Buchanan’s Corie Smith runs to another title, plus other cross country winners

Buchanan High junior cross country runner Corie Smith is having fun.

The defending state Division I champion says that’s why she’s able to make it seem so easy, like Thursday at the Central Section championships where she won the girls race in a runaway.

Smith clocked 17 minutes 15.10 seconds on the same 5,000-meter course at Woodward Park that they’ll use Nov. 24 for the state meet.

Her teammate, senior Meagen Lowe, finished second in 17:32.75. Lowe won last year’s section meet and placed second to Smith at state.

“This is the best shape I’ve ever been in personally,” Smith said. “My three years running cross country for this program ... I really think this year the amount of work we’ve put in is showing for everybody, not just for me.”

Smith also won the section championship as a freshman.

Whether it’s on the cross country course or on the track in the spring, Smith and Lowe run side-by-side to push each other. It was like that for the first 2 1/2 miles Thursday until Smith pulled away.

“We’ve ran so many times we don’t see us as, not as a competitor, but we’re working off each other,” Lowe said. “It’s not like we’re constantly trying to go head-to-head, but it’s more like we’re using each other to get better – both of us, so it’s great in having such a great friend and teammate to run with.”

But why is Smith making it look easy on the course? Because “it’s super fun,” she said. “For me, I enjoy it so much. I think that’s crazy to say that I love this sport so much, it’s become a big part of my life. I think that’s one thing, as long as you enjoy it and you go out there loving it, then it just comes more easily to everybody.”

Here are the winners of the other section divisions:

Division I – Marcos Mota (Stockdale, 15:25.90).

Division II – Xavier Gonzales (Atascadero, 15:46.81) and Unique Ford (Madera, 18:50.37).

Division III – Alex Cuevas (Ridgeview, 15:40.68) and Jessica Valles (Sunnyside, 19:21.86).

Division IV – Cameron McFarlin (Coalinga, 16:45.31) and McKaylie Caesar (Lindsay, 18:16.05).

Division V – Michael Eggert (Chowchilla, 17:05.89) and Matison McCombs (Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 20:08.29).

CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS

BOYS

DIVISION I

Teams: 1. Paso Robles 65, 2. Clovis North 72, 3. Buchanan 85, 4. Clovis West 121, 5. Arroyo Grande 12, 6. Stockdale 174, 7. Clovis 174, 8. Madera South 190, 9. Redwood 223, 10. Centennial 253.

Individuals: 1. Marcus Mota, Stockdale, 15:25.90; 2. Damian Gavilan, Paso Robles, 15:27.26; 3. Isaiah Galindo, Clovis North, 15:38.57; 4. Pablo Cortes, Paso Robles, 15:42.07; 5. Adham Maher, Stockdale, 15:45.99; 6. Bailey Darnell, Redwood, 15:58.62; 7. Kelly Brewer, Buchanan, 15:59.01; 7. Steven Scruggs, Paso Robles, 16:00.23; 9. Joshua Ochoa, Clovis North, 16:00.35; 10. Bryan Trujillo, Clovis, 16:02.09.

DIVISION II

Teams: 1. Liberty-Bakersfield 48, 2. San Luis Obispo 60, 3. Santa Maria 112, 4. Highland 129, 5. Monache 133, 6. Bullard 160, 7. Atascadero 169, 8. El Diamante 179, 9. Sanger 193, 10. Reedley 298.

Individuals: 1. Xavier Gonzales, Atascadero, 15:46.81; 2. Jacob Resendez, Liberty-Bakersfield, 15:47.15; 3. Ivan Mendez, Monache, 15:49.99; 4. Yair Torres, Santa Maria, 15:54.26; 5. Joseph Mikhail, Liberty-Bakersfield, 16:05.57; 6. Duncan Speirs, San Luis Obispo, 16:13.06; 7. Matthew Scurria, San Luis Obispo, 16:15.84; 8. Jacob Yagers, Highland, 16:20.20; 9. Ethan Jones, Liberty-Bakersfield, 16:22.63; 10. Angel De La Cruz, Bullard, 16:25.73.

