Zachary Parker (left) won the San Francisco All-City championship boys title. (Credit: DeAnna Turner, file)
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Senior Zachary Parker was a runaway winner -- running away from three trailing teammates -- in leading perennial champion Lowell to another CIF-San Francisco Section All-City champion.
In the meet held Wednesday on the 5K course at Golden Gate Park on the western edge of the peninsula, Parker led a 1-2-3-4-8 parade to 18 points for Lowell. Phillip & Sala Burton placed second with 75 points. '
Lowell was almost as dominant in the varsity girls race as sophomore Elizabeth Holcombe won going away to lead a 1-2-3-4-9 parade. The 19 points gave Lowell an easy victory over runner-up George Washington (54 points).
This was the first All-City Finals since 2017 after last year's championship meet was cancelled as a result of poor air quality as a result of lingering wildfire smoke determined not be at healthy levels for competition.
The year off delayed but didn't disrupt Lowell's dominance as the boys won for a 13th year in a row, 29th time over the past 33 years since 1987, and 39th title, 38 outright, dating to 1944.
Lowell's girls won the team title for the ninth consecutive time and 40th time in 42 years dating to 1977.
In the boys race, junior Jamison Smallwood placed fifth as the top finisher for Phillip & Sala Burton, crossing the line in 17:14.4. Before him, however, were three additional runners from Lowell behind Parker: Sophomore Oliver Witt was second in 16:38.1, sophomore Benjamin Lester was third in 16:57.2 and senior Owen Choy was fourth in 17:09.6.
Senior Nathaniel Chamberlin placed eighth overall in 17:53.4 to complete the scoring for Lowell.
Holcombe ran the Golden Gate Park course in 18:23.5 for the victory. The next three to cross all wore Lowell singlets: Junior Juliana Chen (20:04.3), senior Michelle Wong (20:43.8) and senior Emi Steedman (21:25.1).
Phillip & Sala Burton sophomore Lilian Emelife placed fifth in 21:47.5. Senior Kiara Neely placed seventh in 22:04.0 to lead George Washington. Senior Hannah Chou placed 10th in 22:30.2 to complete the scoring for Lowell.
Inserted photo of Lowell's Elizabeth Holcombe from the Clovis Invitational by DeAnna Turner.
Lowell's girls won the team title for the ninth consecutive time and 40th time in 42 years dating to 1977.