By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 74th Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational Presented by Nike is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OF 74TH MT. SAC CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL ON OCTOBER 21-22

MT. SAC ALL-TIME PERFORMANCE LISTS

Here are 10 storylines to follow at one of the largest and most prestigious high school meets in the country:

San Clemente looks to stop an all-time great streak

One of the most impressive achievements in meet history belongs to the Great Oak boys program, which has won seven straight Division 1-2 team sweepstakes titles, the first six coming in 2014-19, before the Wolfpack resumed the streak last year after the event was canceled in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Great Oak, which prevailed by a 78-95 margin against Loyola last season, is the only team in either gender to win seven consecutive sweepstakes crowns, but that exceptional run will be challenged at 9:41 a.m. PDT Saturday.

San Clemente is one of the most impressive teams this fall, not only in California but the entire country, and has continued to build momentum in recent weeks, including a second straight victory at the Orange County Championships on Oct. 15 at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado.

The Tritons were third in last year’s Division 1-2 boys team sweepstakes race with 139 points, but the trio of seniors Juan Chantaca and Rory Catsimanes, along with junior Brett Ephraim, makes San Clemente a formidable lineup against Great Oak and the rest of the field, supported by a runner-up finish Oct. 8 in the championship race at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Pierce Clark, Grant Sestak, Taj Clark and Dallin Harrington have provided significant support for San Clemente, which is also scheduled to compete against California programs Crescenta Valley, Trabuco Hills, Torrey Pines, Redondo Union, Mira Costa, Ayala, Tesoro, Santa Barbara and Royal, as well as Highland High from Arizona.

Mark Cortes, Ramses Cortes, Austin Elkins, Nick Gaffney, Jeffrey Keeney, Nathan Lennox and Gabriel Rodriguez are expected to race for Great Oak, which finished fourth in the championship race at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational, 39 points behind second-place San Clemente.

Crescenta Valley was fifth overall, trailing Great Oak by a 15-point margin.

Chantaca, who captured the Orange County individual title with a 3-mile effort of 14 minutes, 26.4 seconds at Oak Canyon Park, will also square off against Parker Simmons from Crescenta Valley, Carsten Williams of Trabuco Hills, Griffin Kushen of Tesoro, Andrew Martin of Mira Costa, Jonah Bazerkanian of Royal, Ryan Thomas of Torrey Pines and Aaron Thomas of Redondo Union, along with Catsimanes and Ephraim.

Simmons is the top returnee from last year’s race, taking third in 15:14, with Bazerkanian, Chantaca and both Cortes brothers running sub-15:20.

Rancho Cucamonga ready for the spotlight

Although Great Oak took third in last year’s Division 1-2 girls team sweepstakes race, halting its run of six consecutive titles, the Wolfpack are looking to capture another championship at 9:57 a.m. PDT Saturday.

But the team that poses the biggest threat to Great Oak and the rest of the field is the group that placed 13th in last season’s sweepstakes competition, Rancho Cucamonga.

Following an impressive 32-108 sweepstakes victory against Corona Santiago on Oct. 15 at the Inland Empire Championships at Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park, Rancho Cucamonga has established itself as one of the top teams in the state and is looking to gain valuable experience competing on the same course that will host the Southern Section prelims and finals in November.

Nicole Alfred, Braelyn Combe, Renee Du, Natalie Esquibel, Jaden Miura, Malia Reinhold and Madilyn Siana are scheduled to compete for Rancho Cucamonga, which gained valuable experience Sept. 24 with a runner-up finish in the Jim Danner championship race at Nike Portland XC at Blue Lake Regional Park in Oregon.

Mira Costa, the reigning Division 1-2 girls team sweepstakes champion, is scheduled to return, along with last year’s fourth-place finisher Torrey Pines, which finished runner-up in the girls elite race Oct. 8 at Nike Hole in the Wall at Lakewood High in Washington.

Del Norte, which triumphed in the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes race last season, is entered in the team sweepstakes competition Saturday.

