Cloverdale’s Sarah Sumpter, who won the Big West Conference’s women’s cross country championship competing for UC Davis, credits from Montgomery star Kim Conley with a major influence on her life. Conley is an assistant track coach at UC Davis after starring for the Aggies as a cross country runner.

“I saw how Kim could compete well and was still very healthy,” said Sumpter, who battled anorexia starred at Healdsburg High School. “I also saw how Kim was very dedicated and she was very fast. She is the model for me. I owe her a lot.”

Conley was a three-time all-conference performer for Montgomery, a three-time CIF state qualifier in cross country and has the second-best times in UC Davis history in both the outdoor 1500 and indoor 5000.

“I am very flattered Sarah sees me as a mentor,” said Conley who graduated from Davis this past spring. “Sarah sees me as someone who has paved the way for what she wants to do now. But as she develops we will push her to set her own standards and the raise the bar for herself and all the Aggies that follow in her footsteps.

Sumpter was forced to miss her first year of competition, incurring a hip flexor injury.

“Sarah is a great resurrection story,” Conley said. “She’s our top cross country runner right now and that’s pretty unique for a freshman. But Sarah’s ready for it.”