GIRLS
Division I
Carlmont junior Kaimei Gescuk was a runaway winner, leaving the field and defending champion Naomi Donovan behind. Gescuk's time of 18:19.60 was the fastest of the five divisions and 26.20 seconds ahead of runner-up Layla Ruiz, a sophomore from Watsonville. Donovan a 7.40-second winner as a junior in 18:52.40, was sixth here in 18:55.60. Geshuk's teammate Allie Ayers was fifth (18:59.40) in helping Carlmont to second place in the team race. A year after placing fifth, Monta Vista got a 6-7-8-14-16 finish (40-second 1-5 split) to take the team title by 20 points.
Leland sophomore Melissa Cichon continued her impressive season, running to victory in Division II. Cichon crossed in 18:24.30, the No. 2 time of the meet, with Presentation junior Gianna Mendoza not far behind in second (18:29.10). Mendoza was sixth as a sophomore. In the team race, St. Francis Mountain View, runner-up a year ago, got a 7-17-18-22-25 finish for 89 points to beat Willow Glen by 31. Presentation, the 2017 champion, was one point behind Willow Glen in third.
Division III
Tessa Chen was 51st as a freshman, covering the course in 22 minutes, 20.70 seconds. On Sunday, Chen, a senior at Mills, ran it in 19:41.10 to win the division title. Chen had been 15th and 14th, respectively, the previous two years, never breaking 20 minutes in those races. El Camino freshman Noelle Diep was second in 19:49.90 with Sobrato senior Emily Harris third in 19:51.20. A year after placing a distant second to Aptos, St. Ignatius was a 43-point winner for Sacred Heart Cathedral for the team title. Sophomore Evie Cohen placed fourth overall (19:51.50) to lead the 3-4-7-13-16 parade for St. Ignatius.
A year after placing second, 2018 was Anna Mokkapati's time to win. And that she did, holding off Santa Cruz senior Lila Roake to cross in 18:34.70 for the D-IV individual title. Mokkapati, a junior at Kings Academy, ran 18:38.30 as a sophomore and 19:58.40 for 14th as a freshman. Roake crossed in 18:37.40 with teammate Gabby Hughes fourth in 18:58.20. Junior Charlotte Tomkinson placed sixth in 19:16.10 to lead Menlo to its first section team title. Menlo, runner-up in 2017, had a 6-7-19-20-24 finish to gain an eight-point victory over San Lorenzo Valley. Aptos had won seven consecutive D-IV titles before being moved up to D-III.
Division V
Junior Tevah Gevelber won for the second year in a row in leading Castilleja to a second consecutive team title. Gevelber's time of 19:07.80 was nearly 39 seconds ahead of runner-up Hanna Zarrinnegar, a junior from Nueva. Castilleja freshman Abigail Krenz was third (19:58.00) as part of a 1-3-7-8-14 finish. Sophomore Eleanor Monroe was sixth overall (20:34.30) as Nueva placed second, nine points behind Castilleja.