DIVISION III

Teams: 1. Ridgeview 20, 2. Corcoran 105, 3. Kerman 162, 4. Edison 168, 5. Frontier 172, 6. Central 235, 7. Wasco 269, 8. Tulare Union 290, 9. Nipomo 304, 10. Arvin 319.

Individuals: 1. Alex Cuevas, Ridgeview, 15:40.68; 2. Bryan Gaxiola, Ridgeview, 15:42.47; 3. Ased Adus, Ridgeview, 16:00.57; 4. Gerardo Moreno, Ridgeview, 16:01.03; 5. Joseph MacAreno, Tulare Union, 16:05.76; 6. Devin Diaz, Nipomo, 16:08.64; 7. Joseph Domingues, St. Joseph, 16:10.28; 8. Bryan Banuelos, Edison, 16:17.95; 9. Joe Gomez, Corcoran, 16:19.15; 10. Jonah Molina, Ridgeview, 16:21.64.

DIVISION IV

Teams: 1. West Bakersfield 77, 2. Lindsay 116, 3. Fresno 138, 4. Coalinga 174, 5. San Joaquin Memorial 228, 6. Avenal 235, 7. Tehachapi 256, 8. Bishop Union 256, 9. Garces 257, 10. Mira Monte 259.

Individuals: 1. Cameron McFarlin, Coalinga, 16:45.31; 2. Victor Chavez, West Bakersfield, 16:53.99; 3. Victor Cisneros, Lindsay, 17:05.22; 4. Noah Menezes, San Joaquin Memorial, 17:09.04; 5. Martin Cruz, Bishop Union, 17:11.68; 6. Carlos Garcia, San Joaquin Memorial, 17:11.84; 7. Turner Williams, Yosemite, 17:15.46; 8. Anthony Valencia, Coalinga, 17:21.97; 9. Fletcher Bank, Garces, 17;24.66; 10. Patrick Espinoza, Kennedy, 17:26.27.

DIVISION V

Teams: 1. Chowchilla 39, 2. California City 113, 3. Central Valley Christian 157, 4. Mendota 174, 5. Washington Union 177, 6. Fowler 213, 7. Liberty-Madera Ranchos 215, 8. Riverdale 215, 9. Granite Hills 218, 10. Frazier Mountain 234.

Individuals: 1. Michael Eggert, Chowchilla, 17:05.89; 2. Garrin Schaap, Central Valley Christian, 17;11.14; 3. Josh Dykstra, Central Valley Christian, 17:21.74; 4. Connor Borba, Chowchilla, 17:27.73; 5. Ethan Escamilla, California City, 17:33.71; 6. Aden Wiebers, Frazier Mountain, 17:35.53; 7. Ryan Avila, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 17:36.69; 8. Justin Sample, California City, 17:36.95; 9. Ben Trefry, Lee Vining, 17:43.21; 10. Andrew Castaneda, Chowchilla, 17:43.83.

GIRLS

DIVISION I

Teams: 1. Buchanan 24, 2. Clovis West 92, 3. Madera South 96, 4. McFarland 105, 5. Clovis North 120, 6. Arroyo Grande 156, 7. Clovis 166, 8. Centennial 219, 9. Stockdale 245, 10. Clovis East 264.

Individuals: 1. Corie Smith, Buchanan, 17:15.10; 2. Meagen Lowe, Buchanan, 17:32.75; 3. Hilda Gonzalez, McFarland, 18:27.89; 4. Olivia Herrera, Clovis, 18:33.40; 5. Kaylee Elliott, Buchanan, 18:56.97; 6. Kalei Aoki-Chance, Clovis West, 18:59.68; 7. Mia Jauregui, Buchanan, 19:02.75; 8. Emily Montoya, Madera South, 19:06.88; 9. Morgan Hutchison, Buchanan, 19:07.44; 10. Miliana Perez, Clovis North, 19:11.53.

