CROSS COUNTRY '22 in REVIEW - Southern Section - Girls

Ventura HS soph Sadie Engelhardt cruised to Woodbridge, Southern Section, State, and Champs West individual titles among many highlights and standout performances by girls in the Southern Section during the '22 cross country season.

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Traditionally, the top teams tend to derive from the top two divisions but in 2022, it was the girls from Division 4 that stole the show.  In our California State Meet merge of the Southern Section squads, five of the top nine teams came from that division with JSerra leading the way!   

Take a look back with us on the 2022 season!  

DIVISION 1

With two relative newcomers, Rancho Cucamonga and Santiago, ascending to the top of the rankings in October -- it was the dynasty of Great Oak that ruined their parties to claim their 11th title since 2009 and ninth in the past 10 postseasons!  Rancho Cucamonga qualified for their first-ever State Meet berth with a third-place finish and Santiago advanced, as they did in 2021, for their second trip ever.  Great Oak would take fifth at the California State Meet as Kelli Gaffney (pictured) claimed the individual divisional title with her 17:29.1 performance.

Returning to the division this past summer, Newbury Park never left the driver's seat and claimed their third consecutive divisional championship.  Led by Ailish Hawkins and Tiffany Sax (in yellow at right, and left, respectively, in photo), the Panthers went on to earn the runner-up plaque at the California State Championships and placed sixth in the overall merge for the state. With no seniors in their scoring five, a young Ventura squad placed second at the divisional finals for their highest placing since 2004.  Mira Costa placed a close third to advance for a seventh straight postseason.  Individually, Ventura's Sadie Engelhardt cruised to the divisional title (17:12.8).  

Moving into the division for the first time in school history, the girls of Dana Hills cruised to their first divisional championship since capturing the Division 1 title in 2008.  With Allura Markow (pictured) racing to the individual title (17:31.4), the Dolphins' 52-110 margin of victory over South Torrance was the largest on the day.  For South Torrance, this was their fifth straight season advancing to the state meet and their highest finish in school history.  Meanwhile, at the state meet, Dana Hills placed fourth. 

As we highlighted in our preseason preview, this division possessed the most talent but at the conclusion of the season, the girls exceeded those early season expectations.  JSerra defended their title, thus earning their seventh championship since 2010!  At the California State Championships, the battle of the Lions continued with JSerra holding off Oaks Christian by a 71-82 decision. Headlined by Maya DeBrouwer, La Canada (pictured) placed third at both the divisional finals and state meet.  Individually, Payton Godsey of Oaks Christian defended her individual title and recorded the fastest time on a day with a 16:54.2 performance.

Advancing to their fourth consecutive trip to the state meet, Viewpoint earned their first-ever divisional championship.  With JiaLian Mackey up front, the Patriots placed third a week later at the state championships. Xavier College Prep, led by freshman Chloe Elbaz's individual win (17:57.4) came up with a second-place showing.  This was the Saints' fifth consecutive trip to the state meet.   

Phoebe Benun (Santa Monica/So.) - Difficult to believe that this was the sophomore's first year of competing in the sport!  Coming in with a soccer resume, she led the Vikings to their first-ever State Meet appearance.  The runner-up at the Division 1 finals (17:34.6), she placed sixth at the State Meet (17:45.9).   

Rylee Blade (Santiago/So.) - The sophomore came up with one of the step-up performances at the state meet with a surprising third-place finish (17:36.5) in the Division 1 race.  This was the fourth-best effort from the Southern Section, a week after placing third in the Division 1 final (17:45.6).  Her state meet performance advanced her onward to the XC Team Nationals in Portland.  

Anna Chittenden (Mira Costa/Sr.) - The only senior on our list, she continued to build upon the family legacy of success for the Mustangs. Unleashing impressive last-mile surges during the postseason, she placed second at the Division 2 final (17:25.3) before also placing second at the State Meet (17:32.0).  In qualifying for the XC Team Nationals, she was the ninth-fastest Californian at the meet.  

Aelo Curtis (Ventura/Fr.) - The top freshman in the section, her 17:42.1 clocking at the California State Meet was the fifth-fastest time of all girls in the section as she placed third overall in Division II.  Employing conservative first miles like you would see from a veteran, Curtis also placed third a week before in helping lead the Tigers to a runner-up finish at the CIF-SS finals.   

Maya DeBrouwer (La Canada/So.) - Despite being outside the top seven at the California state meet, we simply could not overlook her monster 17:09.8 runner-up performance to Payton Godsey at the Division 4 CIF-SS finals. This was the third fastest time at the sectional finals. An avid mountain biker away from cross country courses, she placed fifth at the State Meet (17:50.1). 

Sadie Engelhardt (Ventura/So.) - In 2022, the sophomore continued to carve out a resume that matches up with some of the best in California state lore. Enduring the inconsistencies of being sick off and on all season, her 16:38.8 performance at the CIF-SS prelims stands out but her 16:57.9 Division II state title run sits right up there as well.  She is only one of nine to ever eclipse the 16:58 mark at the California State Meet as it was the third-fastest for a sophomore in meet history.  Engelhardt handily won the Champs Western Regional meet and placed 10th overall at the Champs Sports National Cross Country Championships in San Diego.  

Payton Godsey (Oaks Christian/Jr.) - (pictured above) The junior came into her own as one of the best in the nation.  She defended her Division 4 CIF-SS title (16:54.2) with the fastest time at the Southern Section finals. She backed it up with a dominating 17:00.1 state meet title romp one week later.  Godsey and her Oaks Christian team, a week after almost pulling off the upset against JSerra, ran away to the victory (17:28.3) at the Garmin Running Lane XC Champs. She ended up ranked 16th in the MileSplit national individual rankings.    

With freshmen Summer Wilson and Kaylah Tasser coming in to join the Lions, the defending CIF-State Division IV champions added to their already talented arsenal. Sophomore Brynn Garcia laid the foundation up front with her sixth-place (17:57.6) finish up front at the state meet.  Wilson (18:19.5), Tasser (18:27.2), and Brooke O'Brien (18:49.1) shined while Anastasia Snodgrass (18:55.0) closed out the scoring in holding off Oaks Christian, 71-82. Georgia Jeanneret also provided valuable support in placing as their fourth scorer at the divisional finals. 

At the CIF-SS Division 4 championship, the group earned the school's seventh title since 2010.  The Lions advanced to the state meet for the 14th time in the past 15 seasons as well. Known as one of the top middle-distance programs in the United States, they were able to transfer that speed to success on the cross country course. 

The exclamation point was that they were the only Southern Section squad invited to compete at the national championships where the group placed 21st overall. The top team ended the season ranked 26th in the nation in the final national rankings.  

ICYMI - Southern Section Boys '22 XC Season in Review