, Lockkey 
and Grubb ran together the entire distance.
The Analy boys, needing to defeat the Trojans for a share of the title, sent out 
Javier Prescott to set a fast pace and hopefully entice Lockkey and Grub into a 
ruinous duel. It didn’t happen.
“We took over halfway through,” Lockkey said. “We heard they might send out a rabbit, 
so our coach told us to be patient. Jason was in front after we passed the rabbit 
near the dam. We opened up in the last mile.”
Three Analy runners were in the top seven Tyler Cannon-Reese finished third and Cole 
Yungert fifth. Prescott, the early leader, faded to seventh.
Petaluma coach Jim Lynch said his squad had a clear strategy. “Our goal was to have 
everyone within 30 seconds of each other, to close the gaps,” he said. I thought we 
would have five runners in the top seven today after the first mile. I’ll take that 
any day of the week. I think we should be a solid number two at NCS.”
The top school in the region is Maria Carrillo of the North Bay League.
Rogina took the lead from Taylor Park of Petaluma after the first mile, extended the 
lead in the second mile and coasted home in 19:06. Park was second in 19:27, 
followed by Brianna Dry (El Molino) and Analy’s Lea DeLuca.
“I knew Park would be my main competition,” Rogina said. “For a while she was so 
close I could hear her breathing. Somewhere near the dam I took off and I didn’t hear 
her breathing anymore.”
Rogina, who also plays soccer for Windsor, said she isn’t sure what faces her next as 
a runner. “I don’t know what the rest of the season is all about.
“I’m just a freshman, but whatever it is ,I’m ready for it,” said Rogina, who had never 
raced the Spring Lake course.
She will get an opportunity to experience what is called cross-country’s second season 
when she competes at the NCS meet Nov. 19th at Hayward High. The top finishers advance 
to the state meet Nov. 26th at Woodward Park in Fresno.

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