DIVISION II

Teams: 1. San Luis Obispo 24, 2. Monache 106, 3. Paso Robles 112, 4. Madera 131, 5. Tulare Western 155, 6. Redwood 156, 7. Sanger 158, 8. Atascadero 183, 9. Liberty-Bakersfield 200, 10. Frontier 306.

Individuals: 1. Unique Ford, Madera, 18:50.37; 2. Grace Rubio, San Luis Obispo, 19:18.35; 3. Shaylee Grimm, San Luis Obispo, 19:20.31; 4. Grace Greenelsh, San Luis Obispo, 19:25.54; 5. Claire Livengood, Atascadero, 19:28.67; 6. Madelin Loff, Paso Robles, 19:31.53; 7. Emma Manderino, San Luis Obispo, 19:34.18; 8. Samantha Simard, San Luis Obispo, 19:40.99; 9. Marilou Ruiz, Monache, 19:43.36; 10. Chloe Schultz, Redwood, 19:51.03.

DIVISION III

Teams: 1. Wasco 67, 2. Morro Bay 87, 3. Kerman 148, 4. Reedley 202, 5. Dinuba 222, 6. Foothill 230, 7. Righetti 239, 8. Ridgeview 264, 9. El Diamante 274, 10. Independence 279.

Individuals: 1. Jessica Valles, Sunnyside, 19:21.86; 2. Sayra Raya, Wasco, 19:36.80; 3. Yorkabel Gebrehiwot, Hoover, 19:47.70; 4. Kacie Slover, Nipomo, 19:52.04; 5. Audrey McClish, Morro Bay, 19:53.81; 6. Sarah Renberg, Edison, 19:55.09; 7. Rosalind Dixon, Exeter, 20:01.68; 8. Maria Guerra, Sunnyside, 20:15.46; 9. Illiana Murguia, Nipomo, 20:21.48; 10. Valeria Valdez, Wasco, 20:31.47.

DIVISION IV

Teams: 1. Highland 60, 2. Corcoran 63, 3. Lindsay 67, 4. Hanford West 165, 4. Mira Monte 179, 6. Yosemite 191, 7. Fresno 196, 8. Bishop Union 209, 9. Rosamond 274, 10. Central Valley Christian 278.

Individuals: 1. McKaylie Caesar, Lindsay, 18:16.05; 2. Hayle Ulloa, Highland, 19:35.25; 3. Sierra Burror, Bishop Union, 19:45.42; 4. Brandi Valdez, Corcorna, 19:54.97; 5. Rachel Fitt, Bishop Union, 19:58.87; 6. Jocelyn Stansberry, Yosemite, 20:06.81; 7. Natalie Gonzalez, Hanford West, 20:28.92; 8. Arlene Magana, Corcoran, 20:26.03; 9. Paulina Guerrero, Corcoran, 20:36.32; 10. Briana Amador, Lindsay, 20:37.73.

DIVISION V

Teams: 1. Liberty-Madera Ranchos 57, 2. Sierra Pacific 61, 3. Caruthers 93, 4. Washington Union 120, 5. California City 149, 6. Riverdale 151, 7. Kennedy 159, 8. Chowchilla 165, 9. Granite Hills 191, 10. Woodlake 285.

Individuals: 1. Matison McCombs, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 20:08.29; 2. Sophia Napier, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 20:22.03; 3. Marianne Gleason, San Joaquin Memorial, 20:46.24; 4. Caliska Avila, Washington Union, 21:07.03; 5. Terri Jimenez, Summit Collegiate, 21:23.81; 6. Emma Howe, Sierra Pacific, 21:32.95; 7. Pualina Grandos, CHowchilla, 21:52.09; 8. Zoey Cardosa, San Joaquin Memorial, 21:54.74; 9. Nayeli Ramirez, Parlier, 21:57.25; 10. Jade Christensen, Desert, 21:57.71.

This story was originally published November 15, 2018 at 4:44 PM.