Buchanan girls looking to peak (again) at Saturday’s state cross country meet
Buchanan High cross country runners Corie Smith and Meagen Lowe hope they’ve saved their best for last.
The dynamic duo, who finished 1-2 at last year’s state cross country meet at Woodward Park, are back Saturday expecting to have their peak performance of the season.
Of the top 10 girls’ 5,000-meter marks overall in California this fall, only Smith (a junior) and Lowe (a senior) have not hit a personal-best. Lowe said it’s by design.
“That’s something that we’ve been working for in our workouts from summer until now,” Lowe said. “I think we’re there fitness-wise.”
They’ll find out if they’ve got that extra kick in the D-I girls race at 9:30 a.m. There are 10 races total, five boys and five girls, beginning with boys D-I at 8:30 a.m.
Last season, Smith won in 17 minutes 16.7 seconds on the up-and-down Woodward Park that’s been the only home of the state meet since it started in 1987. Her best is 17:05.3 set in last year’s Clovis Invitational at Woodward.
On the same course at last week’s Central Section championships, Smith won in 17:15.1 followed by Lowe at 17:32.8.
Lowe was second in last year’s state meet at 17:19.8. Her best is 17:18.3 in winning last year’s section meet.
Great Oaks the juggernaut
Great Oak-Temecula, meanwhile, is the team to beat in the D-I boys and girls races. Great Oak teams have won six straight girls state titles and four straight boys state titles.
This year, Great Oak comes in with three girls with top-10 season times and five boys with top-20 season times, according to statistics compiled by Athletic.net.
The Buchanan girls, last year’s state runner-ups, figure to challenge again. After Smith and Lowe, the Bears boast Morgan Hutchison, Mia Jauregui, Kaylee Elliott, Amanda Dolberg and Rachel Culver.
Other Valley stars
Buchanan junior Kelly Brewer has the fastest 5K time among central San Joaquin Valley boys this season, set last month in Fair Oaks.
Other Valley runners to watch include Clovis North freshman Miliana Perez, who comes in with the third-best time of the season in D-III girls, and Monache senior Ivan Mendez, who has the second-best time in D-II boys.
In D-V, Corcoran’s boys are a favorite to win the team title led by three who have top-20 times this season: Joe Gomez, Joseph Price and Marocs Ramirez.
And Lindsay senior McKaylie Caesar has the second-best girls time this season in D-V.
State meet
Saturday at Woodward Park
(awards ceremony is 45 minutes after each race)
8:30 a.m.: Division I boys
9 a.m.: Division II boys
9:30 a.m.: Division I girls
10 a.m.: Division II girls
10:30 a.m.: Division III boys
11 a.m.: Division IV boys
11:30 a.m.: Division V boys
Noon: Division III girls
12:30 p.m.: Division IV boys
1 p.m.: Division V girls
Admission: $10, $5 children/students/seniors, children 5 and under free. (Presale noon to 4 p.m. Friday at the park)
Spectator entrance gate: Northeast gate off Friant Road only. Parking allowed in designatd areas only, no charge)