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By PATRICK KINMARTIN, Chico-ER Sports Writer
CHICO — There were pristine outdoor running conditions for Wednesday afternoon's Chico High-Pleasant Valley prep
boys cross country dual meet, a close Vikings victory in the boys team competition to prevail despite a 1-3 finish
by the Panthers top runners. The event deserves an encore, and next week there will be one. The location will again
be Hooker Oak Recreation Area and the starting time will also be late in the afternoon when EAL rivals contend for
the league championship.
Next time Pleasant Valley, which topped its crosstown rival 25-30 on a strong finish from its No. 4 runner, and
Chico, which boasted top overall performer Dan Parker, will be joined by Redding-based power Enterprise when the
Eastern Athletic League finals roll into town on Thursday November 6th.
"You can expect another great battle, just like today but probably with more intrigue thrown in," Chico
coach Kevin Girt said. Girt was able to share Wednesday's splendor with Pleasant Valley thanks to a typically
formidable team run by the unbeaten Panther girls, who prevailed 17-42. Within that familiar refrain, there was
a little bit of a surprise when freshman Kodyann
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Atkins grooved through the 3.1-mile course to beat the rest of the pack comfortably for her first career win in 18 minutes, 52 seconds.
The boys finish was a stark opposite in contrast. Parker briefly lost the race's longest hold on the lead when
fellow junior Dusty Gibbs gave the Vikings hope while moving ahead as they neared the stretch run. Foot speed
then came into the equation and Parker, the section 800m champ from last spring, won the last sprint through
the cheering supporters section to reach the finish line first. A similar situation unfolded a minute later —
this time with the Vikings getting the edge — when Brendan Green endured to beat Chico's Patrick Franco for
sixth place to give Pleasant Valley four of the top six runners. "Brendan really punched it up," Pleasant Valley
coach Tom George said. "That was a big-time effort."
Parker won in 15:44 and Gibbs officially clocked in 15:45, though it was likely closer since times are rounded
to the nearest second. Chico's Tom Dowdin finished third in 15:49, followed by a Vikings brigade that
locked up the victory. Payton Laurie was fourth, Marc Steiner came in fifth, Green grabbed the all-important sixth
spot and Carson Bee ended up eighth. Pleasant Valley improved to 6-1 against EAL competition. The Vikings' lone
loss came to league leader Enterprise.
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"That surprised me a little bit," said Girt, whose team dropped to 5-2. "If (Pleasant Valley) would have run the
way they did (against Enterprise) like they did against us today, it's hard to imagine them losing. "Enterprise
has the top two runners in the section. It's just that kind of fight between these three teams. It's going to be
a drag-out affair between all of us for the championship next week. Real close just like this."
Parker shared his coach's sentiments, complimenting the Vikings for "a complete, well-earned victory" when asked
if the Panthers were a bit unfortunate to lose after one of their top runners tripped and finished 10th. Gibbs
also contributed to the mood with credit for Parker and Dowdin, the two runners who sandwiched him in the top three.
"Dan surprised me a little bit and Tom really caught my eye out there also," Gibbs said. "Those were really good
races for both of them."
The Panther girls' five year dominance of the EAL without a loss was punctuated with sweep of the top three places
in which Atkins finished comfortably ahead of teammates, senior Leah Arreguin (2nd) and junior Analy Nava (3rd).
The dyamanic that each of these girls has shared time as the team's number one runner gives what Girt believes will
be the critical factor in the races to come. "We've got the
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best of both worlds (experience & youth)," he said. "They're right up there as (either) the second- or third-best team I've coached here."
Girt still holds the 2005 team, led by Hannah Dillard, that won the section championship meet in the highest regard.
Atkins has shown potential in her first season to reach such lofty heights and Wednesday's win might be the first
of many for the next three seasons. "I usually get third, so I'm fine with whatever my time was," she said. "I was
trying to 'chillax.'"
Kelsey O'Sullivan delivered the top finish for Pleasant Valley (5-2), taking fourth place, and a second Chico
freshman Lorena Reed rounded out the top five in fifth.
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Additional photos and some editing provided by Tom Cushman
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