By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 75th Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational Presented by Nike is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OCT. 20-21 OF 75TH MT. SAC CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY NIKE WITH RUNNERSPACE+PLUS

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:

The opening day closer

Emmanuel Perez, a senior at Cathedral High in Los Angeles, captured the CIF Southern Section Division 4 title on the 2.93-mile layout at Mt. SAC last season in 14:50.5, but there are bigger aspirations in his return Friday.

Perez, who is scheduled to compete in the final race of the first-day schedule as part of the Division 3-4-5 boys individual sweepstakes field, has the potential to challenge the all-time Mt. SAC mark of 14:23 established in 2014 by Austin Tamagno of Brea-Olinda High in California.

Kenan Pala of Francis Parker in San Diego produced the fastest Friday performance in meet history in 2021 by clocking 14:24 in the Division 3-4-5 individual sweepstakes.

The fastest Division 4 effort in Mt. SAC history is 14:28, shared by both Big Bear’s Ryan Hall in 2000 and Duarte’s Mohamed Trafeh in 2003.

Perez took third last season in the Division 3-4-5 boys team sweepstakes competition, trailing Dana Hills’ Evan Noonan and Cathedral teammate Emmanuel Hernandez.

Perez has split a pair of head-to-head matchups this season, taking third behind a victorious Noonan in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race Sept. 16 at the 42nd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS America, before finishing second ahead of the third-place Dana Hills junior in the Rob Brenner boys championship race Oct. 7 at the 44th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Noonan and his Dolphins’ teammates are not scheduled to race at Mt. SAC following their victory Oct. 14 at the Orange County Championships.

Perez and Hernandez, who ran 14:52 last season at Mt. SAC, are entered in Friday’s race, along with Big Bear’s Kael Jex, Bishop Montgomery’s Matthew Shanahan, Burroughs Ridgecrest’s Zion Ortiz, Convent and Stuart Hall’s Malcolm Oakes, Diego Mejia from Godinez, South Torrance’s Liam Miller, University City’s Caden Hicks and Sacramento Country Day teammates Andrew Burr and Aakash Arumugam.

Looking for a Dailey double

La Jolla standout Chiara Dailey became the fourth freshman in meet history to produce a sub-17 performance in her Mt. SAC debut last season, clocking 16:58 to win the Division 3-4-5 girls team sweepstakes race.

Dailey joined Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay, Simi Valley’s Sarah Baxter and Lauren Ping from Desert Vista in Arizona in achieving the feat.

She also became the fifth female athlete from the San Diego Section to eclipse the 17-minute barrier on the 2.93-mile layout, joining Rancho Bernardo’s Molly Grabill, Canyon Crest Academy’s Carlie Dorostkar, La Costa Canyon’s Kristin Fahy and Torrey Pines’ Megan Morgan.

Grabill produced the fastest time by a San Diego Section competitor at Mt. SAC with her 16:41 performance in 2009.

Dailey also took third last year in the CHAMPS Sports West Regional – once again sponsored by Foot Locker this season – at Mt. SAC, running 18:11 on the 5-kilometer layout, before earning All-America honors with a 14th-place finish at the national meet at Balboa Park’s Morley Field in San Diego.

Dailey, a sophomore, is once again expected to square off Friday with La Costa Canyon senior Gioana Lopizzo, who was second in last year’s Division 3-4-5 team sweepstakes race in 17:14.

La Canada’s Maya DeBrouwer and South Pasadena’s Abigail Errington are also entered in the race, in addition to La Jolla’s Kirra Fisk, Santa Margarita’s Alahna Thomas, University City’s Winter Moritz, West Torrance freshman Kamilah Salim, Palos Verdes teammates Natalie Wang and Kate Sherry, and the Cathedral Catholic pair of Alexandria Pena and Scarlett Martin, who helped the Dons secure the team victory last year.

South Pasadena, La Canada, Palos Verdes, West Torrance, Yorba Linda and Shadow Hills will all be battling against returning champion Cathedral Catholic for the team title.

San Clemente seeks another sweepstakes crown

After snapping a seven-year run of titles by Great Oak in the Division 1-2 boys team sweepstakes race with an impressive 44-109 victory last season, San Clemente is motivated to repeat Saturday, especially after being edged by a 48-53 margin Oct. 14 by Dana Hills at the Orange County Championships.

San Clemente returns Brett Ephraim, Dallin Harrington, Pierce Clark and Taj Clark from last season.

The Tritons finished fourth Oct. 7 in the Rob Brenner boys championship race at the 44th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno, with Great Oak placing second.

Great Oak also took third Sept. 16 in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race at the 42nd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS America, with San Clemente finishing fifth.

Gabriel Rodriguez and Jacob Brown return for Great Oak from last year’s sweepstakes lineup at Mt. SAC, but the Wolfpack has relied significantly this season on Westin Brown, Jack Paradise, Michael Rodriguez, Jeffrey Keeney and Kai Marotta.

