Caudillo eclipses prep record, runs No. 2 all-time mark with 9:07.7 effort on 2-mile Woodward Park layout; Buchanan begins pursuit of another California Division 1 state title with three sub-11 performers, seven athletes under 11:20

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

If the last acts for Clovis senior Christopher Caudillo and the Buchanan High girls cross country team at Woodward Park in November are anything close to as impressive as their 2-mile performances at the venue Saturday at the annual Fleet Feet Summer Sizzle in Fresno, then it promises to be a memorable fall season for California’s reigning Central Section champions and some of the nation’s elite competitors.

Caudillo, the reigning California state 1,600-meter champion, eclipsed the prep record on the 2-mile layout by clocking 9 minutes, 7.7 seconds at Woodward Park, the same facility that also hosts the 5-kilometer course for the cross country state meet Nov. 26, improving on the 2019 mark of 9:21.5 by former Clovis North standout Isaiah Galindo.

RESULTS

Only former Buchanan High and Arizona State standout CJ Albertson, the indoor marathon world record holder and head coach at Clovis Community College, has run faster on the 2-mile layout at Woodward Park with his 9:03.9 performance from the 2018 event.

Carter Spradling, a junior at Clovis East, was second in 9:22.7, and Clovis junior Josiah Delgadillo took third in 9:24.6, all faster performances than last year’s winning effort of 9:28.5 by former Buchanan athlete Brenton Maddox. Caudillo was second last season in 9:33.8, his first significant effort after recovering from a summer injury.

Despite Grace Hutchison not competing, Buchanan still had fellow senior Sydney Sundgren triumph in 10:53.1, leading six athletes in the top seven of the girls competition and seven of the top 10 finishers for the defending Division 1 state champions and runner-up program last season at the Garmin RunningLane Championships in Alabama.

Sophomore Elle Lomeli was second in 10:55.2, freshman Kynzlee Buckley took third in 10:56.9 and fellow ninth-grader Tayler Torosian finished fifth in 11:00.1, with sophomore Sierra Cornett clocking 11:00.6 to secure sixth. Senior Caroline Mendyk was seventh for Buchanan at 11:05.8 and sophomore Avery Hutchison placed ninth at 11:17.5.

Buchanan only had Sundgren and Grace Hutchison run under 11 minutes at last year’s event, with Lomeli and Cornett as its fourth and fifth athletes at 11:21.0 and 11:21.1, respectively.

Only Clovis North senior Ashlyn Leath was able to break up the Buchanan pack Saturday, placing fourth among all female competitors in 10:59.7.

Sophia Mirelez, a junior at Matilda Torres, earned eighth in 11:08.2 and Clovis senior Emma Ruvalcaba was 10th in 11:19.3.

Senior Noah Ray was the top finisher for the Buchanan boys, placing fourth overall in 9:28.8, with Clovis featuring a third athlete in the top five, as junior Jalen Morales ran 9:32.2. Zach Weaver, a senior, took ninth for Buchanan in 9:36.8.

The top 10 competitors all ran sub-9:40, including Yosemite sophomore twins Ben Olney (9:34.7) and Jack Olney (9:34.9) securing sixth and seventh, along with Madera South seniors Adrian Hipolito (9:34.9) and Isaac Chavez (9:39.5) finishing eighth and 10th overall.

All of the top Central Section athletes are expected to compete on the 5-kilometer Woodward Park layout at least three times during the season, including Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational, along with the Tri-River Athletic Conference final Nov. 10 and the section championship Nov. 17, with a potential fourth opportunity for many competitors at the state meet.