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Whitney senior Katie Kopec defended her CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division 2 title, running away with the race Saturday in leading her team to an upset of favored Granite Bay on Saturday at Willow Hills in Folsom.
Kopec covered the course in 18:17.3 with younger sister Ava Kopec third in 18:54.2, junior Grace Scott sixth (19:07.6), freshman Jane Landon seventh (19:08.8) and freshman Addison Ewers 16th in 19:46.4, crossing before Granite Bay's No. 3 runner.
Kopec, who signed with Oregon State earlier in the week, ran 18:07.60 to win the section title as a junior.
Senior Carly Foster was second overall for Granite Bay -- nearly 30 seconds behind Katie Kopec -- and junior Emily Allison ran 18:57.3 of fifth overall but it was the backend where Whitney had the advantage. Sophomore Lizzy Hansen and Grace Baxter placed 17th and 18th, respectively, crossing behind Whitney's No. 5.
Whitney, which had been ranked behind Granite Bay in the MileSplitCA Statewide Rankings, put up 33 points with Granite Bay edging St. Francis by one point for second place. St. Francis had also been ranked ahead of Whitney.
Vista del Lago placed fourth, as all four will advance to the CIF-State Championships on Nov. 26 at Woodward Park in Fresno.
Juniors Grace Dunham and Kayla Towne, and senior Paige Quigley crossed 10-11-12 to lead St. Francis with senior Daphne Witherell one place back in 14th.
Freshman Brenna Mannion placed fourth overall to lead Vista del Lago.
Division 1
Senior Brooke Butler (18:47.8) and freshman Adriana Ingargiola (18:52.00) were the first two across the line, leading Oak Ridge to the team title.
Oak Ridge was dominant in scoring 29 points and all seven runners among the top 20 scorers. Davis was a distant second with 77 points, earning the second of the division's two State Meet berths. Elk Grove Franklin was third with 81 points.
Butler, who earlier in the week signed with UC Davis, placed 12th in the '21 final running 19:45.50.
Texas-bound senior Quinn Walker ran No. 3 for the Oak Ridge, placing fourth in 19:01.5, sophomore Fiona Gordon ran No. 4, placing seventh (19:37.4), and sophomore Nola Boucher closed out the scoring, planing 18th (15th among scoring runners) in 20:24.1.
McClatchy senior Louisa McNatt placed third in 18:54.5, Davis senior Norah Dulaney was fifth (19:11.9), Elk Grove Franklin junior Jenna Calvert was sixth (19:24.0, Modesto sophomore Maya Wolfe was eighth (19:38.4), Rocklin frosh Allie Harmon was ninth (19:39.4) and Davis freshman Avery Wolk was 10th overall (19:42.5).
Division 3
Placer junior Anna Soares cruised to the division title (18:56.5) with Oakdale senior Kassidy Fmura next (19:25.7).
Senior Addie Payne placed third in 19:38.6 in lading Ponderosa to a 21-point victory over Placer for the team title. Senior Loralye Clements was fifth (20:09.7), sophomore Samantha Scholz was seventh (20:16.5) leading Ponderosa scoring.
Del Oro junior Angeline Gutierrez placed fourth (19:44.2), El Dorado junior Lily Johnson was sixth (20:16.1), and Del Campo sophomore Alix Leblanc was eighth among the top finishers.
Soares placed fifth in the D-4 final last year, running 19:46.10.
Ponderosa, Placer and El Dorado secured the division's three State Meet berths. Del Oro placed fourth with 117 points.
Division 4
With junior Jesse Redding, freshman Micah Redding, and junior Jade Biitner crossing among the top five, Colfax rolled to the division title.
Jesse Redding ran 18:59.8 to win the division title with Micah Redding placing fourth and Biitner fifth. Senior Carlee McCabe was 11th and sophomore Sophia Sunding placed 14th to close out the Colfax 35-point afternoon.
Christian Brothers, led by sophomore Elise Henderson's third-place finish (20:09.0), was second with 81 points and Union Mine earned the division's other State Meet berth with 112 points, six fewer than No. 4 Hughson.
Ripon senior Annie Wild placed second (19:04.1), Summerville junior Ariana Martinez was sixth (20:38.5), and freshman Paige Rupert ran No. 2 for Christian Brothers, placing seventh overall (20:53.7).
Freshmen Sidney Logsdon of Hillmar was eighth and Sophie Benham of Hughson was ninth as four first-year high schoolers placed among the top nine.
Senior Delaney Palmer ran 21:03.1 to place 12th in leading Union Mine.
Division 5
Foresthill senior McKenna Lechner returned to the top of the podium, winning the division title in 19:52.0, and senior Kadyn Rolleri placed second in 20:07.6 while leading Bret Harte to its 16th SJS title.
Lechner was fourth last year as a junior, in 20:34.10, and won the small-school division title as a freshman in 2019, running Willow Hills that year in 20:56.00.
Junior Addison Heermance placed sixth overall (second among scoring runners) for Bret Harte (20:40.7), junior Skylar Mayers ran No. 3, placing 13th (8th) in 22:32.9, freshman Alya Jodie ran 23:10.6 for 15th (10th), and sophomore Caitlin Johnson came in at 23:11.1 for 16th (11th).
John Adams sophomore Mikele Jopson placed third overall (20:19.0), Argonaut junior Maeve Klement was next in 20:36.4, and Golden Sierra sophomore Zofia Bradford placed fifth (20:39.1).
Central Catholic placed second to earn the division's other berth to the State Meet.
Photos by Dan Tyree
Jeffrey Parenti is the California State Editor for MileSplit