Two-time California Division 3 state cross country champion and NXN qualifier clocks 10:24.84 at Orange Street Holiday event, after leading Loomis Elite Distance Running Club to runner-up finish in 15-18 division at AAU Nationals

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Even after their impressive runner-up cross country performance a week earlier in the girls 15-18 division at the AAU National Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., members of the Northern California-based Loomis Elite Distance Running Club wanted to return to the track one more time before the end of the year in another effort to test their fitness.

Several of the top athletes in the Sac-Joaquin Section competed Saturday in the Orange Street Holiday 3,200 meters at Placer High in Auburn, with two-time California Division 3 state cross country champion and Del Oro High junior Riley Chamberlain leading the way.

INTERVIEWS

Chamberlain, who finished eighth overall in the AAU championship race after competing at Nike Cross Nationals in December the past two seasons, clocked 10 minutes, 24.84 seconds navigating through heavy fog in the second half of the race to secure the fourth career sub-10:30 effort of her career, including the second this year.

Chamberlain covered the opening 1,600 in 5:07, before running consistent 79-second laps during the latter half of the race to achieve the fastest 3,200 time by a California prep female athlete this year.

Cate Joaquin, a junior at St. Francis High in Sacramento, took second in 10:39.18, her second time running under 10:40 this year.

Joaquin, who finished 21st at AAU Nationals, participated in the Foot Locker girls cross country championship race last season and received a one-year reminder Saturday morning before the race.

Ponderosa junior Natalie Wieland was third in 11:10.98 a week after finishing 19th in Florida. Wieland, who was also 27th in the Nike Cross Virtual championship competition, ran under 11:15 for the sixth time in her career.

Freshman Angie Gutierrez ran a personal-best 11:40.38 to place fourth overall. Gutierrez, who had the option to race in the 4-kilometer distance in Florida in the 13-14 division, decided to compete against the 15-18 athletes and run the full 5-kilometer race, placing 67th out of 293 entries.

Del Oro senior Hannah Wirth was fifth in 11:47.56 for her fourth career sub-12 effort. Wirth was 47th overall in the AAU championship race for Loomis Elite, which was edged by the Colorado-based Kokopelli Racing Team by a 37-38 margin for the 15-18 title.

Avery Covington, a sophomore at Del Oro, ran a personal-best 5:41.42 in the 1,600 meters.

It marked the third significant opportunity for Loomis Elite athletes to participate in a track race during the fall, with their appearance at the AAU Nationals the only cross country competition since last year.

With California already deciding to cancel the previously scheduled March 27 state championship at Woodward Park in Fresno, the Loomis Elite athletes were uncertain if their trip to Florida would be the only meaningful cross country race until next season.

But they remained optimistic there would be additional track opportunities in the winter, including potential events in Arizona, along with smaller competitions in Northern California.