Canyon Crest Academy, Long Beach Poly, Peninsula and Santa Monica are also part of the field, in addition to Arizona Division 1 powers Highland and Xavier College Prep.

Highland produced an impressive fourth-place performance in the sweepstakes race Sept. 30 at the Desert Twilight Festival at Coyote Run Golf Course at Leisure World in Mesa.

Kayla Case, Vanessa Finchum, Charlotte Greer, Kinley Jackson, Sophie Mann, Kathryn Sewell and Zoe Tizard will look to build momentum for Highland in preparation for the Arizona Division 1 state final Nov. 12 at Cave Creek Golf Course.

Aishling Callanan of Peninsula won the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes last year in 17:15, with Kelli Gaffney of Great Oak placing second in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes last season in 17:22.

Anna Chittenden of Mira Costa, Scarlett Taylor of Torrey Pines, Avery Peck of Long Beach Poly and Phoebe Benun of Santa Monica, Emily Schott of Ayala, along with Hannah Riggins and Emily Russo of Del Norte are also top contenders in the race.

Settling the score in Division 4

One of the most anticipated matchups of the meet involves three of the top Division 4 boys programs, not only in the Southern Section, but all of California, when St. Francis, St. John Bosco and Cathedral are scheduled to clash at 5:27 p.m. PDT Friday in the Division 3, 4 and 5 team sweepstakes competition.

St. Francis prevailed by an 86-103 margin against Cathedral Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno, after the Phantoms had secured a 52-54 victory Oct. 1 against the Golden Knights at the Bellarmine/Sacred Heart Invitational at Griffith Park.

St. John Bosco won the medium school race at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational by a 94-122 margin against Trinity League rival Santa Margarita, which is in Division 3 and is also scheduled to be part of the sweepstakes field Friday.

Cathedral should be well represented up front by Emmanuel Hernandez and Emmanuel Perez, with Hayden Owen leading St. Francis and Aiden Aldana setting the tone for St. John Bosco.

Santa Margarita, Dana Hills, Thousand Oaks, West Torrance, University City and Agoura are all impressive Division 3 programs that add depth to an outstanding field.

Evan Noonan of Dana Hills is one of the favorites entering the race, following his runner-up finish Oct. 15 at the Orange County Championships with a 3-mile effort of 14:26.8 at Oak Canyon Park.

Hernandez won the small school race at Clovis in 15:13.7, with Owen clocking 15:29.7 and Perez running 15:30.6. Aldana was runner-up in the medium school race in 15:34.9, ahead of Eddie Yunker from Santa Margarita taking third in 15:37.1.

Aaron Cohen of West Torrance, Liam Papavasiliou and Baptiste Garderes of Thousand Oaks, Dan Barreto and Darrick Jacob of Agoura, in addition to Caden Hicks and Gael McClain-Martinez of University City provide additional quality in the race, as well as Division 5 competitors Elijah McBroom of Arrowhead Christian Academy and Santa Fe Christian’s Hudson Kim.

Yosemite, one of the top Division 5 programs in the state, is looking to challenge itself again after placing third Oct. 8 in the small school race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational. Viewpoint is another Division 5 entry in the field.

Sophomores Ben Olney and Jack Olney lead Yosemite.

Palos Verdes, last year’s Division 3, 4 and 5 team sweepstakes champion, is not scheduled to compete.

San Diego girls primed to put on another good show

Before Canyon Crest Academy, Del Norte, El Camino, Poway and Torrey Pines compete Saturday, several San Diego female standouts will get an opportunity to make their marks in sweepstakes competition Friday.

It was a sweep in the Division 3, 4 and 5 girls team sweepstakes last year, with Cathedral Catholic capturing the title by producing a 57-97 victory against Sage Creek, which was led by individual champion Stormy Wallace clocking 17:25.

Cathedral Catholic is again among the favorites in the team competition, with another rising San Diego Section standout in La Costa Canyon junior Gioana Lopizzo looking to secure the individual crown.

