Hagerman, Merced trying to chase down another CCC championship

With nobody in front of her, Merced High junior Quinn Hagerman could only think about what was happening behind her as she made her way through the 3-mile course at Atwater High on Wednesday morning.

Hagerman felt the joy of winining a Central California Conference cross country championship last season. It was the Bears first girls cross country title since 1987.

Hagerman and her teammates hope to repeat as champs and experience that feeling again.

“When I’m in front I’m always thinking about what’s going on behind me,” Hagerman said. “I’m thinking about my teammates a lot. I was wondering where they were compared to Atwater.”

The Bears had to finish ahead of Atwater during Wednesday’s second CCC center meet of the season to have a shot at repeating as conference champions.

With Hagerman finishing first and teammate Ciara Colon placing second, the Bears captured first as a team with 57 points. Golden Valley finished second with 60 and Turlock third with 68.

Hagerman crossed the finish line in 18 minutes, 13 seconds.

“I wanted to go for the record here,” Hagerman said. “The record is 17:36 and I ran a 17:49 here last year. But that time was later in the year last year. I’m just excited because I want to help my team anyway I can.”

Colon crossed the finish line in 18:31. She was followed by Pitman’s Mavleen Mann (18:40), Atwater’s Clara Harman (18:56) and Golden Valley’s Josette Vigil (19:39).

In the boys race it was Atwater winning the team event with a score of 25 points. Merced finished second with 47.

It was the second CCC center meet win for the Falcons which all but clinches a league title for them heading into the third meet Oct. 25 in Turlock.

Atwater was led by Raul Flores (15:53), who finished second overall. Teammates Abraham Maldonado (16:13) and Emmanuel Perez (16:28) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Merced sophomore Richard Cole McKain finished first with a time of 15:46.

McKain switched his strategy after finishing second to Flores in the first center meet in Merced.

“I wanted to outpace (Flores),” McKain said. “The last time I tried to stay back. This time I wanted to switch it up. I wanted to set the pace.”

McKain started out front and never lost the lead to help the Beas finish in second place.

“This race I wanted to run my own race and see how it worked out,” McKain said. “I felt comfortable running this race.”

This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Hagerman, Merced trying to chase down another CCC championship."