Mira Costa, Beckman, Martin Luther King and Crescenta Valley are also entered in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes field, along with Santa Barbara, Glendora, Newbury Park and Ventura, although Anthony Fast Horse – winner of the Rob Brenner championship race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational – is not expected to compete for the Cougars.

Mira Costa finished fifth in the Rob Brenner boys championship race at Clovis, Ventura secured sixth, Beckman placed seventh, Santa Barbara edged Martin Luther King for eighth place on a sixth-runner tiebreaker and Crescenta Valley took 10th.

Pursuing a unique repeat feat

Madilyn Siana and Braelyn Combe were instrumental last year in Rancho Cucamonga winning the Division 1-2 girls team sweepstakes race for the first time in program history.

Siana, a senior, and sophomore standout Combe are looking to once again contribute to a Division 1-2 team sweepstakes crown Saturday at Mt. SAC, only this year, they are attempting to achieve the feat representing Corona Santiago following their offseason transfers.

Although the Sharks are not expected to have junior star Rylee Blade in their lineup, Corona Santiago is still a leading contender for the team championship, with Taylor Davis, Audrey Buckley, Kinsley Whitecavage, Combe and Siana in the lineup.

Corona Santiago was edged by Buchanan for third place on a sixth-runner tiebreaker Oct. 7 in the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the 44th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Ventura finished second in the race, but the Cougars are not scheduled to have junior standout Sadie Engelhardt competing Saturday at Mt. SAC.

Saugus, Vista Murrieta, Santa Monica, Great Oak, Del Norte, Claremont, Ayala, Torrey Pines, Poway and Mira Costa are all expected to compete in the Division 1-2 team sweepstakes. Mira Costa captured the title in 2021, but is looking to rebound from a seventh-place finish last season.

Rancho Cucamonga is not entered in the team sweepstakes race Saturday and will look to secure another title in the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes competition.

Tessa Buswell of Poway, the reigning Division 1 state champion, is seeking a significant individual victory at Mt. SAC after finishing second in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race the past two years.

Reyes attempting to run it back

Omar Reyes, a senior at Oceanside El Camino, is the top returning competitor scheduled to race Saturday following his victory last season in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race in 14:49.

Reyes held off Jason Parra from Long Beach Millikan, who clocked 14:54 at last year’s meet, with the athletes scheduled for a rematch Saturday in a field that also includes Concord De La Salle junior Trey Caldwell, a returning CHAMPS Sports national finalist.

Caldwell is pursuing the De La Salle program record of 14:48 at Mt. SAC by Blair Hurlock from 2013.

Reyes is attempting to eclipse the 2005 El Camino school record of 14:39 produced by AJ Acosta.

Kevin Ramos of Rubidoux was the last athlete to win back-to-back Division 1-2 individual boys sweepstakes races in 2017-18.

Etiwanda’s Gabriel Castillo, Saugus’ Sebastian Peraza, Anaheim Canyon’s Jaden Goetz, Chaffey’s Daniel Reza, Rancho Bernardo’s Camden Luecht, Chaparral’s Joshua Agostini, Clayton Valley teammates Daniel Martinez and Daniel Messer, in addition to the La Serna pair of Grant Miller and Jace Baltzer are all expected to compete in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes race.

Macias hoping to celebrate a Sweet Sixteen

Clovis West multi-sport standout Cameron Macias became the first freshman to win the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes race since Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay in 2005 when she prevailed last season in her Mt. SAC debut in 17:31.

Hasay also secured back-to-back victories in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes in 2005 and 2006, a feat that Macias will attempt to match Saturday as she celebrates her 16th birthday in her return to Mt. SAC this weekend.

Although Macias wasn’t able to eclipse Hasay’s Central Section freshman record at Mt. SAC of 16:48, she has the potential to challenge her sophomore mark of 17:12 from 2006.

Malibu’s Claudia Lane is the last athlete to secure consecutive victories in the Division 1-2 girls individual sweepstakes race in 2016-17.

Macias is expected to be challenged by Bakersfield Highland’s Mia Torrecillas, Arcadia’s Reena Hsieh, Redondo Union’s Lyla Fedio, Crescenta Valley’s Emilia Greenway, Irvine University’s Kaitlyn Carmichael, Westview’s Kaitlyn Arciaga, Bakersfield Liberty’s Nicole Bridges, Anaheim Canyon’s Makena Oliva, Portola’s Sophie Guilfoile , El Toro’s Gweneth Williams and Chaffey’s Elena Martinez.

Another golden opportunity

St. Francis, the reigning California Division 4 state champion, has demonstrated the ability to hold its own in elite fields in the most prestigious invitationals this season and the Golden Knights will have another chance Friday in the Division 3-4-5 boys team sweepstakes.