Lopizzo placed second Oct. 8 in the girls championship race at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park by clocking 17:28 on the 5-kilometer layout, improving from 19:11 last season.

Lopizzo finished 20th last year in the Division 3, 4 and 5 team sweepstakes competition in 19:09 and has the potential to produce another significant improvement, looking to help La Costa Canyon elevate from a sixth-place performance last year.

Madelyn Basinet, Chiara Bonomi, Patsy Hellman, Elaine Hobrock, Scarlett Martin, Alexandria Pena and Keira Rall are scheduled to compete for Cathedral Catholic, which will face fellow Division 3 programs Dana Hills, La Costa Canyon, Santa Margarita, Thousand Oaks, University City, South Torrance and Sage Creek.

Sophie Polay, a sophomore at Santa Margarita, finished fifth in 17:35.1 in the championship race Oct. 8 at Clovis and is also a leading contender. Polay also placed fifth in the Division 3, 4 and 5 girls individual sweepstakes race last season.

Dana Hills will be without senior Allura Markow, who finished fifth Saturday at the Orange County Championships. Zoe Ott is the leader for the Dolphins in Markow’s absence.

Thousand Oaks will be paced by Paytonne Evans, with University City seeking strong efforts from Jenna O’Beirne and Winter Moritz.

Sage Creek returns Kaya Scuba and Malia Leupold from its runner-up lineup last year, with South Torrance being led by Chloe Esponda.

JiaLian Mackey, the reigning Southern Section Division 5 champion representing Viewpoint, finished fourth in the Division 3, 4 and 5 individual sweepstakes last year. The Patriots are testing themselves in the team sweepstakes Friday in preparation for the postseason.

South Pasadena and La Jolla, both Division 4 programs, are part of the field as well.

Chiara Dailey and Kirra Fisk lead La Jolla, with Abigail Errington and Amelie Geoffron part of an impressive young lineup at South Pasadena.

Issa hopes to inspire again with sub-15 effort

Billie Issa of West Ranch got a good look at the Mt. SAC layout last year at the Southern Section Division 2 final, clocking 15:35.9 to finish 17th.

But the recent Cal Poly San Luis Obispo commit is competing this season in Division 3 and enters the Division 3, 4 and 5 individual sweepstakes at 5:50 p.m. PDT Friday with the potential to not only eclipse the 15-minute barrier, but also produce the fastest time of the meet.

Issa was impressive in his debut at Woodward Park on Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational, covering the 5-kilometer course in 15:04.4.

The West Ranch program record of 15:08 at Mt. SAC was established in 2017 by Isaiah Seidman.

Issa could be challenged by Templeton junior Joshua Bell, who ran 15:07 at Mt. SAC last year and clocked 15:15.1 in the small school race Oct. 8 at Clovis.

Mission Viejo’s Caleb McDaniel and La Costa Canyon’s Jacob Niednagel are also Division 3 standouts among the leading contenders in the race.

Big Bear’s Kael Jex, St. Augustine’s Jimmy Markowicz, Rim of the World’s Ethan Parcells, San Marino’s Benjamin Hughes, Foothill Technology’s Jonah Billings, La Jolla’s Isaac Chu and Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Miles Cook and Cam Gregg, along with Beyer’s Nathanael Olson and Ryan Elias look to represent Division 4 well in the competition that also includes Shane Fisher from West Valley High in Alaska.

Fisher is looking to rebound from placing 49th in the Alaska Division 1 state final Oct. 8 at Bartlett High.

Macias seeks another masterpiece

Clovis West freshman Cameron Macias finished fourth Oct. 8 in the girls championship race at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational by producing the fastest time by a ninth-grader at the event, clocking 17:28.5 on the 5-kilometer Woodward Park layout.

Macias has the potential to secure victory at 9:25 a.m. PDT Saturday in the Division 1-2 girls sweepstakes race, continuing to demonstrate her growth following a 23rd-place finish Sept. 16 in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park in Irvine.

Poway’s Tessa Buswell was second in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes competition last year in 17:45, with MacKenzie Browne of JW North also returning after placing sixth in 18:12 last season.

