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The total domination of California cross country continued for the JSerra girls cross country team at the CIF State Championship on Saturday, Nov. 25.
The Lions placed four runners in the top 10 to obliterate the Division IV field and capture the program’s third consecutive state championship at Woodward Park in Fresno. The JSerra boys also ran strong in Division IV to earn state runner-up honors.
The JSerra girls, who qualified for the state meet by winning their third consecutive CIF-SS championship, earned automatic qualification for the Nike Cross Nationals this Saturday, Dec. 2, in Portland, Oregon.
This is JSerra’s second girls state championship three-peat, as the Lions also won three straight from 2010-12. It is the program’s sixth state title overall. The Lions posted the lowest score (40 points) and fastest team time (1:29:41) in Division IV history.
The JSerra girls were paced up front by sophomore Summer Wilson and junior Sophie Polay. While Chiara Dailey of La Jolla won the individual title by 22 seconds, Wilson (17:31) and Polay (17:32) finished second and third, respectively, to stake the Lions out front.
Sophomore Kaylah Tasser finished eighth at 17:51, and junior Brynn Garcia finished 10th at 18:02. Freshman Reese Holley rounded out the scoring in 19th at 18:42, and sophomore sixth runner Chloe Elbaz was not far behind in 21st at 18:49. Freshman Hayden Kroger also ran for the Lions in 32nd at 19:10.
JSerra would have won the championship with any combination of its seven runners, as the Lions dominated the team standings with a 110-point margin over second-place Oaks Christian.
The JSerra boys followed their CIF-SS runner-up performance with another runner-up placing behind CIF-SS champion St. Francis.
JSerra was just ahead of St. Francis after the first mile, 105-106, but as the field settled in, the Lions held the second position to the end of the race. St. Francis scored 66 points, and JSerra scored 124 points.
JSerra junior Bradley Arrey and senior Saul Orozco led the Lions efforts in 10th and 11th, respectively. Arrey was in 10th at all three mile markers and clocked in at 15:26. Orozco came in at 15:31.
Sophomore Alden Morales finished 43rd at 16:25, and sophomore Luke Freidl came in 49th at 16:26. Sophomore Cole Carlson rounded out the scoring five in 62nd place at 16:38.
Also running for the Lions boys were sophomore Jack Burnett (16:49) in 73rd and freshman Zac O’Leary (16:58) in 87th.
St. Margaret’s boys and girls teams also qualified for the state meet in Division V, with the Tartans girls following up their CIF-SS championship.
St. Margaret’s saw their girls finish eighth overall, with sophomore Li Joyce finishing 16th at 18:58, and their boys finish 15th overall, with senior Everrett Capelle coming in seventh at 15:28.
Just as South Orange County dominated the CIF-SS Finals, two more area teams won CIF State Championships and will join the JSerra girls at the Nike Cross Nationals.
In Division I, the San Clemente boys posted the second-best team time of the day (1:16:28) to capture their first-ever state championship. The Tritons were led by senior Brett Ephraim, who placed second at 14:58. San Clemente placed three runners in the top 10 for the second-best time ever by an Orange County team in the event.
In Division III, the Dana Hills boys posted the best team time of the day (1:16:19) to capture their first state championship since 2009 and fifth state title overall. The Dolphins were led by junior Evan Noonan, who repeated as individual state champion in a blistering 14:35. Dana Hills’ team time was the best-ever in Division III.
Dana Hills’ girls finished fourth in Division III, with junior Annie Ivarsson coming in ninth at 18:07 and senior Quinci Lott coming in 15th at 18:24.
In Division IV, the JSerra girls continued their run of total domination with four runners in the top 10 to capture their third consecutive state championship and sixth state title overall. The Lions posted the lowest score and fastest time in Division IV history. Sophomore Summer Wilson finished second at 17:31, and junior Sophie Polay finished third at 17:32.
JSerra’s boys finished as runner-up in Division IV with 124 points to state champion St. Francis’ 66 points. Junior Bradley Arrey finished 10th at 15:26, and senior Saul Orozco finished 11th at 15:31.
