Frosh Soph Boys were the first runners to race. Four of the top 5 runners across the line were from Whitney, as well as 6 of the top 10, and 10 of the top 20. Cole Jamieson, Ryan Hart, and Teo Delgadillo went 1-2-3, a familiar sight this season. James Bowen ran perhaps his best race of the season, finishing 5th, just 10 seconds behind the lead trio. Fekadu Cantrell and Callum Turner were 8th and 10th. And just about another 10 seconds was Nick Herrmann, Brandon Olah, Levi Chadwick, and Charlie Gioia all crossing the line in the top 20. Whitney won the league championship, defending our league title by a 35-point margin, with a near perfect 19 points (15 is the “perfect score” in XC). The anticipated rematch between Whitney, Oak Ridge, and Folsom after the close finish at SFL #1 never materialized, as Oak Ridge and Folsom moved some of their faster frosh soph runners up to varsity.
Twenty Whitney boys ran the frosh soph race, and 19 of them either lifetime PR’d or hit a course PR.
Lifetime PR’s from Friday’s league championship race: James Bowen, Fekadu Cantrell, Callum Turner, Nick Herrmann, Brandon Olah, Levi Chadwick, Hunter Schwab, Cooper Collier, Calvin Parcher, Jaden Rapp, Aidan Barkve, Corbin Peek, Dario Ruscica, Ethan Dunnery, Tyler Herceg.
Although not an overall 2-mile PR, these runners did hit a course PR: Cole Jamieson, Mateo Delgadillo, Charlie Gioia, Connor Jacoby
The frosh soph girls race developed very similarly to the boys … with 3 Whitney runners emerging to the front. Tyler Williams, Emma Martinez, and Mariana Blanding went 1-2-3 to lead the Lady ‘Cats to victory. Sydney Woolley, Ashlyn Fujioka, and Ashanti Elie were all in the top 10. Whitney scored 20 points, a full 22 points ahead of 2nd place, defending our league title. As with the frosh soph boys, a number of frosh soph girls from the other teams were moved up to varsity for finals, primarily Granite Bay, which dominated SFL #1. We had already moved Grace, Natalie, and Katie up, and did not need to move anyone else. And with the steady improvements of so many of our frosh soph girls, Whitney was able to take control of this race. Fifteen Whitney girls ran the frosh soph race, and 13 of them either lifetime PR’d or hit a course PR.
Lifetime PR’s from Friday’s league championship race: Tyler Williams, Emma Martinez, Mariana Blanding, Sydney Woolley, Ashlyn Fujioka, Ashanti Elie, Grace Ryu, Skylar Jones, Anna Giorgi, Jaqui Alvarez. Anna’s PR was by a full minute, and that was going from Capital Cross (fast course) to Spring View (slow course); so a month after Capital Cross, which is commonly a season PR for many runners due to it being a fast course, Anna ran a minute faster on a much tougher course. Congratulations Anna!
Although not an overall 2-mile PR, these runners did hit a course PR: Jane Sherman, Emma Carlson, Cailin Fitzgerald.
As mentioned before race day, the one race Whitney was predicted to win was boys varsity. Our consistent 1-2 low sticks Austin Vasquez and Ethan Dodge took care of business up front. (Note: Austin’s 15:30 is the fastest time recorded on the 5K Spring View course all season, which includes many elite runners from two large invitationals in October). And with Whitney’s depth and interchangeability of runners who can break 17 minutes, our guys were going to be tough to beat at SFL Finals. Even with #3 runner Josh Tajiri tempoing (slight hip glitch), Jason Finta, Riley Carroll, and Aidan Ransford ensured a solid team showing by each nailing a sub-17-minute effort. (Note: This new course is very challenging with all the variations and changing terrain; Aidan Ransford is the only non-underclassmen til the 25th finisher of the varsity boys race to hit a 5K PR, and it was his first time breaking 17 minutes). Josh and Aidan Redding were right at 17-flat as our 6th and 7th man, displacing top 5 runners from each of the other teams in the race, again demonstrating great depth. Except for a tie with Rocklin at SFL #1 in 2018, Whitney varsity boys remain undefeated in SFL competition over our 2-year span in the league. Cade Schwab, Brandon Valdez, Jared Regan, Max Sommerhauser, Luca Ruscica, Seth DeBoer, Dylan DeValk, Bryan Eickmann, Ryan Lew, and Billie Cunningham all hit PR’s for 5K. Nice job rising up at the point in the season where it matters most … November!
All season long, the Oak Ridge girls’ front 5 have been incredible. Their young and strong varsity line-up (no seniors=scary) is super poised and very well-conditioned, from our first meeting at our own Sierra Invitational, to Capital Cross, and now at SFL Finals. They are heavily favored by all rankings to win the D1 section title, and deservedly so. We knew as we approached league championships that they would be in control. And with Whitney’s top runner Grace Lathrop not running, we were striving to ensure at least a 2nd place finish. Del Oro is always close, and with Granite Bay moving up their top frosh soph (who’ve been improving noticeably), for Whitney to claim runner-up would not be easy. Katie Kopec rose to the challenge though, competing with Oak Ridge’s top runners, and finishing in an impressive 4th place, breaking 19 minutes on a challenging course and setting a new PR at 18:49. Brooke Giorgi, having her greatest cross country season as a senior (very tough to do), ran tough and admirably to finish in the top 10 among an elite field of runners, clocking her personal fastest time on that course. Our usual and reliable pack of four did their job … Jessica Becker, Kirsten Ransford, Natalie Eppler, and Grace Pierce all crossed in the top 20 to ensure a second place team finish behind Oak Ridge, but nearly 30 points ahead of Granite Bay and Del Oro. 7th girl Haley Bedrin hit a huge milestone … she broke 21 minutes for the first time ever on a 5K course, going 20:56. Emily Peterson also PR’d, hitting 21:48. Bella Nijmeh, Isabella Dollar, Alicia Chiang, and Isabel Simmons all PR’d as well.
Whitney Cross Country now enters the post season. ALL runners will compete at Sub-Sections Saturday, Nov. 9 at Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp. It is our goal, as it has been all season, to qualify 7 out of 7 squads to Section Championships the following Saturday.