CHAMPS CA Course Shines Brightest for Midwest in Boys' Race

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SAN DIEGO -- The shining December sun was a wonderful sight to the 40 high school boys cross country runners representing 17 states and four U.S. regions in the Champs Sports National Cross Country Championship 5000-meter race Saturday morning at Morley Field.

But what shone brightest was not the homegrown West runners -- for which there were six Californians. That honor, instead, went for those who came here from the Midwest region.

Midwest runners secured five of the top six spots, led by Carmel (IN) High School senior Kole Mathison and his sizzling time of 14:56.6 to win the national title. The runner-up was senior Noah Breker of Plymouth (MN) Robbinsdale Armstrong High, 15:07.5; Fourth-place Simeon Birnbaum, a senior from Rapid City (SD) Stevens High in 15:11.3; Senior Connor Ackley of Hilliard Davidson (Ohio), fifth, 15:11.8; and sixth was Cameron Todd, a junior from Brebeuf Jesuit High in Indianapolis, in 15:13. The Midwest finished with 18 team points and a sixth Midwest runner, Hunter Jones of Benzie Central in Thompsonville, Michigan, finished 10th in 15:21.1.

One West runner, senior Sam Hansen, who hails from Bountiful, Utah's Woods Cross High, broke up the Midwest pack at the top with a third-place finish in 15:07.7. Landon Heemeyer, another West member representing Rocky Mountain High in Meridian, Idaho, was ninth in 15:14.5. Two Northeast runners, Samuel Burgess of Framingham (MA) High, and Butler (PA) Senior High's Drew Griffith, finished seventh and eighth in 15:13.6 and 15:14.4, respectively. The top South region finisher was Rocky Hansen from Hendersonville, S.C.'s Christ School in 11th place in 15:22.

Team scorewise, the Northeast region was second with 61 points, followed by the West (65), and South with 87.

Despite the race taking place in its state, the majority of the California-based West competitors had not competed on Morley Field's double 1.5-mile loop course near Balboa Park before Saturday.

"We ran it yesterday and I checked out the video of last year's race," said Palo Alto High junior Grant Morgenfeld, who was the top California runner in 18th place in 15:28.9. "It was great to get out and race against some of the best competition in the country. I'm really happy with my performance." 

He was followed by Templeton's Joshua Bell, who finished 19th in 15:31.9.

"I had zero knowledge of the course," Bell said. "I ran it yesterday and that's it. But for a first time racing it I think I got a pretty strong time."

Sonora High sophomore Broen Holman was 22nd in 15:35.3. Micah Sanchez, the CIF-San Diego Section and State Division V champion, entered Saturday's race with the most Morley Field course experience, having run it a dozen times because he is a senior at nearby El Cajon's Liberty Charter.

The Morley Field course, which serves as the CIF-San Diego Section XC finals site in November, was run by Sanchez in 15:40.9, good for 25th place. San Luis Obispo senior Milo Skapinsky finished 27th in 15:45.4, and Trey Caldwell, a sophomore from Concord De La Salle, was 30th in 15:47.8. Other West region runners and their finish and time, were: Spencer Bradshaw from Kaysville, Utah's Farmington High, was 24th in 15:38.4; and Jeff Lewis a senior from Draper, Utah's Corner Canyon High, was 34th in 15:51.1.

While the lack of course experience may have been a factor -- though it could be argued that many others competing here from other states had the same mental and physical obstacle -- the level of competition seemed to a bigger factor in terms of trying to strategize.

About the best plan seemed to be one that several West runners executed knowing the speed potential of the Midwest runners to go fast from the get-go.

"A bunch of us from the West team thought about going out last at the start and then picking off guys who went out fast and would then tire out," Bell said. "That's exactly what a lot of us did. I think I did well and I was able to make my goal of a Top 20 finish."

Holman echoed that sentiment, but found a silver lining.

"That was our plan, especially after seeing the course and the hills," Holman said. "Going out super conservative the first mile from the very back I was able to work my way back and I finished 22nd so I think it worked out well. I'm just a sophomore. I really enjoyed this experience. Hopefully, I can get back here next and my senior year."

While seniors Skapinsky and Chavez have no more opportunities to return to this elite race, for those who can, there's no better approach than to cherish the opportunity and work hard to return. 

"I'm only a sophomore and this was a good learning experience," Caldwell said. "I got 30th place in one of the most elite races in America. I'll take that as a sophomore and I hope that next year I can do better."