Weathered Jags stumbled downhill

[media-credit name=”Serina Duarte” align=”alignright” width=”201″][/media-credit]

Ayded Reyes going strong after her tumble placing 5th place.Ayded Reyes usually brings competitors to their knees with her blistering times, but this time it was the state’s #1-ranked cross-country runner who had fallen to her knees.

Moments off the start line of the California State Championships in Fresno, Reyes was kicked and tripped by another runner. She fell hard on both knees on concrete, and worse, fell behind the entire pack.

Reyes scrambled to her feet and, with blood streaming down her leg, sprinted back to pack and all the way to second place as she neared the final stretch of the 3.1-mile race. Her starting line exertion caught up with her and so did three runners, landing her a fifth place in the race she was heavily favored to win. Wracked by the flu, SWC women-pre-race favorites-stumbled in at 15th place.
“I couldn’t believe that happened, but it did,” said Reyes. “sometimes the most dangerous part of a big race like that is the start. Somebody kicked me hard in the calf and stepped right in between my feet. It hurt a lot, but I just thought about getting up and catching up.”

SWC men grabbed 14th in the 27 college field. Most of the athletes on both Jaguar teams were sick, despite coach Dr. Duro Agbede’s efforts to put the most noticeably ill people in separate vans from those who seemed healthy.

“I didn’t work,” Agbede said. “The viruses were smart. They found everybody.”
A team that flew over the finish line in first place at the SoCal Championships was finished by the flu at the state meet. Runners used to the top 10 in races were scattered throughout the finish roster. Flu-addled Valerie Hycz placed 84th, Prisma Mendoza 91st, Karla Gadea 148th, Mariam Cardenas 152nd, Jasmin Romo 171st and Maby Castan 174.

Flu also chased down the men’s team. Race favorite Ansu Sowe of SWC sagged to 15th as he battled illness.

There will be many races in the future for all SWC runners, as most have already been offered generous university scholarships. Sometimes, Agbede reminded his team, you can win without crossing the finish line first.