McCall Dame of El Camino High in Oceanside, Redondo Union’s Lyla Fedio, Bakersfield Liberty’s Nicole Bridges, Westivew’s Kaitlyn Arciaga, University High of Irvine’s Kaitlyn Carmichael, Etiwanda’s Janelle Avilez, Warren’s Michelle Huerta, Brentwood Liberty’s Rylee Guinn and La Palma Kennedy’s Brenda Daza provide the field with added depth, in addition to Anaheim Canyon’s Makena Oliva and Taylor DeBarros.

Poway placed second in the race last year, with champion Del Norte deciding to compete Saturday in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes competition instead.

The last freshman to win the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race was Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in 2005, clocking 16:48.

Moore League matchup and so much more

The Division 1-2 boys individual sweepstakes competition at 9:09 a.m. PDT Saturday is highlighted by another chapter in the impressive rivalry involving Moore League standouts Cameron Rhone of Long Beach Poly and Jason Parra of Long Beach Millikan, but there are several other strong contenders in the race, including last year’s third-place finisher Russell Blakely of Grossmont, who clocked 15:13.

Rhone took third Sept. 24 in 14:59.1 the Jim Danner Championship race at Nike Portland XC at Blue Lake Regional Park in Oregon, with Parra securing sixth in 15:06.2.

Parra placed 18th in the boys championship race Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno, clocking 15:23.7, and Rhone was 22nd in 15:33.9.

In between, in the most thrilling matchup thus far Sept. 28 at a league meet at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, Rhone held off Parra by a 14:17.24 to 14:17.34 margin to produce a 3-mile course record.

Parra placed second last season in his Mt. SAC varsity race in 15:09, with Rhone finishing fifth in his varsity section in 15:40.

Saugus teammates Jacob Fredericks and Gavin Dion, along with Jayden Hernandez of Godinez, Omar Reyes of El Camino High in Oceanside, Santa Ana’s Jimmy Dominguez, Clovis West’s Sam Dresick, Concord De La Salle’s Trey Caldwell, Loyola’s Jake Ratkovich, Martin Luther King’s Maximo Zavaleta, Walnut’s Joshua Razo, Westlake’s KC Barber, Anaheim Canyon’s Jaden Goetz and Ansh Parashar of University High in Irvine are also motivated to run under 15:10 and challenge Parra, Rhone and Blakely.

Dominguez (15:29) and Barber (15:33) finished ninth and 10th, respectively, last season in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes competition.

Grossmont is the top returning team from last year’s race following a fourth-place finish.

Seventeen has become significant to Lopez

Shadow Hills senior Marjourie Lopez entered the season having never eclipsed the 18-minute barrier in any cross country race in her high school career.

Lopez has since developed into one of the most consistent competitors in California the past seven weeks, producing six sub-18 efforts on 3-mile courses, including a personal-best 17:06.2 performance Oct. 1 at the ASICS Temecula Twilight at Galway Downs.

Lopez has unfinished business to take care of in the Division 3, 4 and 5 girls individual sweepstakes race at 5:36 p.m. Friday, looking to add the 2.93-mile layout at Mt. SAC to the list of her impressive 17-minute resume.

Lopez placed 17th at the Southern Section Division 3 final last season in 18:41.6 at Mt. SAC and is motivated to achieve a breakthrough on the course she has the potential to run three times in a five-week span in an effort to qualify for the Nov. 26 state championship in Fresno.

There will be plenty of challengers for Lopez, including Division 3, 4 and 5 individual sweepstakes runner-up last season Sydney Rome of Yorba Linda, who clocked 17:44.

Danielle Hollander of Beverly Hills, Arielle McKenzie of Calabasas, Ella Boyer of Esperanza, San Marino’s Kayla Giddings, West Covina’s Becky Osorio, Xavier College Prep’s Chloe Elbaz, Nueva School’s Anna Feland, Pacific Ridge senior twins Clara Steer and Elsa Steer, along with Bishop Amat’s Emma Arredondo and Sophia Ebiner are also expected challengers, all looking to eclipse the 18-minute barrier.

