Happy together: Local cross-country teams return to racing
The return to the racecourse could not have been a more welcome happening for those assembled for a series of cross-country dual meets at Crean Lutheran High School on Saturday morning.
Some local cross-country teams saw their first action of the season, among the first high school sports competitions seen in the state of California since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last March.
The meet featured six schools (three dual meets) with an on-campus course. Laguna Beach and Pacifica Christian Orange County were part of the field, along with the host Saints, Downey Calvary Chapel, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel and St. Margaret’s.
Results came secondary on a day when the resolve shown by the student-athletes was rewarded with a chance to don school colors and share the course with an opponent.
Pacifica Christian’s boys’ team topped Downey Calvary Chapel 19-39 in the opening race. Tritons junior Ulysses McMahan crossed the finish line in 17 minutes 26.8 seconds to hold off Dakota Dreher (17:37.2) of the Grizzlies.
“Really grateful, honestly,” McMahan said of getting to compete for his school this year. “It’s already tough with everything that’s going on in the world, and to be able to hang out with teams and share the joy, even though we’re different schools, we got to have fun together.”
It was an enjoyable meet for Laguna Beach junior Melanie Falkowski, too, but not without a bit of trepidation, as she was running in just the third race of her career. She said she suffered a stress fracture her freshman year and was limited to one race as a sophomore.
Falkowski took close to two minutes off her previous 3-mile personal-best time, winning her race in 18:20.7 and leading the Laguna Beach girls over St. Margaret’s by a count of 25-30. The Breakers pushed the first three runners across, with Grace Wilson (18:37.9) and Coco Reed (18:39.5) coming in behind her.
“I’m so excited to be out here,” Falkowski said. “I honestly didn’t know if this day was going to come, and I’m so excited to see everyone do so well. It’s just an amazing experience to know that amidst a pandemic, something we’ve never been through before, we’re still able to push so hard.”
The trio of Jackson Adelman (15:36.1), Calvin Capelle (16:00.9) and Everett Capelle (16:16.0) grabbed the top three spots in the boys’ race between the schools, as St. Margaret’s notched a 20-35 win over Laguna Beach.
Christopher Drews (fourth, 16:39.7) and William Goodwin (fifth, 16:39.8) led the Breakers.
“These kids have been training since August, so I think it’s phenomenal that they get a chance to actually come out and race and put the uniform on for their school,” Laguna Beach boys’ cross-country coach Scott Wittkop said.
Crean Lutheran athletic director Eric Olson recalled that the last sporting event held at the campus had been a boys’ volleyball match that was live-streamed with no fans onsite.
Spectators at Saturday’s event were asked to watch from their cars. Olson was apologetic to parents and thankful for their understanding of the protocols. The finish line was put in an area of the track that was visible from the parking lot, and the course also made several trips past the parked vehicles as it looped between the track and an adjacent field.
“We’re just stoked to be able to provide an opportunity for these kids to be able to run,” Olson said. “They’ve been practicing so hard, without knowing a start date and practicing and preparing. Some of these kids are real elite, and that’s really difficult to keep that motivation. I really admire them all for sticking it out and working through it.”
Jeff Haspell officiated the meet and spoke to the sense of community that had been missing with high school sports on the sideline.
“That’s the thing is it’s reacquainting with all the coaches that are your friends, that you’ve learned to appreciate and respect as leaders in their schools, and just the whole comradeship of it all because you work with these guys,” Haspell said. “You both have the same purpose, trying to keep the athletes growing physically, mentally and spiritually.”
BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY
Crean Lutheran Invitational
3-mile course
Pacifica Christian 19, Downey Calvary Chapel 39
1. McMahan (PC) 17:26.8; 2. D. Dreher (CC) 17:37.2; 3. Cross (PC) 17:52.2; 4. Bahnsen (PC) 18:59.3; 5. Maxwell (PC) 19:01.7; 6. Avritt (PC) 19:35.3; 7. Comfort (CC) 20:25.0; 8. Seward (PC) 20:31.4; 9. C. Dreher (CC) 20:37.4; 10. Diaz (CC) 21:28.3
St. Margaret’s 20, Laguna Beach 35
1. Adelman (SM) 15:36.1; 2. C. Capelle (SM) 16:00.9; 3. E. Capelle (SM) 16:16.0; 4. C. Drews (LB) 16:39.7; 5. Goodwin (LB) 16:39.8; 6. Shen (SM) 16:44.7; 7. Zevnik (LB) 17:41.0; 8. Carnell (SM) 17:44.1; 9. T. Drews (LB) 17:45.3; 10. Joyce (LB) 17:48.1
Crean Lutheran 22, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 39
1. Radmilovich (CC) 16:12.8; 2. Rivas (CL) 16:33.3; 3. Miller (CL) 17:12.6; 4. Burkhart (CL) 17:27.6; 5. Arellano (CC) 17:48.6; 6. Lauro (CL) 17:50.7; 7. Mo (CL) 18:42.6; 8. Tanikawa (CL) 18:42.8; 9. Westerfeld (CL) 18:55.4; 10. Whitney (CL) 19:41.4GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY
Crean Lutheran Invitational
3-mile course
Laguna Beach 25, St. Margaret’s 30
1. Falkowski (LB) 18:20.7; 2. Wilson (LB) 18:37.9; 3. Reed (LB) 18:39.5; 4. Mullen (SM) 18:40.1; 5. Collier (SM) 18:42.7; 6. Arundale (SM) 19:06.6; 7. Kang (SM) 19:10.9; 8. Botuchis (SM) 19:15.6; 9. Schaefgen (LB) 19:36.5; 10. Casolari (LB) 19:46.2
Crean Lutheran 25, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 30
1. Brenner (CL) 18:20.8; 2. Radmilovich (CC) 19:52.3; 3. Reed (CL) 20:31.0; 4. Biggins (CC) 21:42.0; 5. Navarro (CC) 21:53.8; 6. Cuddyer (CL) 22:16.8; 7. Bailey (CL) 22:49.9; 8. Rauch (CL) 24:25.0; 9. Reiser (CC) 25:38.5; 10. Craig (CC) 25:42.4
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