Ping runs fastest time by an Arizona female athlete on 2.93-mile course to prevail in Division 1-2 race battle against Dorostkar, with Catsimanes following Orange County title with individual sweepstakes victory; Great Oak wins team title for sixth year in a row and seventh time in eight seasons

By Alex Valladares for DyeStat

With another chapter added to the exceptional legacy of Great Oak CA at the 72nd Mt. SAC Invitational, another impressive run might be on the horizon in the coming years with Desert Vista AZ standout Lauren Ping.

The Wolfpack put five runners in the top 17 in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes race to secure their sixth straight grand sweepstakes title and seventh in the past eight years with a 55-118 victory over Saugus CA in Walnut, Calif.

RESULTS | PHOTOS | INTERVIEWS | RACE VIDEOS

Ping produced the all-time fastest performance by an Arizona female athlete at Mt. SAC, covering the 2.93-mile course in 16 minutes, 47.6 seconds to not only rally past Canyon Crest Academy CA senior Carlie Dorostkar in 16:50.1, but to also become the first freshman to prevail in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes race since Simi Valley CA star Sarah Baxter achieved the feat in 2010.

Great Oak, which also remained unbeaten against Division 1 competition at Mt. SAC for the past 11 years, was led by senior Tori Gaitan, who placed sixth in 17:56.8.

“We definitely have more depth this year and a tighter pack,” said senior Audrey Dang, who finished 17th (18:32.5).

“Some of us are not at our most fit point in the season…we have the freshmen helping with our spread.  I think team wise we’re going to do much better this year.”

Freshmen Kelli Gaffney and Aishling Fabian finished 11th (18:10.2) and 12th (18:13.4), respectively, and Arianna Griffiths placed ninth (18:05.9) in only her third race of the season – and second at the varsity level – to round out the scoring runners for the Wolfpack.

Desert Vista placed eighth overall with 178 points, but Ping eclipsed the previous Arizona all-time mark of 17:01 set by Kari Hardt of Queen Creek in 2005.

“It was really exciting to come here and not know what to expect and to come out with a victory,” said Ping, who became the individual winner from outside California in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes race since Mel Lawrence of Reno NV captured three consecutive titles from 2004-06.

“I didn’t really have a strategy coming in.  I was going to stick with the top group and see what I can do.  I just trusted my training and did my best.”

Ping’s mark was the second-fastest freshman time run on the course, trailing only Baxter’s 16:41 in 2010.

Behind Ping and Dorostkar, who elevated to the No. 2 all-time performer from the San Diego Section behind only the 2009 mark of 16:41 by Rancho Bernardo’s Molly Grabill, Anaheim Canyon CA sophomore Emma Hadley was third (17:32.3).

Simi Valley CA senior Jill Walker placed fourth (17:39.4) to lead the Pioneers to a third-place team finish with 137 points, the best showing by a Division 2 team.

Sacramento St. Francis CA teammates Cate Joaquin and Isabella Fauria finished fifth (17:52.9) and 10th (18:10.1) to help the Troubadours take fourth overall with 140 points. Serrano CA sophomore Tiani Goeson finished seventh (18:00.6) and Mackenzie Rogers of Poway CA came in eighth (18:03.8). Hannah Fredericks took 13th in 18:16.3 for runner-up Saugus.

San Clemente CA senior Hana Catsimanes followed up her victory Oct. 19 at the Orange County Championships by winning the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race in 17:22.9.

“It definitely feels nice winning two in a row,” said Catsimanes, who placed fourth last season at Mt. SAC in 18:01.1.

“I went into this race not knowing who would be here. But (Mackenzie Browne of JW North CA) was amazing, so it felt good to run with her. I was close last year but to finally win it is nice. It’s a brutal course, but I love it.”

Browne clocked 17:55.1 to finish second, followed by Aliso Niguel CA junior Emily Richards (18:02.9), who led the Wolverines to the team title with a 123-126 victory over Del Norte CA. Freshman Hannah Riggins led Del Norte with a fifth-place finish (18:11.5).

Torrey Pines CA teammates Anni Salz and Kiana Bourgeois finished fourth (18:07.1) and sixth (18:15.3), JW North’s Makayla Browne was seventh (18:22.6), Katherine Hegblom of Homestead CA (18:24.8) came in eighth, Sarah Perry of Woodside CA finished ninth (18:25.1) and Aliso Niguel’s Carly Schuerger came in 10th (18:26.6).

Sophia Atin of Crescenta Valley CA clocked 18:41.1 to win the girls Division 1-2 varsity race. Amanda Challburg of Chula Vista Eastlake CA (19:05.9) and Sarah Bentley of Palisades CA (18:51.8) each won their respective Division 1 varsity races.

Navaya Zales of Mt. Carmel CA (18:21.5), Isabella Alviz of College Park CA (18:50.9) and Kimberly Lima of Rancho Verde CA (18:48.4) were each winners of their respective Division 2 varsity races.