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CIF State Championships
Jeff George

2 Distance Runners You Should NOT Sleep On




Liam Anderson, Redwood (1600 & 3200)

In the cross country postseason he came out of nowhere, dropping 37 seconds from Asics Clovis to the state meet and turning a 2nd-place finish at the North Coast Section finals into a 2nd-place finish at the state meet. So it shouldn't really be a surprise that, after a relatively quiet season, he broke out with a 1600 win and a 2nd-place 9:03 in the 3200 at the North Coast Meet of Champions. The thing is, he finished strong in both races and appeared to have more in the tank, so I don't think we've seen his best yet. The 1600 is as wide open as it has ever been this year, and the 3200 pace should be fast - those are perfect conditions for a guy who has already proven that he can elevate his game when it matters most.


Melia Chittenden, Mira Costa (3200)

Is she going to beat Claudia Lane? No. Can she run with just about everyone else in the race? Yes. Has she proven that she can finish a race strong and produce her best performances on the biggest stage? Yes, again - just look at her last 4 races of the fall cross country season for proof of that. Just don't be surprised if she's right in the middle of the chase pack at the end of the race, and moving up in the last 100. The virtual meet puts her in 8th, but I'm predicting a podium finish. 


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