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Preview - 10 Storylines to Follow at Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational 2019

Published by
DyeStat.com   Oct 25th 2019, 3:01am
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By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 72nd Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

LIVE FINISH LINE WEBCAST INFO

Here are 10 storylines to follow at one of the largest and longest-running high school meets in the country:

Daschbach ready to deliver another memorable run

It isn’t often that an athlete from outside California is the focal point of the annual meet in Walnut, but this year is an exception with the scheduled appearance Saturday of Highland AZ senior Leo Daschbach in the Division 1-2 boys team sweepstakes race.

Daschbach ran the second-fastest 5-kilometer cross country race by a prep athlete in history when he clocked 14 minutes, 14.26 seconds Sept. 27 at the Desert Twilight Festival in Casa Grande, Ariz.

The recent University of Washington commit then ran the fastest time by an Arizona athlete and elevated to the No. 3 all-time performer on the 5-kilometer layout at Woodward Park in Fresno with his 14:30.9 effort Oct. 12 at the ASICS Clovis Invitational.

So to say the all-time record on the 2.93-mile course of 14:23.2 set in 2014 by Brea-Olinda CA standout and current Oregon athlete Austin Tamagno could be in jeopardy Saturday would be an understatement.

Aside from the 9:09.6 2-mile split he ran Oct. 18 at the Chandler Relays, Saturday’s race will mark the first time in his cross country career that Daschbach has run a race distance of less than 5 kilometers.

Only 10 athletes in history have run under 14:30 at Mt. SAC, with Rubidoux CA graduate Kevin Ramos having clocked the fastest time on the same construction layout that will be used this weekend by running 14:28 last year.

Three male athletes from Arizona have run under 15 minutes at the Mt. SAC Invitational, including none in the past decade. Sherod Hardt of Queen Creek and Steve Magnuson of Ironwood Ridge both clocked 14:55 in 2009.

It could also mark the second year in a row that a male athlete from outside California wins the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes after Crayton Carrozza of St. Stephens Episcopal TX clocked 14:35 last season.

Unlike his race at Desert Twilight, when he battled against Valor Christian CO senior Cole Sprout, or his showdown with Newbury Park CA senior Nico Young at Clovis, if Daschbach does have sights on the record, it could be primarily a solo effort.

No other athlete in the field has run under 15 minutes at Mt. SAC in their career, with JSerra CA senior Anthony Grover and Bellarmine Prep CA junior Colin Peattie both having clocked 15:01 last year.

Bakersfield Ridgeview’s Alex Cuevas, La Costa Canyon’s Caleb Niednagel, Thousand Oaks’ Michael Mireles, Crescenta Valley’s Dylan Wilbur, West Torrance’s Josh Murray and Jake Parker, along with the entire Great Oak lineup stand to benefit if Daschbach is pushing the pace from the start.

Could be that time again for Great Oak

As if adding to its own record with a sixth consecutive grand sweepstakes championship isn’t enough motivation for Great Oak CA, the Wolfpack also have the potential once again to challenge the all-time course team time mark of 74:31 from 2017.

MT. SAC ALL-TIME TOP PERFORMANCES

Great Oak is the only program to run under 75 minutes at Mt. SAC, also clocking 74:47 in 2015 on its way to winning a Nike Cross Nationals title.

The biggest asset in the Wolfpack’s pursuit of another exceptional effort will be another tight pack, with Gabe Abbes, Mateo Joseph, Aric Reza, Cole Sawires Yager, Christian Simone, Chris Verdugo and John Worthy all capable of being a scoring runner and challenging the 15-minute mark.

Great Oak has produced spreads of 20, 19 and 14 seconds among its scoring runners at the Woodbridge Classic, Great American Cross Country Festival and ASICS Clovis Invitational.

Great Oak surpassed Royal CA, Thousand Oaks CA and Long Beach Poly CA last year with its fifth boys sweepstakes title in the highest division, becoming the only program in meet history to win five in a row, after Brea-Olinda had captured four straight Division 3 titles from 2013-16.

Bellarmine Prep, Torrey Pines, Thousand Oaks, West Torrance and Crescenta Valley are California teams scheduled to compete in the Division 1-2 boys sweepstakes, but without the presence of Newbury Park to challenge the Wolfpack, it could be Great Oak racing against history.

A 7-11 with plenty of rewards for Wolfpack

Although Great Oak isn’t expected to challenge its girls course record of 87:46 from 2017, the Wolfpack does have the potential to make more history Saturday in the Division 1-2 girls team sweepstakes race.

