The best could be yet to come for the Southwest High School boys cross country team — and standout runner William Wines.
Wines, a senior who has competed four years on the team, is hoping to break out this fall to qualify for the state championship meet.
He’s also hoping to lead the Raiders to this year’s South Bay League championship.
Wines remained undefeated in league competition following last Friday’s 15-50 victory against the Chula Vista Spartans at Rohr Park. He’s won all four league dual meets so far, including last Friday’s encounter by nearly two minutes.
Wines timed 17:29 — well ahead of the 19:20 posted by teammate Isaiahs Gutierrez.
The Raiders placed seven runners in front of Chula Vista’s first scorer.
Following Wines and Gutierrez across the finish line were Southwest teammates Nathan Lopez (third, 19:21), Isaac Duran (fourth, 19:32), Andrew Lopez (fifth, 19:36), Andres Silva (sixth, 19:38) and Divad Diaz (seventh, 19:40).
Alejandro Alvarez timed 19:58 as the Spartans’ top runner on the day.
The Raiders will test Sweetwater and Castle Park on the Rohr Park course this Friday, Nov. 5, as teams wrap up league dual meets ahead of the Metro Conference league finals Nov. 12 at Rohr Park.
Wines should be among the leaders on the boys course. His one regret is that he will be leaving his team upon graduation.
“This is my last year sadly,” he said. “We have a really solid team. Next year they’re going to be super good. I’m going to miss it.”
Wines said running alone isn’t so difficult.
“I imagine there’s someone behind me,” Wines explained. “I imagine I’m racing a couple good guys — Hilltop’s Miguel (Tisnado) and Jimmy (Byland). I imagine they’re on my heels or I imagine I’m trying to catch them in front of me. I use that to motivate me.”
Tisnado and Byland should be racing – or possibly even chasing – Wines at the conference championship meet.
Wines finished second in the Teal Division at the 22nd annual Kit Carson Invitational Oct. 22 in Escondido. He timed 16:31.1 — trailing only Point Loma junior Manuel Correia (16:25.3).
Southwest finished third in the team standings behind Point Loma and Otay Ranch.
“My sophomore year I was super close to qualifying for the state meet,” he said. “My junior year state didn’t happen because of COVID. This year I want to go to state. That’s a goal I’ve set for myself.”
Southwest coach David Buse said he’s looking forward to see what his team can accomplish at the upcoming conference finals and the San Diego Section Division III championship race.
“We have a lot of new runners, and for us to be where we are at this point of the season, I’m very happy,” Buse said.
The Raiders coach said Wines is still looking to reach his full potential, which could come in college.
“He’s starting to get back in the form he had in the 10th grade,” Buse said. “He wants to run at the next level. We’re trying to help that process, to see him get that opportunity.”
