'22 XC RUNNER OF THE WEEK POLL
In the match-racing format at the Palos Verdes Invitational, Santa Monica (SS) sophomore Phoebe Benun was the fastest of all the No. 1 runners on the challenging 2-mile course overlooking the Pacific Ocean. (Stacy Soriano photo)
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Congratulations to last week's top vote-getter, Phoebe Benun of Santa Monica (SS)!!
Benun, a sophomore, was the fastest on the course at the Palos Verdes Invitational, running the iconic 2-mile layout in 12:29.7 to win the Varsity No. 1s race by 4.9 seconds.
Benun received 54 percent of the votes in a statewide poll. Cameron Macias, a freshman at Clovis West (CS) was second in the voting, receiving 31 percent of the total.
Each week we will put top athletes on the line and leave it up to you to select the overall XC Runner of the Week. Our objective each week will be to select top performers from across the state.
Be sure to vote in the MileSplit Picks window below the candidate list.
This week's candidates (listed alphabetically by last name)
Arielle McKenzie (Calabasas/SS) - The junior rolled to victory at the Santa Clarita Valley meet, running 19:41.30 to win the Varsity Girls Small School race by more than 21 seconds on the 3-mile course at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.
Lucia Pearson (Saugus/SS) - The freshman was the fastest girl on the course at the Santa Clarita Valley meet, running 18:56.42 to win the Varsity Girls Large School race by more than eight seconds on the 3-mile course at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.
Hannah Riggins (Del Norte/SD) - The senior won her first invitational of the season, running 17:47.7 to win the SoCal Invitational by more than eight seconds on the 5K Guajome Park course in Oceanside.
Amelia Stacey (El Cerrito/NC) - The senior was the fastest girl on the course at the Serra Crystal Springs Invitational, running 18:18.79 to win the Large School Championship race over the iconic 2.95-mile layout in Belmont.
Sophie Tau (Los Gatos/CC) - The senior was the fastest girl at the Pacific Grove Palo Corona Invitational, running 19:13.10 to win by more than 66 seconds in the Varsity Girls race on the 5K Palo Corona Regional Park course in Carmel-By-The-Sea.
Hanne Thomsen (Montgomery/NC) - The sophomore ran away with the title at the Clovis Invitational, running 17:04.20 to win the Girls Championship race by more than 23 seconds on the 5K course at Woodward Park in Fresno.
Who ya got?
California Girls XC Runner of the Week (Oct. 2-8)
Photos by Stacy Soriano