Friday roundup: SRJC women win cross country title; Willits outlasts Fort Bragg in football

The Santa Rosa Junior College women's cross country team shook off evacuations, canceled classes, poor air quality and a prohibition against official team practices in the wake of the still-burning Kincade fire to defend its Big 8 Conference title Friday.

The Bear Cubs nipped rival Sierra College 50-53 to come away with the win at Modesto Junior College.

Sophomore Evelin Ramirez, who spent the week sleeping on a friend's couch after her Forestville home was evacuated, was the top Bear Cubs finisher, taking fourth place on the 5K course in 19:18. Her twin sister Jackie finished seventh in 19:25. Both ran for El Molino High.

Freshmen Katrina Frandsen and Bria Keelty, who both ran at Santa Rosa High, finished 12th and 15th in 19:52 and 20:00, respectively.

Gris Alonso-Soto, a sophomore, finished 24th in 20:46. Maria Carrillo grad Miranda Huntsinger, also a sophomore, finished 30th in 21:42 and sophomore Dana Johnson finished 36th in 22:32.

On the men's side, the Bear Cubs finished fourth with freshman Bailey Williams, a Technology High grad, leading the way among the Bear Cubs with a 14th-place finish. He covered the 4-mile course in 20:32.

Freshman Nathan Hayes, who ran at Piner, finished in 16th at 20:43 and freshman Zach Passalaqua, who ran for Rincon Valley Christian, finished 27th in 21:51.

Loren Gillogly finished in 29th at 22:04 and Tucker Frandsen finished 32nd in 22:13. Conor Schott was 36th at 22:30 and Brandon Alvarado was 38th in 22:41.

Both squads will compete at the NorCal Championships at Hartnell College in Salinas on Friday.

The state championship meet is Nov. 22 in Fresno.

- Kerry Benefield

Willits tops Fort Bragg in NCL I football

The Willits High School football team held off Fort Bragg 33-26 in a back-and-forth NCL I game Friday afternoon, bringing the Wolverines' record to 5-2 in league and 7-3 overall.

The host Wolverines got the scoring started on a 37-yard rushing touchdown by Jacob Arms early in the first quarter. Fort Bragg answered just a few minutes later with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt Curti to Jullian Clavelle, then took the lead when Curti rushed for the 2-point conversion.

The teams continued trading scores throughout the rest of the first half, with Willits taking a 27-20 lead into the break.

The third quarter was scoreless but Fort Bragg nearly caught up on a one-yard Curti touchdown run early in the fourth, though the 2-point conversion failed and Willits remained ahead 27-26.

The Wolverines then capped the scoring with a 96-yard run by Arms, followed by a missed kick, for the final 33-26 result.

Fort Bragg falls to 1-5 in NCL I and 1-7 overall.

- Press Democrat staff

Next week's El Molino-Harker football matchup canceled

The El Molino-Harker football game set for next Friday night was canceled. Originally scheduled in what would have been a bye week for the Lions, the game was pushed off to Nov. 8 because of delays due to the Kincade fire.

The North Coast Section granted a one-week extension to the football calendar after several North Bay games had to be canceled or postponed because of the fire, smoke-filled air or evacuations.

But coach Randy Parmeter said Friday that Harker couldn't play on the rescheduled day. The San Jose team, which doesn't belong to a league, is governed by the Central Coast Section scheduling rules not the NCS.

- Lori A. Carter