Clovis West freshman enjoys memorable 15th birthday, becoming first ninth-grader since Hasay in 2005 to win Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes; Reyes holds off Parra, Rhone in boys individual sweeps, as trio has sub-15 efforts

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

WALNUT – Cameron Macias celebrated her 15th birthday Saturday, then the Clovis West High freshman turned in an exceptional effort in her debut at the 74th Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational Presented by Nike as a present to all the spectators in attendance watching the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes race.

Omar Reyes shifted the spotlight away from a pair of Moore League rivals in the Division 1-2 boys individual sweepstakes competition, with the El Camino of Oceanside junior producing a significant surge in the final mile to earn his biggest victory of the season.

RESULTS | RACE VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS

Reyes clocked 14 minutes, 49 seconds on the 2.93-mile course, leading a trio of sub-15 performances, along with Long Beach Millikan junior Jason Parra (14:54) and Long Beach Poly senior Cameron Rhone (14:58), who led five Jackrabbits in the top 50 to secure the team victory by a 122-153 margin against Loyola High.

Macias, who finished fourth in the girls championship race Oct. 8 at the 43rd ASICS Clovis Invitational, remained patient in the first mile and then gradually pulled away from a veteran group to triumph in 17:31, highlighting a quartet of sub-18 efforts in the field.

Macias, also an elite basketball player, became the first freshman to win the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes crown at Mt. SAC since Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep achieved the feat in 2005.

Poway junior Tessa Buswell placed second in 17:38, El Camino of Oceanside senior McCall Dame took third in 17:48 and Lyla Fedio finished fourth in 17:53 for Redondo Union, which had five scorers in the top 40 to emerge victorious with 91 points.

El Camino of Oceanside was second with 105 points and Anaheim Canyon, last year’s runner-up in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes race, took third in the individual sweepstakes Saturday with 130 points.

Mackenzie Browne of JW North placed fifth in 18:02 and Rylee Guinn of Brentwood Liberty secured sixth in 18:08.

Parra led for the majority of the boys individual sweepstakes, before Reyes made a definitive move as the athletes approached the top of Reservoir Hill and used the momentum to help him push forward on the airstrip and through Goff’s Gauntlet.

Parra helped Millikan place fourth with 182 points, just behind third-place Palisades with 180 points.

Reyes led a deep field, with Westlake’s KC Barber finishing fourth in 15:02, Loyola’s Jake Ratkovich taking fifth in 15:05, Concord De La Salle’s Trey Caldwell and Santa Ana’s Jimmy Dominguez were both timed in 15:08, Grossmont’s Russell Blakely earned eighth in 15:10, with Jayden Hernandez of Godinez and Walnut’s Joshua Razo both running 15:12 to round out the top 10.

Beckman senior Zachary Blum prevailed in the Division 1 boys varsity blue race in 15:20, a mark later equaled by El Toro senior Garrett Hartline in the Division 2 boys varsity blue race, despite much colder and windier conditions.

Hartline also led an El Toro sweep of team victories in both Division 2 boys and girls varsity races.

Claremont junior Denise Chen triumphed in the Division 2 girls varsity yellow race in 17:40, the only sub-18 performance achieved outside of the sweepstakes races Saturday and one of 16 overall produced by female athletes in the two-day event.