Back in the running: First regional CIF event since COVID was muddy good time in El Dorado
The dog.
Only the fluffy, 140-pound, snow-white shepherd named Max wasn’t fully compliant here on Monday afternoon, and you had to be tipped off to even find that.
The first high school sporting event sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Federation to take place within the Sacramento region in 10 months happened in El Dorado County, a cross country meet between four programs.
The host school was Union Mine, and what hosts the Diamondbacks were. With stay-at-home orders lifted by Gov. Gavin Newsom in a collaborative effort to deal with COVID-19 concerns and protocols, this race was a long time coming.
Cross country is now allowed in the state’s most-restrictive color tier of purple, and runners were mentally in the starting position of the race since they found out two days earlier that his event would in fact happen.
No more rumor. This was reality.
Never mind that it snowed in the morning. The runners — from Bradshaw Christian, El Dorado, Oak Ridge and Union Mine high schools, short and tall, relaxed or a bit nervous — wore shorts and matching school-color tank-tops. Runners don’t gear up for the conditions. They show up and just run, working off the chill as they navigate a course.
‘Everyone wanted this meet to happen, rain or shine’
The race started on a pristine football stadium that was lacking just one thing for those long months: activity. The 3-mile course stretched around campus, through mud, puddles or both. The two junior varsity and two varsity girls and boys races ended back on the track, greeted by a giddy Max, whose expression might have been translated to: “Why couldn’t I go?”
“Everyone wanted this meet to happen, rain or shine, and I think it was almost perfect, except I saw a dog not wearing a mask. See him there? My old Max!” said meet co-coordinator Peanut Harms, the longtime El Dorado High coach.
Then again, dogs do not always adhere to social distancing protocols — they’ll get right up in your business, tail wagging — and would likely eat a mask before wearing one.
So, all things considered, the meet was a rousing success. The expressions on the runners said as such, with a sense that it wasn’t important who won the races. It was important that the student-athletes had a chance to compete, to be in official uniforms, to be teammates. This race was the reward for months of conditioning and stop-and-starts and uncertainty if prep sports would ever get off the ground this academic year.
Parents representing each school sat in their own sections in the stands — socially distanced. Everyone had masks. Some mothers and fathers spoke of the relief and joy of watching their child in an actual event. They took time off from work to see this. Some spoke that the mental toll on their teenagers was concerning, that activity and any sense of normalcy was needed.
“I’m so excited to see this that I could just cry,” said one girl’s mother who was in a rush and didn’t give her name. “I can’t chat now. I want to watch her go!”
And they’re off
Runners wore masks right up until the starting gun went off, and they were told via horn by the man with the starter’s pistol to “follow the bike!”
The biker was Union Mine coach Kyle Fujitsubo — a younger, spirited version of the energized, 70-year old Harms, who has coached locally since 1974, when he coached runners at UC Davis. Fujitsubo used Harms’ mountain bike to lead the way, so runners wouldn’t wind up on Highway 50 headed toward Tahoe. The coach known as Fuji logged a good 10 miles Monday and he never looked happier for it.
He talked about first-time runners finding themselves a bit here: confidence, joy, a good, hearty sweat.
“Absolutely a great day!” Fujitsubo said, sitting on the bike, waiting for the next race. “This is so fun. These kids needed this. I’m impressed with all of these kids.”
Fujitsubo also teachers U.S. and world history at Union Mine. There has been a lot to discuss globally this academic year, either in person via hybrid on-campus learning, or through video conference means.
“I’m continuously reaffirmed that our next generation will be OK, that we can be united,” Fujitsubo said.
Matt Ray is the Union Mine athletic director, a first-year man who coached the Antelope High football team for 10 years before he sought new challenges. Ray had no sports or events to enjoy or supervise at his new school until Monday. He arrived on campus Monday morning, greeted by snow on the fields and rooftops, a cloudy sky and a stiff breeze. This race only had the clouds.
“Nothing was going to stop this meet, unless it was lightning or the act of God,” Ray said with a laugh. “We needed to get kids moving again, active. Kids are taking the brunt of not having sports. This is the first sanctioned event in all these months. It’s crazy to even say it out loud because it’s been so long. Kids everywhere have been so gritty, showing up every day ready.”
Harms said students came from all over the hills to be at this meet as El Dorado County schools are tucked into far-away places, including “some who had to dig out of the snow in their yard to get here, another level of madness.”
He added, “I was so excited about today that I got geeked.”
Still, Harms had a bit of a heavy heart. His best friend in coaching would not be available on the other end of the phone to talk of the joys of running. Bella Vista cross country coach Tom Laythe died of COVID-19 over the winter break.
“I miss him,” Harms said.
Ava Maier of Oak Ridge won the varsity girls race in 17 minutes, 40 seconds. She hardly seemed winded. Kudos to long legs, great conditioning and sheer will. A 4.3-GPA student who aims to study chemistry or biology in college, the junior said running balances her life.
“It’s really nice to have a race,” she said, beaming. “This gives us a little more hope (of a season).”
Harms said his El Dorado boys team could be the best in school history. He’s been the coach there for 30 years.
Coleman Tobin of El Dorado won the varsity race in 16:01.18, followed by teammates Ben Sallee, Charles Chelberg, Dominic Rapfetto and Cody Foxworthy.
“These sorts of events can be done,” he said, looking at the runners in action. “No doubt.”
Hosting a sporting event on campus?
Fill us in. It’s game time. The Sacramento Bee will cover events, any sport, as prep sports slowly returns to action. Tell us the when and where by emailing Joe Davidson to jdavidson@sacbee.com.
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Back in the running: First regional CIF event since COVID was muddy good time in El Dorado."