OSAA xc, Nov. 5

Marshfield senior Jazmin Chavez made it four-straight appearances on the OSAA State Cross Country Championships awards podium Saturday, Nov. 3, with a sixth place finish in the 4A title race at Lane Community College in Eugene.  Chaves was timed in 19:11 in the 5K race to earn her medal.  Tillamook junior Solace Bergeraon (18:32) was the overall winner.  The SkyEm League’s Marist Catholic swept the boys and girls championship trophies, while the league’s No. 2 girl’s team, Siuslaw, placed second.  MHS XC Coach Steve Delgado:  Take a look at Jazmin’s results at State over her HS career: Freshman 19:40  9th; Sophomore 19:26 5th; Junior 19:30 3rd; Senior 19:11 6th. Jaz had her best season this year top to bottom. She was the most focused and most fit.  She told me after the race that it was the most focused 5k she has ever raced. I asked her to: Stay up front and be willing to go out fast. Focus on the 2nd mile which has a long, straight stretch. Attack the hill at the the track and the soccer bowl to keep in contention. She executed every aspect of her race plan in the toughest field she’s ever faced at State and placed 6th to match her hypothetical 4A ranking. With 20 more meters she would have caught Philomath’s Hernandez who was fading hard and 50m she may have caught Siuslaw’s Rannow, who also ran a perfectly executed race, but that she was gaining on. She earned another invite to the Nike Border Clash event in two weeks.