Great Oak is seeking a seventh overall grand sweepstakes championship in the past eight years, including a sixth in a row.

But the most impressive pursuit for the Wolfpack is that of being the top Division 1 program in the team sweepstakes race for an exceptional 11th consecutive year.

During the past decade, Great Oak has finished second twice and fourth once in its quest to capture the grand sweepstakes championship, but the Wolfpack haven’t lost to a Division 1 program during that stretch.

Great Oak is already the only girls program to win five consecutive grand sweepstakes titles. The Wolfpack will square off against California challengers St. Francis Sacramento, Saugus and Anaheim Canyon, along with Desert Vista AZ, looking to continue to build momentum after victories at the Great American Cross Country Festival and ASICS Clovis Invitational.

Junior Brianna Weidler is expected to return to the Great Oak lineup, joining seniors Audrey Dang, Tori Gaitan and Aubrie Nex, along with freshmen Melinda Dang, Aishling Fabian and Kelli Gaffney.

Several challengers searching for sub-15

The winner of the Division 1-2 boys individual sweepstakes the past three years has run under 15 minutes, including former Rubidoux CA star Kevin Ramos capturing back-to-back titles in 14:39 and 14:28.

Before 2015, when the winning time was 15:14 by Palmdale Highland’s Camden Smith, the champion of the individual sweepstakes race had run under 15 minutes for seven straight years.

Another Highland athlete, Daniel Rodriguez, is among the leading contenders to win Saturday in a group with no clear favorite.

Westmont’s Garrett MacQuiddy is one of the top athletes from Northern California, but the rest of the primary challengers are all from Southern California.

Long Beach Poly’s Ronan McMahon-Staggs, Peninsula’s Ewan Macfarlane, Redondo’s Christoph Waligorski, Capistrano Valley’s Sean Robertson, Trabuco Hills’ Landen Lee, Anaheim Canyon’s Connor Albin and Loyola’s Anthony Stone are all capable of securing victory, but none of the athletes have eclipsed the 15-minute mark on the Mt. SAC course.

With only California entries in the field, it will mark the 11th year in a row the host state has won the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes since Trevor Dunbar of Kodiak AK prevailed in 2008.

Ping looks to prevail against California elite

Another Arizona athlete could grab the spotlight in the Division 1-2 girls team sweepstakes race with Desert Vista freshman Lauren Ping looking to become the first individual from outside California to win the event since former Reno NV star Mel Lawrence captured three consecutive titles from 2004-06.

Ping could also become the first ninth-grader to secure victory in the team sweepstakes since Simi Valley CA standout Sarah Baxter captured the first of her four consecutive titles in 2010.

The fastest time achieved by an Arizona female athlete on the Mt. SAC course is 17:01 by Queen Creek’s Kari Hardt in 2005.

There will be no shortage of challengers for Ping, who finished second Sept. 21 in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic, as well as runner-up Sept. 27 at the Desert Twilight Festival in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Great Oak senior Tori Gaitan won the race in 2017, before placing second last year.

Canyon Crest Academy senior Carlie Dorostkar, Anaheim Canyon sophomore Emma Hadley, Simi Valley junior Jill Walker, Saugus junior Hannah Fredericks, Granada Hills sophomore Sofia Abrego, Serrano sophomore Tiani Goeson and the St. Francis Sacramento trio of Cate Joaquin, Isabella Fauria and Tatiana Cornejo are all expected to be among the leaders.

Bergmark bids for repeat

Amador Valley CA junior Hope Bergmark had perhaps the toughest act to follow of any athlete at last season’s meet competing in the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes, one year after Malibu CA star Claudia Lane set the all-time Mt. SAC course record in the same race by clocking 15:49.

Bergmark will look to secure back-to-back victories, just like Lane did in 2016-17, when she competes Saturday against a deep field of challengers, led by San Clemente senior Hana Catsimanes, who captured the Orange County title Oct. 19.

Torrey Pines sophomore Annika Salz, Grossmont junior Madeline Minutelli, Woodside senior Sarah Perry and Del Norte freshman Hannah Riggins are also scheduled to compete, along with Aliso Niguel teammates Emily Richards and Carly Schuerger, Rancho Bernardo teammates Ashley Learn and Jacey Farmer, along with J.W. North sisters Mackenzie Browne and Makayla Browne.

Bergmark prevailed in 17:35 last year, with Catsimanes finishing fourth in 18:01 and Farmer placing fifth in 18:03.

