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Throughout the years I have enjoyed most of the sports I have covered. There are also those that have been personal favorites, ones I look forward to every year.
Two of my favorites have been high-level volleyball, as well as track and field. As a byproduct of track, I have always been a big fan of cross country.
I covered many East Bay Athletic League, North Coast Section, and CIF State meets. While I enjoyed covering these events, I was never quite sure of one thing when looking at cross country runners.
Why?
I mean in team sports there is a common goal – making a touchdown, making a basket, scoring a goal. Even in individual sports you have making a birdie, pinning an opponent, as well as other endeavors.
But running up and down hills, regardless of the weather, pushing your body to the end of its limits, always seemed a tad bit confusing to me.
Recently I had the chance to talk with De La Salle junior Trey Caldwell, one of the top runners not just in the EBAL but in the entire state of California.
Caldwell helped put the sport of cross country in perspective.
“Yeah, it’s unique,” said Caldwell of running cross country. “You think about putting together a consistent series of practices, then you go out there and race. There are some days when you might feel like, ‘why am I doing this.’ But when you succeed with your plan, it is the best feeling.”
Thus far this season Caldwell has had nothing but the best feelings. After a sophomore season where he finished third in NCS and 9th in the CIF meet, Caldwell has come back almost with a vengeance.
“My goals are based on place and not as much on time,” said Caldwell. “My goal is to win every race. Win EBAL, win NCS, win State.”
Thus far Caldwell has been punching his ticket in every event. He took the first three meets he has run in, including the UC Santa Barbara Invitational.
This past weekend he ran in the prestigious Mt. SAC race and took top honors in his division with a 3-mile time of 14 minutes, 49 seconds.
The time was second overall for all five divisions, finishing behind only Emmanuel Perez of Cathedral who finished at 14:38.
The win stamps Caldwell as one of the favorites to win state this year.
It is of no surprise to De La Salle coach John Pelster.
“Trey is one of the best runners I’ve ever coached and has the potential to be one of the greatest runners in school history,” said Pelster. “He has already set school records on some of our long-time cross-country courses, and if he stays healthy, I expect him to hold the school record on every course we compete on by the end of his senior year. “
It wasn’t always easy for Caldwell. It was in middle school while running for the Mt. Diablo Heat club team where Caldwell knew this was his sport.
“My coach in middle school showed me it’s not just about going out and running every day,” said Caldwell. “Some days you work on speed, some days you don’t go as hard.”
Then came high school.
“My freshman year I came in with no expectations,” said Caldwell. “There were probably a bazillion guys faster than I was.”
The Spartans made it to state as a team that year and Caldwell ended as the second fastest on the team. He finished 56th as an individual, running a 16:16 at state.
Then came the quantum leap as a sophomore, clocking a 15:21.2 at state, knocking off almost a minute off his time as a freshman.
“I have an infinite amount of trust in my coach,” said Caldwell of Pelster. “I got stronger, fitter, and I had put in a good summer.”
Another good summer this year has Caldwell perched on the edge of greatness. He knew early on at the UCSB meet what may be in store.
“When I saw my time on the clock, I thought, this is going to be a good year,” said Caldwell of his time which was a top ten all time for the meet.
Caldwell has the following days in his sites: November 4 for the EBAL meet, November 18 for the NCS meet, and finally, November for the CIF State meet at Woodward Park in Fresno.
Incredible night for Livermore running back!
Kamarri Robinson, a junior running back for the Cowboys served notice earlier this year it was going to be a big year when he went for 317 yards 28-7 in over Castro Valley, which was a school record for Livermore.
Four games later the 5-foot-9, 175-pound back broke that record with 355 yards in a 30-28 win over Foothill.
But no one could have foreseen what was going to happen October 20 against Dublin.
When the dust settled, Robinson went for 534 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries in the 45-34 Livermore win.
Let me write that again – 534 yards – in one game.
Livermore coach John Wade has been coaching for 31 years and has seen a lot of big games. When asked if he had seen anything like that before, he answered quickly.
“No. Never,” said Wade. “It was crazy.”
Wade and his staff knew Robinson was putting some numbers on the board but had no idea how big.
“We thought he might have been flirting with 400, but thought it would be impossible to get 500,” said Wade.
For many years local reporters tracked statistics for all the football games but since local coverage has been scrapped by daily newspapers, statistics fall on the coaches.
Wade couldn’t wait so Friday night following the game, he went home and went to work.
“The coaches were asking me to text them as I went through it,” said Wade.
When 13 carries in the first half accounted for 179 yards, Wade knew it was going to big.
“He had some big plays in the second half,” said Wade.
When he was done, the second half was staggering with 16 carries for 355 yards. A 90-yard touchdown with two minutes left that iced the game for Livermore put him over 500 yards.
In the second half Robinson had runs of 73, 55, 90, 42, 41, and 55 yards and all were needed as the Cowboys never led by more than 10 points in the game.
Wade is now in the process of going back through the games to see where Robinson is for the season. He missed one game due to injury and Wade has gotten through four of Robinson’s seven games.
So far, with three games still to total Robinson stands at 1,343 yards for the season. And he still has two games left – this week against Dougherty Valley and the finale with Granada.
What makes the junior so good?
“He gets through to the second level so quickly,” said Wade. “His vision is so good. He hits the hole at top speed, then makes his cut at top speed.”
Against Dublin, the Gaels played nine or 10 guys in the box. Stacked against the run but once Robinson was through, he was gone.
Wade had a great example of Robinson’s explosiveness.
“We had the ball at like our seven and he lost three yards on first down,” said Wade. “Now we are backed up and worried about getting some yards to punt the ball. On the next carry he went 55 yards, then 41 yards on the next for the touchdown.”
Robinson, who is also a talented safety, is as humble as he is good.
“He never asks about his yardage,” said Wade. “He is into doing whatever is needed to help the team win.”
