Records fell like dominoes at the Dos Pueblos Invitational on Friday, as Dos Pueblos’ Bryan Fernandez and Sergey Sushchikh, and San Marcos’ Evan Bradford all broke meet records on the Shoreline Park course.
The DP Invitational ran for its fifth year, using its traditional grade-based format. Conditions were ideal, making for the fast times.
“It’s great to run here when the wind isn’t blowing 100 miles per hour like it was last year,” commented Royals head coach Lawrence Stehmeier.
Fernandez shattered the freshman boys mark by 25 seconds by clocking in at 17 minutes and three seconds. Fernandez knows the course well, having regularly competed in Nite Moves over the summer.
“It was easier because I do Nite Moves a lot,” said Fernandez, who started training with the Chargers over the summer.
Fernandez’s teammate Sushchikh only did Nite Moves once over the summer, yet dominated the course to win in 16:15. Sushchikh bested DP grad William Yochum’s mark from 2005.
San Marcos senior Evan Bradford broke the all-time meet record of 16:02 set by Hueneme’s Jose Alcantar in 2007, but so did Oxnard’s Gustavo Mena, who won the race in 15:53.
It was Bradford’s best race of the season, helping him put a tough first Channel League meet behind him and get his season back on track.
“I’ve just been having bad races,” Bradford said. “So now it’s like, ok, every race is my senior season, I got to give it my all.”
The Dos Pueblos girls team won the overall sweepstakes for the second year in a row. The Charger juniors were a force to be reckoned with especially, as five runners from DP placed in the top 17 led by Kelly Kosmo in third. Erin Campbell crossed in eighth.
Cate’s Mackenzie Walsh, winner of the first Condor League meet, placed fourth amongst senior girls while Bishop Diego’s Christie Delgadillo, who won the season’s first Frontier League meet, finished in 18th in the sophomore girls.
