Markow holds off JSerra standout Garcia to win marquee girls race in final home meet, with Lions capturing team title over host Dolphins; Hernandez improves by one minute from last year to emerge victorious, as San Clemente boys earn crown
By Landon Negri for DyeStat
DANA POINT – Allura Markow already had plenty of motivation to bounce back Saturday morning.
Add in the good vibes, and the senior at Dana Hills High in California delivered just the type of performance she desired.
Markow followed a disappointing run Sept. 16 at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS by producing a rousing finish at the Dana Hills Invitational, winning the girls Division 1 senior/invitational race on her home 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 38.3 seconds. Her friends at JSerra rode a 2-5-6 finish for a 45-88 team victory over the host Dolphins.
On the boys side, the Division 1 senior/invitational race was won by Godinez junior Jayden Hernandez in 14:35.1, a one-minute improvement from his 38th-place performance last year.
San Clemente claimed the team victory by a 53-118 margin over Great Oak, completing an Orange County sweep of team and individual spots in the marquee races..
To earn her victory, Markow had to outsprint JSerra sophomore Brynn Garcia (16:39.8) at the finish. Markow endured an ankle injury in the final mile and faded to a 29th-place finish at Woodbridge, but Saturday she ended in a furious flurry.
‘That was one of my goals for this meet, particularly, to make sure I finished the race,” Markow said, referring not to just making it to the end, but running her best at the end.
“It’s really satisfying to know that your training really does come into play with what you do,” she added. “And the small things that you do outside of running really, really help make a difference in your times.”
Markow seemed to light up running against local competitors, most she calls friends. Garcia certainly made her better, she said.
“It was really exciting to have the opportunity to race close with her,” Markow said. “I know I raced her in Woodbridge, but it was so divided with so many people. It was really motivating just to have her by my side that entire time and kind of following a similar plan.”
Not that the JSerra girls, ranked No. 2 overall in California, were just competition fodder.
Behind Garcia, freshmen Summer Wilson and Kaylah Tasser placed fifth and sixth, respectively, to lead JSerra, which finished fourth in the Bob Day…
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