Metro Conference cross country finals set the pace

A total of 488 runners took the course at Rohr Park last Friday to determine this year’s Metro Conference cross country team champions and all-league teams.

Returners got to strut their stuff while newcomers got the chance to see what’s ahead for them.

There were a few surprises, but veterans maintained the order.

Eastlake High School senior Jaelyn Williams cruised to her fourth consecutive conference runner of the year award with a top time of 14:00.70 on the 2.5-mile course. She finished a blistering two minutes ahead of Bonita Vista senior Renee Khuong (16:00.00), the varsity runner-up.

The race was Williams’ to win and she crushed it in preparation for this weekend’s section championship meet at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.

“I feel like I’m building pretty well,” said Williams, who easily eclipsed last year’s winning conference mark of 14:34.2. “I’ve been a lot better. I haven’t been injured this season. I’m looking forward to running at state and nationals.”

Williams is a two-time CIF champion and three-time state meet qualifier. She placed ninth in last year’s Footlocker Nationals after competing in the 2022 and 2023 Nike Cross Nationals.

Behind Williams’ lead, Eastlake repeated as this year’s Metro-Mesa League champions with a 3-0 dual meet record and league finals low score of 34 points.

The Lady Titans have won 12 of the last 13 league titles, eight consecutive.

“It’s really fun,” Williams said. “It’s my best part of the season, running with the other girls, being part of the team.”

Olympian senior Jack Degenhardt won the conference varsity boys race in 16:11.40 despite vomiting on the hill that pushes runners’ stamina on the course.

“I didn’t think I could win,” he said. “I was battling Micah (junior teammate Micah Schenko) all season. We were 3-3 coming into this race. I knew my team needed me. I knew I had to suck it up no matter how I was feeling.”

Schenko finished second among the 86 varsity entrants in 16:13.40.

But the Eagles had to sweat it out to capture their second consecutive Metro-Mesa League finals race.

The next Olympian runner finished 13th behind five Eastlake harriers as the Titans won the league finals race 38-40 over the Eagles. The teams had switched roles during the dual meet season with a 25-31 Olympian win, placing the teams in a league co-championship (final points weight both dual meet and finals finishes equally).

Sophomore Anthony Manquero-Mendez (16:32.00) paced Eastlake on the course in sixth place, followed Titan sophomore Padraic Kerns (ninth, 16:44.70), junior Owen Anderson (10th, 16:45.30), sophomore Sergio Propst (11th, 16:50.20) and senior Brady Albright (12th, 16:51.30).

“Every day, every morning, We’ve worked out — that’s been the biggest key to success,” Manquero-Mendez said. “We run as a team, no one is left behind. We had our confidence boosted in the dual against Olympian. We knew we could come through.”

Otay Ranch, led by junior Santiago Blanco (fourth, 16:34.30), finished third with 46 points at last Friday’s finals after winning last year’s league title.

Southwest (boys) and Hilltop (girls) swept the Metro-South Bay League field as repeat champions while Mar Vista won both the Metro-Pacific League boys and girls team titles.

Southwest junior Esteban Aguilera (16:13.70) buoyed the Raiders with a third-place individual finish as Southwest placed five of its scorers among the top eight league runners.

Hilltop, led by junior Kamilah Cone (13th,17:06.10), placed its five scorers among the top 13 league runners to out-point Mater Dei Catholic 31-48.

The Mariners placed the top five runners in the boys race, led by senior Helio Lozano (24th, 17:30.30).

Metro Conference All-League Teams

Metro-Mesa League Boys Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 1. Jack Degenhardt (Olympian) 16:11.40, 2. Micah Schenko (Olympian) 16:13.40, 4. Santiago Blanco (Otay Ranch) 16:24.30, 5. Anthony Manquero-Mendez (Eastlake) 16:32.0, 7. Grady Stephens (Otay Ranch) 16:39.0, 8. Noah Shorey (Otay Ranch) 16:43.10, 9. Padraic Kerns (Eastlake) 16:44.70, 10. Owen Anderson (Eastlake) 16:45.30, 11. Sergio Propst (Eastlake) 16:50.20, 12. Brady Albright (Eastlake) 16:51.30

