Coomes looks to have an impact in postseason races

Quincy Coomes is back doing what he loves, and he couldn’t be happier.

His left foot feels just like his right foot, and his arm doesn’t need a sling to rest in. The Newman cross country runner is feeling strong as the season nears its end. But the feeling has its consequences.

Coomes is excited his body hasn’t betrayed him, but he has found it hard to contain that excitement.

He has gone out fast in races, often times exhausting all of his energy in the first mile, leaving him to labor through the final 2 miles. It’s something he has battled throughout the season.

“I just need to remember to take it easy, especially that first mile,” Coomes said after a light practice at Centennial Park on Wednesday. “It’s tough, because I’m all good to go now.”

Coomes is healthy. The tendinitis in his left foot has cleared up, and his shoulder doesn’t send shooting pains through his body when his arm swings while running.

But that wasn’t the case a season ago.

Coomes missed most of last year’s postseason races with injuries. The senior missed last year’s regional race due to the tendinitis in his left foot, and a fall during the Monday practice before the state meet resulted in a dislocated shoulder that ended his season.

He did run in the sectional race, but the foot injury hampered his training and he wasn’t able to get back into shape for the race. He finished 75th in 18:14.

Newman still advanced to the state meet, however, and Coomes was working back to form when he was tripped up by a teammate. His foot got caught during a tight portion of the course and dislocated his shoulder when he collided with the ground.

“I’ve thought about that a lot actually,” Coomes said. “I was in a rough position. This was about the same time last year, and now I’m hoping I can help these guys this time around.”

Coomes will get another shot at contributing on a strong Newman team in the postseason that eluded him last year. It begins with the 1A Rock Falls Regional at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday at Centennial Park. The top seven teams and the top five runners who are not members of the advancing teams, will move on to the Nov. 1 Oregon Sectional.

Rock Falls also figures to be a contender in the 14-team regional behind standout runners Seth Williams and Brayden Hamblen. The two finished in the top 5 at the Amboy Columbus Day Invite, one of the top invites in the state.

Newman should also easily qualify for the sectional race at Oregon Park West. The Comets have a deep roster that often finishes with as many as five runners near the top.

“We really don’t have that top guy,” Comets coach Patrick Warkins said, “but what we do have is five or six strong kids that can get in there and make a difference.”

Warkins is excited to have Coomes back. While leadership qualities are often over analyzed, especially in a sport where there isn’t much talking during competition, Warkins has noticed the impact a healthy Coomes has had on the team throughout the season.

“I think that all of what happened to him last season, not being able to run, motivated him that much more,” Warkins said. “And we can see it out there this year. When he got back into shape, he realized how good he could be and he has really come along.”

Bryson Reyes, the Comets’ top runner, has finished races around 15:30 throughout the season and shaved nearly 30 seconds off his state time of 15:59 last season. But while he is improving, he hasn’t focused on his times as much as he is focused on placing near the top. Reyes likes to stick with the top runners, and found that he feeds off Coomes’ energy when the two are clumped in a pack.

“Usually I don’t have any goals for times I need to hit at this point,” Reyes said. “I just want to get a good place, and worry about my times before the state meet.

“Running with these guys and having [Coomes] back helps us all compete as a team.”

Check out the regional capsules for Class 1A & 2A on B4