ROAD WARRIOR: At the CIF-SS track and field finals in May, Sydney Gidabuday was the surprise underdog who surged late in the 1,600-meter race to win

Gidabuday (359) at the front pack

 This fall he's been at the forefront of a different surge – that of the El Modena boys’ cross-country team, which advanced to CIF Division 3 state finals for the first time in seven years.

Individually, Gidabuday finished third at the CIF-SS finals on Saturday, cementing his position as one of the top runners in Southern California. It's also made El Modena a potential threat to perennial Century League powerhouse Brea Olinda, whose only loss this season was to the Vanguards.

“It was more than I could imagine,” said Gidabuday, who didn't run cross country last year. “It's great that I'm leading the team (on the course) and it's great that we're doing a lot better than we expected.”

But there are undertones of disappointment in Gidabuday's voice.

Throughout the season, the senior battled Villa Park's Garrett Corcoran and Brea Olinda's Austin Tamagno for the title of best runner in the Century League. While Gidabuday bested the two at the track and field finals last May, he fell short of his goal of finishing fastest in the Century League finals Nov. 6.

At the CIF-SS finals Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College, Tamagno and Indio High's David Luna bested Gidabuday, giving the Vanguard star a third-place finish.

“They were a surprise (this season),” Gidabuday said of his league rivals. “I guess I'm happy with the performances. This is where I expected to be. I just didn't expect to be in third place where I was in some of those races.”

Gidabuday lives in Orange with his guardian, Juan Ramirez, who trained in the same running club as Gidabuday's father, Wilhelm. Originally from Tanzania, Sydney Gidabuday moved to the U.S. with his father when he was 7. But Wilhelm Gidabuday – an elite runner who ran in Tanzania's Olympic trials – eventually had to move back to Tanzania and asked Ramirez if he could look after Sydney.

For reasons unknown, Wilhelm Gidabuday was unable to return to the United States. Ramirez has continued to raise Sydney Gidabuday, who's become like a second son to him. “He's a very good kid, very quiet, not a (troublesome) kid,” Ramirez said. “He's very dedicated to his training and school.”

Ramirez, who still runs competitively, began training Gidabuday when he turned 15. Two years later, and Ramirez sees the potential for greatness. He believes Gidabuday can match his father's success, and is not worried about a few third-place finishes.

“He's just a very competitive runner so he doesn't like to lose,” Ramirez said. “I see it and I know he has the potential. (I) try to let him grow up a little bit because the talent is there.” While he's talked to several Division I schools, Gidabuday has no college plans. He's more concerned with the upcoming state finals and the looming spring track season.

Regardless of what happens, Gidabuday has spurred something big within El Modena's cross-country program. “I know Sydney's good; Sydney's very good,” Vanguard coach Thom Confer said. “He can reach whatever goal he wants to. We – El Modena, our cross-country team and the group that's supporting him – have really aspired to be with him as close as we can be this season. And I think we've done that.”

Two of El Modena's top five runners are juniors and two are sophomores. It's a young yet motivated team that doesn't need a lot of egging on from Gidabuday. Besides, the quiet and humble senior prefers to let his legs do the leading – as they'll do one more time this season, Saturday morning at Woodward Park in Fresno.

“Everyone's a really different runner than they were in the spring,” said Gidabuday. “I guess I'm proud to say I'm the first on the team, but I don't know, it's great to run with them. … They're all guys that get ready to do what they're told to do by coach once the racing starts. They all get just as nervous as I do. It's kind of cool that I know they're feeling the same things.”

Contact the writer: 714-704-3796 or mhanlon@ocregister.com