FIVE GIRLS STORYLINES IN THE CENTRAL SECTION
Corie Smith has won two CS Division 1 titles and one State title in three seasons. (Credit: DeAnna Turner)
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1. Corie Smith's Back
As we detailed at the outset, Buchanan senior Corie Smith had a rough end to her junior XC season but proved during the spring track season that she's back to form. To clarify, when we say "rough" we're really only referring to the State Meet. Just nine days before, she won a second CS Division 1 title in three seasons and the week after State, she got a chance to run with friend and training partner Meagen Lowe at NXN. But, by all accounts, missing the State Final as the defending champion on your home course is by any definition, painful. Enough about that. Smith is among the nation's elite in the 2020 class. Word out of the Central Valley is she has had a stellar summer and is absolutely ready to crush her XC season. Smith and Lowe continued to train together this summer before Lowe headed off to Oregon State. The biggest challenge for Smith may just be no longer having Lowe out on the trails with her. But ...
2. Buchanan Reloaded
The difference between having Smith on the course at State and not was the difference of a projected top-three finish and the reality of a sixth-place finish. And now Lowe is off to Corvallis after an amazing senior season where she placed second in D1 in XC, and second in the 1600m and third in the 3200m at the State Track meet. Worry not. Coach Brian Weaver and the Buchanan program appear well prepared for a future after Lowe. Four other returnees were top-11 at the CS Final: sophomore Kaylee Elliott, senior Mia Jauregui, junior Morgan Hutchison and senior Rachel Culver. And then there's the Class of 2023 newbies: Caroline Mendyk (11th at USATF XC Nationals), Grace Hutchinson (5:14.88/11:27), Sydney Sundgren (5:21.57/11:30.44) and Macee Buckely (5:33.3/11:55.5), all youngsters who appear ready to make an impact. Keep an eye out for Mendyk (5:14.64/11:08.51). She broke Lowe's junior high record record in the 3200 and could become a top-7 mainstay for the Bears!!
3. Who might challenge Buchanan?
The Bears girls won a third consecutive CS title last November and are looking for the four-year sweep in the Corie Smith Era. Clovis West was a distant second last year. The true answer to the headline question is ... no one! Clovis West, McFarland and ... not much else figure to challenge in the Bears in the 11-team D1.
4. Other Returners To Watch
Junior Hilda Gonzalez (McFarland) was third behind Smith and Lowe at the D1 Final. Clovis West sophomore Kalei Aoki-Chance was sixth and Clovis North sophomore Miliana Perez was 10th. Perez's 18:16.30 at Stanford is the second-fastest 5K time behind Smith among CS returners. Madera senior Unique Ford returns as the D2 champion (18:50.37) in a division where 11 of the top 15 return, including the San Luis Obispo trio of Grace Rubio, Shaylee Grimm and Grace Greenelsh (2-3-4 at the final). Senior Jessica Valles (Sunnyside) is the returning D3 champion. Another division with a deep group of top returners is D4 where only the champion is not back among the top 12. That group includes junior Haley Ulloa (Bakersfield Highland), junior Sierra Burror (Bishop Union), sophomore Brandi Valdez (Corcoran) and senior Rachel Fitt (Bishop Union). Highland and Corcoran move up to D3.
5. Newbies On The Horizon
In addition to the young crop at Buchanan, two other Clovis schools have freshmen whose names may become familiar sooner rather than later. Erika Nyberg (Clovis East) was a junior high star with a 5:02.01 1600m and 11:04.30 3200m on her resume. Emma Ruvacabla (Clovis HS) has gone 5:11.92 and 11:22.1.
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