RECAP No Guarantees for Boys on Upset Day At SJS XC Finals


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And that's why they run the races. Throw those predictions right out the window!

On a day of outstanding competition among boys at Saturday's CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Cross Country Championships, predicted favorites fell while others prevailed. 

Nothing tore up the script like the Division 1 race, where Folsom senior Nathan Short beat Davis senior Ryan Mitchell to the line by all of 0.40 seconds for the title, and third-place finisher Daniel Gonzalez led Stockton Lincoln to an upset of perennial champion Jesuit for the team title. 

Short ran the 5,000-meter Willow Hills Reservoir course in 15:35.80 with Mitchell crossing just behind in 15:36.20. Mitchell improved on his 15:48.50 third-place finish as a junior but not to the level that Short did. A year ago, in placing sixth on the course in Folsom, Short ran 16:19.70. 

While Jesuit was looking for its fourth consecutive title, 14th in D-1, 14th in the 2000s, and 30th overall, Lincoln went out and won its first -- by all of one point!

Senior Jansen Gillig placed sixth (16:00.30), juniors Jeffrey Overgaard (14th, 12th among scorers, 16:37.70) and Logan Neuner (16th/14th, 16:47.10), and senior Keith Mertz (26th/24th, 17:10.90) for Lincoln. Senior Brandon Moreno placed fourth in 15:50.30 to lead Jesuit, which ran without super soph Chase Cressman, who was ill and unable to compete. Jonah Reynolds ran No. 2 for the Marauders, placing eighth in 16:02.80. 

Lincoln, Jesuit and Davis earned the division's three berths into the Nov. 26 CIF-State Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.


Vacaville senior Donovan Cheruiyot was the top returner in Division 2 after placing third last fall, and he made it hold up with a 15:55.70 clocking to win the title (a 21-second improvement from '21). But his team wasn't able to defend against a deep and determined Whitney group that won just its third overall SJS title by 15 points over Vacaville. 

Senior Nick Herrmann (16:07.40), junior Noah Lopez (16:10.30), and senior Mateo Delgadillo (16:18.90) went 2-3-4 for Whitney. Junior David Hurren placed 10th (16:33.00) and senior Callum Turner was 12th (11th among scoring runners) in 16:41.30 as the Whitney program won both the boys and girls D-2 titles. 

Junior Colton Walker ran No. 2 for Vacaville, placing seventh (16:25.60) with sophomore teammate Jackson Stream right behind him in 16:26.00. 

Vista del Lago was a distant third earning the division's third and final State Meet berth. Seniors Nicholas Granger (16:48.50) and Dominick Gianetto (16:58.60) placed 15th and 16th overall for Vista del Lago.

Josh Chu, second in D-2 as a sophomore, is the SJS D-3 champion as a junior. His victory helped Ponderosa to a second-place team finish and a State Meet berth.

State Meet favorite Oakdale defended its title with 36 points led by junior Omar Alsaidi (second in 15:37.90), senior Dax Daley (third in 15:43.60), junior Jackson Oliveira (fifth in 16:04.20), and senior Caleb Cavanaugh (eighth in 16:30.10).  

Senior Nathaniel Olsen placed sixth (16:05.60) to lead Beyer, which earned the division's other qualifying spot for State.



Individual favorites in the two smallest school divisions -- both sophomores -- defended titles. 

Sonora's Broen Holman shared the title with senior teammate Adin Dibble last season. On Saturday, he was the fastest boy on the course, running 15:32.70 to win by nearly 25 seconds over St. Mary's senior Jacob Moffett. Holman ran 15:41.20 at the '21 SJS Final.

Senior Nathan Horton placed third (second among scoring runners) in 16:53.10 to lead Hughson to the team title. Hughson, which also got a sixth-place overall (third among scores) finish from Joseph Lighthall (17:03.10) put up 35 points to win just its second section title and first since 2003. 

A pair of juniors, Anthony Aguilar, who placed 10th overall (17:13.70) and Cristian Lucatero, who placed 16th overall, led Livingston to a third-place finish and the division's other State Meet qualifying spot.

Sacramento Country Day sophomore Andrew Burr defended his Division 5 title, running 16:18.70, with junior teammate Aakash Arumugam second in 16:42.40. Burr was sine 74 seconds ahead of third-place finisher Graham Martin, a junior at Western Sierra Academy (17:33.30), and Arumugam was 50-plus seconds out in front. But that's where the Sacramento Country Day dominance ends. 

Central Catholic was a two-point winner over 2021 champion Vacaville Christian Academy. Earning the division's only two State Meet spots. Western Sierra Academy missed a State Meet bid by two points. 

Senior Austin Hannick placed 10th (18:24.20) and junior Zachary Early was 11th (18:24.20) leading Central Catholic. Freshman Gunner Lyon placed seventh (18:06.00) to lead Vacaville Christian. 


Jeffrey Parenti is the MileSplit California State Editor

Photos by James Leash