Running under the radar

Two of the top male athletes entered in the meet won’t be competing in a sweepstakes race Saturday, but Matthew Donis of Palmdale Highland and Garrett Hartline of El Toro still have the potential to deliver strong performances in their varsity sections, along with several other elite individuals during the two-day event.

Donis, who is competing in Division 1, placed 10th in the championship race Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park, covering the 5-kilometer layout in 15:16.1.

He also ran 14:04.8 to finish ninth Sept. 16 in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park in Irvine, in addition to securing victory Sept. 3 in 14:36.8 at the Sundown Showdown competition at the Cool Breeze Invitational at the Pomona Fairplex.

Donis clocked 15:07.6 last season to place 10th at the Southern Section Division 1 final at Mt. SAC.

Hartline finished fifth Saturday in the sweepstakes race at the Orange County Championships, clocking 14:31.1 on the 3-mile course at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado.

He also took third Sept. 24 at the Dana Hills Nike Invitational in the Division 1 sweepstakes race with a 14:45.9 effort.

Hartline is entered in a Division 2 race and is looking to improve on his 15:26.8 performance from last year’s Southern Section final.

Oakland Tech’s Miles Jones is among the top Division 3 athletes competing in a varsity race Friday, with Stockton St. Mary’s Jacob Moffett entered in a Division 4 varsity race, as well as Harvard-Westlake’s Grant Sykes.

St. Margaret’s Everett Capelle is scheduled to compete in a Division 5 varsity race Friday, in addition to Matthew Monroy of Maranatha Christian.

Dylan Soberay of West Anchorage High in Alaska is expected to participate in a Division 3 varsity race Friday, his first competition since placing 19th in the Division 1 state final Oct. 8 at Bartlett High.

Different paths to postseason preparation for several stars

As significant as the sweepstakes races are in headlining the meet schedule, there are many elite female competitors who are taking a more reserved approach in competing Friday and Saturday, especially if they could have to race at Mt. SAC three times in a five-week stretch to advance to the Nov. 26 state final.

Revere Schmidt, the reigning Division 5 state champion from Santa Fe Christian, is scheduled to compete in a Division 5 varsity race Friday.

Holly Barker of Laguna Hills, the two-time Orange County sweepstakes winner, is entered in a Division 4 varsity race Friday. Barker did not race at the Mt. SAC Invitational last year the week following her victory at the Orange County Championships, so it remains to be seen if she will compete.

Evelynne Carr of American Leadership Academy of Queen Creek in Arizona is scheduled to compete in a Division 4 varsity race, as well as Kendra Ross of Harvard-Westlake and Robyn Miller of South Anchorage in Alaska.

Miller placed seventh in the Division 1 state final Oct. 8 at Bartlett High.

St. Margaret’s, one of the elite programs in Division 5, is scheduled to have Liesel Blau, Joyce Li and Sarah Bendzick in a varsity race Friday, with Sienna Faldi of Convent and Stuart Hall also entered in a Division 5 varsity section.

Melisse Djomby Enyawe of Corona del Mar, who won her varsity race Oct. 14 at the Orange County Championships, is entered in another Division 3 varsity competition Friday at Mt. SAC.

Del Oro’s Angie Gutierrez and Fullerton’s Morgan McAndrew are also entered in Division 3 varsity competitions.

Brianne Smith of Quartz Hill, Sarahy Lopez of Santa Ana, Kamryn Grossman of Valencia and Vista’s Melissa Estrada are among the top competitors in Division 1 varsity races Saturday.

Claremont’s Denise Chen, El Toro’s Dakota Danaher, Santa Ana Valley’s Roxana Diaz, Saugus’ Lucia Pearson, Westlake’s Kalista Traversa, Portola’s Sophie Guilfoile and Landen LeBlond from Millennium High in Arizona are all expected to race in Division 2 varsity competitions Saturday.