Great Oak boys back on top, Buchanan relies on dynamic duo to win first girls sweepstakes title since 2005

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Following a year of dominance by Arizona and Colorado programs in the meet’s first run in Norco, California reaffirmed its strength on a national level Saturday in its return to SilverLakes Sports Complex at the 37th Woodbridge Cross Country Classic.

El Camino Real senior Justin Hazell joined an elite group by becoming only the fifth athlete in meet history to run under 14 minutes and Buchanan standouts Corie Smith and Meagen Lowe became the first female teammates to take the top two spots in the Bob Day sweepstakes since 2003, helping California athletes and teams sweep the most prestigious honors at the nation’s largest cross country competition this season.

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Smith and Lowe also became the first teammates to run under 16 minutes on the flat 3-mile course, clocking 15 minutes, 58.4 and 15:59.3 to lead Buchanan to its first sweepstakes title since 2005 with a 92-116 victory over five-time champion Great Oak CA.

Only former Nike Cross Nationals champions Brie Oakley of Grandview CO – who ran the all-time meet record 15:53.6 last year – and Simi Valley CA graduate Sarah Baxter, who ran 15:57 in 2013 at Estancia High in Costa Mesa had eclipsed the 16-minute barrier prior to Saturday.

Liza Pasciuto and Liana Boucher, who led Murrieta Valley CA to the sweepstakes championship in 2003, were the last teammates to take the top two spots at Woodbridge.

Smith and Lowe – 32nd and sixth, respectively, last year – helped Buchanan become the first team at any of the meet’s four venues to run under 84 minutes, clocking 83:37 to break the previous record of 84:28 set last season by Desert Vista AZ.

Hazell continued California’s individual dominance, with the state producing every boys sweepstakes champion since the turn of the century, by clocking 13:59.5 to hold off Redlands East Valley CA senior Elias Opsahl (14:01.6) and Rubidoux CA junior Kevin Ramos (14:03.5).

Hazell, 10th last season in 14:32.6, joined fellow California stars Blake Haney of Bakersfield Stockdale (13:55) and Estevan de la Rosa of Arcadia (13:56) – who produced a thrilling duel in 2013 at Estancia – and last year’s winner Luis Grijalva of Armijo (13:58) in breaking 14 minutes.

Following a third-place finish last year behind Colorado powers Mountain Vista and Palmer Ridge, Great Oak captured its third Doug Speck boys sweepstakes title in four years with an 83-118 victory over Desert Vista.

Carlos Carvajal led the Wolfpack by placing fifth in 14:20.4, with six individuals under 15 minutes to produce the program’s fastest team performance at Woodbridge of 73:07, second all-time to the 72:46 by Arcadia CA at Estancia in 2013.

Adrian Schroeder took fourth in 14:09.8 for Dublin CA, leading the Gaels to a third-place finish with 168 points.

Southlake Carroll TX, sixth last year with Foot Locker national champion Reed Brown placing third overall, improved to fifth with 197 points behind Long Beach Poly CA at 179. A year after taking second, Palmer Ridge CO was 12th.

El Toro CA, Newbury Park CA, Arcadia, Desert Hills UT and Yucaipa CA completed the boys top 10 sweepstakes finishers.

Following a third-place finish in the girls sweepstakes last year, Southlake Carroll took fourth with 195, trailing Serrano CA with 171.

Vista Murrieta CA, Peak to Peak CO, Palmer Ridge, Desert Vista, Desert Hills and El Toro rounded out the girls sweepstakes top 10. After Colorado produced back-to-back individual sweepstakes champions with Oakley and Allie Chipman of Mountain Vista, Peak to Peak junior Quinn McConnell was fourth in 16:01.7.

Ivan Mendez of Monache CA and Xavier Court of Mira Costa CA staged an impressive battle in the boys rated race, clocking 14:20.3 and 14:25.9, which ranked fifth and ninth overall for the meet. David Nelsen of Hamilton AZ ran the fastest time in Friday’s red division varsity races at 14:30.1, 17th overall for the two-day competition.

Grace Catena of Palos Verdes CA won the girls rated competition in 16:55.4, 28th overall for all female races. Saugus CA senior Mariah Castillo was 13th overall after winning Saturday’s blue division varsity race in 16:36.4.