Battle for divisional bragging rights

The Division 3-4-5 boys team sweepstakes Friday showcases several impressive divisional clashes, most notably in California Division 3, with Agoura, Arroyo, Royal and Cathedral Catholic leading the field.

Sage Creek, Foothill Tech and Cathedral are the top California Division 4 entries, with reigning Arizona Division 4 champion Jordan Black of North Phoenix Prep among the top individuals in the race.

Black placed fourth Sept. 27 in the Desert Twilight Festival championship race in 14:55.7, with Highland AZ senior Leo Daschbach, Valor Christian CO senior Cole Sprout and Skyline UT senior Thomas Boyden finishing ahead of him.

Several Division 5 teams will get a preview of the state meet, with St. Margaret’s and Viewpoint matching up against Santa Fe Christian and San Francisco University.

The race will also feature a pair of 4A teams from Alaska in West Valley and South Anchorage.

Showdown among San Diego standouts

The Division 3-4-5 girls team sweepstakes Friday features three of the top programs in San Diego, highlighted by a showdown involving reigning Division 4 state champion Sage Creek and Division 3 title favorite Cathedral Catholic.

El Capitan is also entered, along with fellow California Division 3 teams South Torrance and Yorba Linda.

Foothill Tech will also get a rematch with Sage Creek in a clash of teams that have captured the past three California Division 4 state titles.

There is plenty of depth when it comes to quality Division 5 programs, led by San Francisco University, Santa Fe Christian and St. Margaret’s. Linfield Christian, Village Christian and Xavier Prep are also scheduled to compete.

West Point Grey Academy from Vancouver, British Columbia, is returning to California after competing at the meet in 2017. The Wolves feature a young lineup, led by freshmen Eva Kriebel, Nyla Tukker, Libby Dabbs and Ella Dawe, in addition to sophomore Cadence Gunther.

South Anchorage AK, led by junior Ava Earl, is also scheduled to compete again this year. Earl placed third in the Division 4-5 girls sweepstakes last year.

Sage Creek seniors Skyler Wallace and Lavanya Pandey, Village Christian junior Mia Barnett, St. Margaret’s freshman Liesel Blau, Yorba Linda junior Siena Palicke and Cathedral Catholic junior Trang Woolridge are all expected to be among the leaders.

Wallace won last season in 17:19, helping Sage Creek secure the team title.

Kramer looks to add one more win to her legacy

West Valley senior Kendall Kramer, a three-time Alaska 4A state champion, experienced a victory at Mt. SAC in 2017 when the Wolfpack captured the team title in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race.

In what could be the final cross country race of her high school career, Kramer is seeking another memorable run Friday in the Division 3-4-5 individual sweepstakes, added to the meet schedule for the first time this year.

Kramer, only the second female runner in Alaska history to run under 18 minutes for 5 kilometers, ran 17:53 two years ago at Mt. SAC to place ninth in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes.

Her return to California will mark West Valley’s first race since placing second to South Anchorage by a 53-57 margin Oct. 5 in the Alaska 4A final.

Kramer is one of the top junior Nordic Skiers in the United States, which should help her on the challenging hilly 2.93-mile course.

Portola CA freshman Jadyn Zdanavage, Costa Mesa CA senior Diane Molina, El Cajon Christian CA junior Alaina Zamorano and Half Moon Bay CA senior Claire Yerby are all capable of challenging Kramer for the victory.

Take your pick

The Division 3-4-5 boys individual sweepstakes is making its debut on Friday’s schedule and there is no shortage of depth present in the final race of opening day.

Moorpark senior Keith Murray returns with the top time from last year at 15:22, but there are plenty of quality challengers from California capable of taking home top individual honors.

Pasadena’s Isaiah Givens, El Capitan’s Andrew Sager, Burroughs Ridgecrest’s Bryce Hill, Oak Park’s Sebastian Sawyer, South Pasadena’s Sam Clark, Bonita’s Daniel Echeveste, Maranatha Christian’s Riley Burns, Big Bear’s Gianni Roberts, St. John Bosco’s Alexander Frias, Esperanza’s Ryan Manes, Crawford’s Byaombe Mloko, Lick-Wilmerding’s Alex Mader and Tahoe-Truckee’s Montana Montgomery are all capable of placing in the top 10.

Nevada Union’s Garrett Gough was the only athlete to run under 15 minutes Friday last year, clocking 14:53 to prevail in the Division 3 sweepstakes. It marked the fourth year in a row at least one male athlete produced a sub-15 effort on the Friday schedule.



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