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DATE: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 BYLINE: By RICH RUPPRECHT THE PRESS DEMOCRAT TROJANS EXCEED EXPECTATIONS The Petaluma boys' cross country team, one of the youngest at Saturday's state meet in Fresno, has to be feeling pretty good about its fifth-place finish in DivisionII. It was one of the best finishes at state by a boys' Empire team. Looking at the schools that finished ahead of Petaluma and the number of seniors on them, the future would seem to bode well for the Trojans. ``We exceeded expectations,'' said Petaluma coach Jim Lynch. Lynch said the team was hoping for an average runner's time of 16:30 and it was actually 16:28. Of the top-20 runners from the Empire at state, Petaluma had Sterling Lockert (16:03) third, Devin Lockert (16:22) sixth, Brandon Felipe (16:25) seventh, Cole Yungert (16:38) 10th and Benjamin Stern (16:49) 12th. Of that group, the Lockerts, Felipe and Stern are sophomores and Yungert is a junior. ``They kind of put our school on the map,'' Lynch said. ``We could be on the podium next year if we improve as much as we did from last season.'' The only DivisionII school that finished ahead of Petaluma with fewer than three seniors was second-place Ventura with one. Next year, Lynch said, there's a good chance Petaluma may fall to DivisionIII because of enrollment. DivisionII, at least this season, was considered stronger. Petaluma entered the race ranked seventh in the state in Division II. Top-ranked Jesuit of Carmichael won the team title. Yungert lost a shoe a quarter mile into the race, but still passed four runners down the straightaway to the finish line. Petaluma will be the overwhelming favorite in the Sonoma County League next season. The same five runners recorded a perfect score of 15 in this year's SCL championships at Spring Lake, and Petaluma had the top four runners in the JV race. * Lynch and his runners are already looking ahead to the track season. He is looking for coaches in the long jump and high jump and a thrower's coach with emphasis on the shot put. Lynch can be reached at 364-1555. PUMAS IMPRESS AT STATE MEET The Maria Carrillo girls' cross country team qualifying for state is the closest thing to a lock in Empire athletics. It was hard to tell which was more impressive, the Pumas' third-place finish in the Division III team standings or their seventh consecutive appearance at Fresno's Woodward Park in the state meet. ``This year we really weren't predicted to get there,'' Pumas coach Danny Aldridge said of a top-three or podium finish. The Maria Carrillo girls received medals and the school a plaque for the third-place finish. For seniors Leanne Fogg, Kristen Sanzari and Tiffany Roberts, it was a four-peat at state. They were on Carrillo teams that reached state all four years in school, with second-, third-, seventh- and 12th-place finishes. Fogg finished eighth in the Division III race, her best state finish. Top-10 individuals received medals. ``It was a long road back for Leanne and, I'm really happy for her,'' said Aldridge. Several college coaches have expressed interest in Fogg. Fogg overcame Graves Disease and injuries to win a North Bay League championship race this season. Her brother Garrett, a soccer player and wrestler, died from meningitis during the summer. Other Puma standouts included Jordan Davis, establishing a PR by 44 seconds on the Woodward Park course, and Kelly O'Leary running for the first time at state.
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