Warriors 15th among Division II girls at CIF cross country meet

The CIF San Diego Section cross country meet, Nov. 17, on the Morley Field course in San Diego included a 15th-place finish for the Fallbrook High School girls.

Fallbrook High School is a Division II team, and 19 Division II schools fielded the minimum five runners for a team score which is based on the positions of a team's first five finishers with the sixth and seventh runners not being scored but able to add points to other teams' totals. Fallbrook had 451 points to place the Warriors between Rancho Buena Vista High School, whose 14th-place total was 429 points, and Granite Hills High School, which took 16th place with 458 points.

"We got a very fine season," Fallbrook head coach Troy Hamlin said. "The girls progressed over the course of three months."

Practice began in August, and the Warriors' first race was Sept. 8.

"From where they started to where they are today is a big difference," Hamlin said. "They have improved as much as any team that I've had."

Hamlin was the girls' head coach from 2003 to 2016 and was an assistant for both the boys' and girls' teams last year when Lisa Hasvold and her younger son, Bret, coached the girls team. This year Hasvold is enjoying her new grandchild and did not coach.

Lauren Suppe was Fallbrook's first finisher at the CIF meet; the freshman had a time of 21 minutes 37.5 seconds on the 2.96-mile course which gave her 66th place in the Division II girls race.

"It was hard but rewarding," Suppe said.

The next Fallbrook finisher was sophomore Iselah Cabello, who had a time of 22.49.2 for 82nd place. The final high school cross country race for senior Audrey Petersen provided her with 89th place and a time of 23:09.8.

Hamlin noted that Petersen battled injuries throughout the season.

"She never gave up on herself," Hamlin said of Petersen. "She always fought back. She has also shown tremendous leadership. I look for her to do good things in life."

A time of 24:08.9 gave sophomore Zuszeth Montiel 106th place. The 108th finisher was senior Jessica Wilbert, whose time was 24:20.1. Maya Rink completed the course in 24:46.7 to give the junior 114th place. Katie Hutzler concluded her high school cross country career by finishing in 25:24.2, which was worth 118th place among the 125 runners.

"I'm just proud of the way they stepped up," Hamlin said. "We weren't the best team on the course often, but we were a team. We didn't have the greatest season in wins and losses, but I'm very proud of the group and I'm proud to be the coach of this group."

Hamlin had only 10 girls on this year's team.

"Numbers are really low, so it caused a problem," he said.

The team consisted of three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.

"It was a great team that came together," Hamlin said. "I'm proud to be their coach, and I'm glad that I came back to coach this year."