Comment: Mustangs runners continue to dominate

Every so often, a team comes along that continues to impress us with their talent, toughness and tenacity.

They are relentless — pushing on no matter what circumstances lie ahead. They inspire. They overcome insurmountable obstacles. And most importantly, they cherish their time together.

The Lakewood Ranch High girls distance team is one of those teams. It doesn’t matter whether they are in cross country or track season, the girls are consistently vying for the top spot.

And this past Friday proved no different, as the girls, along with the rest of their Lady Mustang teammates, competed in the Manatee County Track Championships at Manatee High.

In perhaps one of their most relaxed meets of the season, the girls shuffled events, allowing others the chance to compete, and yet they still managed to win all six middle- and long-distance races, helping lead the Lady Mustangs to another Manatee County Championship title.

Olivia Ortiz and Devin McDermott coasted to victories in their lone events of the meet — the mile and two-mile, respectively — with the remainder of the distance squad competing in at least two, but in most cases, four events. Kristin Zarrella led the way for Lakewood, racing to three first-place finishes.

I stayed long enough to watch Ortiz compete; and the fellow reporters and I couldn’t help but stare in amazement as she quickly took a 200-meter lead before the first lap was even over — only to lap several of her competitors down the home stretch.

It’s quite remarkable to see an entire team continue to dominate in its sport. But the Lakewood girls have done just that. They have made back-to-back-to-back trips to the state championships in cross country and are looking to make another trip back to the track-and-field championships.

Based on their performances throughout the season, the girls appear to be peaking at just the right time. So I wouldn’t be surprised if come May, I’m writing a story on Lakewood’s much-anticipated return to the state championships.