McFarland 95th at state meet

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Bonsall High School senior Ethan McFarland concluded his high school cross-country career by finishing 95th among the 205 Division V boys who competed at the CIF state meet Nov. 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

The Woodward Park course was 5,000 meters (3.1 miles). McFarland had a time of 17:49.8.

“It wasn’t a good race for me, but at that point I’m just happy that I made state,” McFarland said.

The three Division V boys teams with the best finish at the CIF San Diego Section meet Nov. 20 at Morley Field in San Diego qualified for the state meet as teams, and the five fastest runners whose team did not qualify earned individual runner berths at the state race. McFarland was ninth overall in that race and finished fourth among runners whose school did not qualify as a team.

Other Bonsall runners along with parents gave up part of their Thanksgiving weekend to support McFarland in person. “We actually had a few surprise guests from my team come up, so that was kind of nice,” he said.

Woodward Park is a relatively flat course, so runners who have an advantage on ascents are denied that benefit. “It was kind of an unfamiliar setting,” McFarland said.

The competition consisted of the top schools and runners from all of California’s sections. “It’s the state meet. It’s the highest level meet,” McFarland said.

That disrupted McFarland’s normal race plan. “With most races I’m out in the front,” he said.

McFarland didn’t have the room to maneuver that he had in other races. “You’re getting pushed around inside like these huge walls of people,” he said. “It’s something I’m kind of unfamiliar with.”

A cramp in the first mile augmented McFarland’s struggles, but he continued to the end of the race.

“I’m glad I got the experience nonetheless,” McFarland said. “I’m happy with the result.”

Francis Parker senior Kenan Pala, who won the San Diego Section meet, also finished first in the state race with a time of 14:51.0. McFarland finished immediately behind Windward (Los Angeles) freshman Max Kobayashi, whose time was 17:49.1, and immediately ahead of New West Charter (Los Angeles) junior William Bujake, who completed the course in 17:50.6.

“I didn’t really have a goal once I got to state. My main goal was to get to state,” McFarland said.