Team scores: Eastlake 38, Olympian 40, Otay Ranch 46, Bonita Vista 114

Metro-South Bay League Boys Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 3. Esteban Aquilera (Southwest) 16:13.70, 6. Amadeous Lozano (Sweetwater) 16:38.60, 16. Carlos Martinez (Southwest) 16:54.90, 19. Manuel Hernandez (Mater Dei Catholic) 17:16.60, 23. Fernando Reynoso (Southwest) 17:27.40, 25. Brady Sutherland (Hilltop) 17:32.70, 27. Alan Barajas (Southwest) 17:41.40, 30. Nicolas Lopez (Southwest) 17:52.20, 32. Damian Barnes (San Ysidro), 19:04.30, 33. Armando Leon (Sweetwater) 18:10.20

Team scores: Southwest 24, Sweetwater 62, Mater Dei Catholic 69, Hilltop 72

Metro-Pacific League Boys Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 24. Helio Lozano (Mar Vista) 17:30.30, 29. Juan Gomez (Mar Vista) 17:51.20, 34. Roger Blas (Mar Vista) 18:10.50, 35. Aiden Uranga (Mar Vista) 18:12.18, 40. Trevor Ehrhardt (Mar Vista) 18:22.20, 52. Noe Marcial (Chula Vista) 19:18.50, Maximus Zepeda (Montgomery) 19:46.80, 59. Andres Alvarez (Chula Vista) 19:48.50, 60. Benjamine Dickens (Chula Vista) 19:48.70, 63. Juan Rolon (Mar Vista) 19:57.00

Team scores: Mar Vista 15, Chula Vista 70, Montgomery 71, Castle Park 73

Metro-Mesa League Girls Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 1. Jaelyn Williams (Eastlake) 14:00.70, 2. Renee Khuong (Bonita Vista) 16:00.00, 3. Izabella Nazario (Eastlake) 16:03.00, 4. Kareli Rascon (Eastlake) 16:17.90, 5. Isabel Lara (Olympian) 16:32.50, 8. Eva Molano (Otay Ranch) 16:52.90, 9. Bethlehem George (Bonita Vista) 16:55.30, 10. Sofia Carrillo (Otay Ranch) 16:57.00, 11. Ilana DeVore (Otay Ranch) 17:02.00, 12. Charlize Cruz (Eastlake) 17:05.60

Team scores: Eastlake 29, Otay Ranch 54, Bonita Vista 66, Olympian 82

Metro-South Bay League Girls Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 6. Miah Bermudez (San Ysidro) 16:36.80, 7. Daniela Picos (San Ysidro) 16:40.30, 13. Kamilah Cone (Hilltop) 17:06.10, 17. Jarika Chan (Mater Dei Catholic) 17:42.80, 18. Melanie Cisneros (Hilltop) 17:42.90, 20. Luna Ortiz-Marquez (Hilltop) 17:46.20, 22. Alexi Montoya (Sweetwater) 17:50.60, 23. Itzel Ojeda (Sweetwater) 17:52.70, 26. Brianna Mateo-Victornian (Sweetwater) 17:59.90, 29. Sofia Saldivar (Hilltop) 18:14.00

Team scores: Hilltop 31, Mater Dei Catholic 48, San Ysidro 53, Southwest 106

Metro-Pacific League Girls Varsity

Top 10 individuals: 28. Raeden Owen (Mar Vista) 18:10.30, 49. Rebecca Lopez (Montgomery) 20:36.80, 50. Katie Ballantyne (Mar Vista) 20:40.50, 53. Sofia Aspericueta (Montgomery) 21:16.80, 55. Mariana Gomez (Mar Vista) 21:29.50, 56. Marcela Corona (Castle Park) 21:44.00, 57. Brianna Estrada (Montgomery) 22:02.20, 59. Veronica Soto (Castle Park) 22:10.70, 60. Angela Cervantes (Montgomery) 22:11.80. 61. Elvira Corona (Castle Park) 22:13.50

Team scores: Mar Vista 27, Montgomery 28

Photo Gallery by Phillip Brents

Runners of the Year: Varsity

Junior Varsity