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Nacouzi reels in Taylor for NCS title By MIKE COIT PRESS DEMOCRAT Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009 HAYWARD — More than two miles into their North Coast Section cross country championship duel, Jacque Taylor and Julie Nacouzi were Nos. 1 and 2 respectively and well ahead of the field when Nacouzi surprised herself and Taylor. Having reeled in Taylor, who flew over the first mile, Nacouzi passed the defending champion, headed to the last hill and stretched the lead to the finish in an NCS Division II record time of 17:02 over the 3-mile Hayward High School course. “I thought if I passed her I would be surprised and I passed her,” said Nacouzi, a Montgomery High School junior. “I knew I’d get in the top five, but I’m surprised I won.” Taylor, a Casa Grande senior, said she might have gone out a bit fast, but credited Nacouzi with a strong race, saying, “Good job girl” after the finish line. “There’s nothing wrong with second. It’s a different feeling for me for sure,” Taylor said. The first meeting between the section’s top two girls in a scoring meet this year highlighted a memorable day for Sonoma County’s top cross country runners. The Maria Carrillo girls defended their NCS Division III title. Casa Grande and Petaluma’s girls also advanced to next week’s state championships in Fresno. Isabel Andrade, of Petaluma, defended her Division III title with Lauren Curtin, from Maria Carrillo, finishing second. Six other individual runners ran fast enough to qualify for the Fresno meet. Amber Peirsol, a Windsor sophomore, Santa Rosa’s Suzi Rozga, a senior, and Kelly Brooks, a junior, made it in Division II. Nicole Lane, an El Molino sophomore, moved on in Division IV. A pair of Sonoma Academy freshmen, Kiana Herold and Katy Lee, advanced in Division V. The day’s first race set the tone with Taylor and Nacouzi quickly creating a sizable gap on the field. Only third place finisher Alycia Cridebring, of College Park, was within a minute of Sonoma County’s dynamic duo. “I couldn’t hear any footsteps and everybody was cheering only our names, so I knew I was doing well,” Nacouzi said of her battle with Taylor. Taylor could hear footsteps getting louder and knew Nacouzi had closed what had been about a 10-second gap. “I could have possibly gotten out too fast,” Taylor said. “But I’m not used to being pushed.” Figuring Taylor would fly at the start, Nacouzi said her plan was to stay within striking distance and then pounce. That moment came just before the last hill with a half-mile to go. “Julie is an animal on hills,” said Montgomery coach Val Sell. Despite cutting more than a minute off her section time a year ago, Nacouzi still was awestruck by her win. “I’m very surprised,” she said. Andrade used a strategy similar to Nacouzi, staying just off the leaders until the last mile and then finding another gear up. “I thought with a mile left I would kick it,” said the Petaluma senior. “It was exciting to get to go.” Going with her, Curtin moved up to second with a push up and over the final hill – nothing like the climbs on the Spring Lake Park course in Santa Rosa so familiar to Sonoma County’s runners. “It gives us confidence,” Curtin said. “I felt really good.”
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