Kosciusko cross country coach Greg Cooper was at the three-mile mark for last week's 4A region meet at Choctaw Trails when Whippet junior Jorge Orduna and Richland senior Jose Guiterrez came along neck-and-neck at the lead of a 77-runner field.
“When they hit the hill, they both opened up and Jorge was able to nose him, literally leaning forward for the win,” said Cooper.
Orduna finished the 5,000-meter race with a time of 17:44.63 to 17:44.77 for Guiterrez.
Orduna led the Whippets to a sixth-place finish. Choctaw Central was the team winner.
Other Kosciusko runners: freshman Daniel Van was 18th with a time of 20:07.28, eighth grader Avery Nicholson 19th (20:07.96), sophomore Lem Whitcomb 30th (21:31.80), junior Cooper Sparks 31st (22:22.75), junior Christian Covarrubias 32nd (22:23.42), freshman Rodrigo Arvizu 35th (24:00.24), freshman Grayson Blaylock 37th (24:32.01) and freshman Tuff Shaw 38th (27:10.06).
It was Nicholson's first varsity race after moving up from the junior high team.
Orduna's time was 14 seconds better than a race at Choctaw Trails two weeks earlier, but six seconds slower than his school record time one week earlier on an easier course at French Camp.
Emma Rhodes, Kosciusko's only girls’ runner, was 11th in a field of 55 with a time of 24:16.87.
The state meet is scheduled for Saturday at Choctaw Trails. Kosciusko finished ninth last year. Orduna was 24th in 18:44.75.
Cooper said all his runners have improved their times during the season.
