Alanis places 54th at state cross-country meet

Bonsall High School senior Austin Alanis concluded his high school cross-country career by placing 54th among the 203 Division V boys at the CIF state cross-country meet Nov. 30, at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Alanis had a time of 16 minutes 59.6 seconds on the 5,000-meter (3.1-mile) course.

“It was a fun experience and challenging as well,” Alanis said. “It was definitely a humbling experience, but I enjoyed myself.”

The top three Division V boys teams at the CIF San Diego Section meet qualified for the state meet as did the top five individuals not affiliated with a qualifying team contingent upon those individuals finishing no lower than 12th. Alanis placed seventh overall and was third among runners whose school did not qualify as a team, which gave him entry into the state meet.

“It was a lot of fun. I got to hang out with some of the competitors from the league,” Alanis said.

Drake Prince of High Tech High Chula Vista had the third-place time of 15:44.2. The 50th finisher, Pablo Chapman of High Tech High North County, posted a time of 16:57.8. Aiden Ramirez of High Tech High Chula Vista finished in 17:09.4 for 70th place. Riley Burns of Maranatha Christian High School was the sole individual qualifier not from a Frontier Conference school.

Stella Gladden of High Tech High North County was the Frontier Conference’s only girls qualifier for the state meet, where she finished 60th.

“I feel like I could have performed better if I had raced smarter,” Alanis said.

Woodward Park is a relatively flat course.

“I went out at the same pace that I normally go out,” Alanis said.

“I went out too slow,” Alanis said. “That just sent me back a whole bunch of places.”

Alanis was able to pass more than 20 runners during the race.

“I gave it my all,” Alanis said. “I can’t be too mad about the performance.”

The state meet was the second for Alanis. Bonsall placed third among Division V schools at the 2017 San Diego Section meet to qualify as a team for the state meet. Alanis was 43rd among the Division V boys at the 2017 section meet.

“Getting to go as a team would have been even cooler,” Alanis said. “It’s a lot more fun than going as an individual.”

Alanis explained that other teammates and their families joined him in Fresno for the 2017 state meet.

“It’s not a very familiar place,” he said.

The 2017 state Division V boys race had 207 runners. Alanis placed 175th and completed the course in 19:20.9.

In 2018 Alanis was the 28th finisher in the section Division V boys’ race. Alanis attended Lejeune High School in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as a freshman and ran track but not cross-country for the Devil Pups.

Alanis does not intend to conclude his running career with the Legionnaires’ track and field season.

“I’m going to definitely continue running for the rest of my life,” he said.

That could include collegiate cross-country and track.

“I would definitely like to. I’ve just got to find a team that wants me to run for them,” Alanis said.

This trip to the state meet could also extend Alanis’ legacy with the Bonsall High School cross-country program.

“I just hope that my attendance there can show the Bonsall and Fallbrook community what Bonsall athletes can do,” he said.