With reigning sweepstakes champion Dana Hills not competing at Mt. SAC this weekend and last year’s runner-up Cathedral entered in the Division 3-4-5 individual sweepstakes race instead, St. Francis is primed to capture the team title following a third-place effort last season.

The Golden Knights achieved a sweepstakes victory at the 50th Bell-Jeff/Sacred Heart Invitational, along with producing strong performances in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race at the 42nd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS America in addition to the Rob Brenner boys championship race at the 44th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Samuel Franco, who finished 18th in the Division 3-4-5 team sweepstakes race last year for St. Francis, continues to demonstrate why he is one of the most improved runners in the country.

Franco won the sweepstakes race at the Bell-Jeff/Sacred Heart competition and placed 10th at both Woodbridge and Clovis.

Luke Metcalf, Auge Martin, Aidan Guzman and Axel Gonzalez have also been instrumental in St. Francis’ success, as the Golden Knights look to secure the Division 3-4-5 team sweepstakes at Mt. SAC after capturing the CIF Southern Section Division 4 championship on the same 2.93-mile layout last year.

Santa Margarita, St. John Bosco, Palos Verdes, West Ranch and Foothill Technology are also expected to compete in the Division 3-4-5 boys team sweepstakes, in addition to Moorpark, South Pasadena, La Costa Canyon, Francis Parker and Viewpoint.

Bishop Amat back in hunt for gold again

Led by Sophia Ebiner, Bishop Amat was victorious last season in the Division 3-4-5 girls individual sweepstakes race and the Lancers are in contention again Friday.

Since meet officials created the Division 3-4-5 individual sweepstakes in 2019, no team has repeated, with Portola and South Pasadena securing the first two titles, before Bishop Amat prevailed last year.

Ebiner is the top returning athlete from last year’s race, securing sixth in 18:29, but Bishop Amat will need to overcome the graduation of Emma Arredondo, who triumphed in 17:43.

Cynthia Herrera of Canyon Country Canyon, Capistrano Valley’s Audrey Heath, Esperanza’s Audrey Alexander, Francis Parker’s Ariella Llorens, Fullerton’s Morgan McAndrew, Petaluma’s Reilly Kreutz, Sage Creek’s Gabriella Peters, Samueli Academy’s Lyari Chavez, San Marino’s Kayla Giddings, West Covina’s Becky Osorio and Ayanna Hickey of The Bishop’s School are all expected to be in contention.

Osorio earned eighth in last year’s Division 3-4-5 individual sweepstakes in 18:39, with Giddings placing 10th in 18:51.

State champions ready for another memorable trip

South Anchorage is making the trip again from Alaska to conclude its season two weeks following the Division 1 state final at Palmer High.

Only this year, the Wolverines are arriving at Mt. SAC as the Division 1 boys state champions, securing the program’s first title since capturing the Class 4A crown in 2005.

South Anchorage triumphed in Division 4 boys and girls varsity races last year at Mt. SAC and the Wolverines are looking to repeat the feat Friday. South Anchorage finished fourth in the Division 1 girls state final Oct. 7, with the boys accumulating 83 points to prevail against West Anchorage and Chugiak, which both amassed 89 points.

Blaise Boyer, Vebjorn Flagstad, Jaxon Henrie, Miles Gastrock, Gus Olson, Rowan Robinson and Ryan Hansen are expected to compete for South Anchorage in the Division 4 boys race.

Addison Bailey, Madison Dahlstrom, Madilyn Gifford, Cameryn Kauffman and Elizabeth Page are scheduled to participate in the Division 4 girls competition for the Wolverines.

West Anchorage’s Berit Meyers is also expected to represent Alaska in the Division 3-4-5 girls varsity race.

Notre Dame Prep, Valley Lutheran and Vista Grande are scheduled to travel from Arizona to compete Friday at Mt. SAC, along with Moapa Valley and Victor Valley from Nevada.

Out of the spotlight, but not under the radar

Several elite athletes have decided to compete with their teams in varsity races instead of pursuing sweepstakes competition Friday and Saturday, but they are more than capable of producing some of the top times during the two-day event.

Tesoro’s Griffin Kushen, Savanna’s Matthew Galindo, Steele Canyon’s Micah Senn and Everett Capelle from St. Margaret’s are all entered in boys varsity races.

Corona del Mar teammates Melisse Djomby Enyawe and Emilie Steinman are entered in girls varsity competition, along with Woodbridge’s Abby Biber, San Marcos’ Ashley Purcell, Del Oro’s Angeline Gutierrez, Burroughs Ridgecrest’s Eve Washburn and Joyce Li from St. Margaret’s.

Tesoro, El Toro, West Ranch, Oak Park, Agoura and Ontario Christian are among several strong boys teams racing in varsity competition at Mt. SAC.

El Toro, Citrus Valley, Tesoro, Oak Park and St. Margaret’s are notable girls lineups also expected to compete in varsity races in Walnut.