Three Manteca-area runners earned spots to the state meet this past Saturday in the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships held at Willow Hills Reservoir Community Park in Folsom,
Ripon senior Devin Fitzpatrick was the top performer from the area with a second-place finish in Division IV. He clocked a time of 16 minutes, 22.7 seconds. Sonora’s Broen Holman won it in 15:20.1.
In Division III, Manteca junior Oscar Angel (16:51.7) and Sierra sophomore Christian Gonzalez (16:54.7) placed 11th and 12th, respectively, to make state. The California Interscholastic Federation State Championships is on Nov. 25 at Woodward Park in Fresno.
The top three teams and top 10 individuals in the SJS varsity races earn awards. Lower-level awards went to the top two teams and eight individuals. Lathrop’s sophomore boys highlighted area lower-level teams by winning the Division III title.
The Valley Oak League represented well in the Division III varsity boys competition, as Oakdale and Kimball placed first and third, respectively, while qualifying for state as teams. Sierra, which shares the VOL title with Oakdale, took fifth. Following Gonzalez for Sierra were Landen Nabb (30th overall, 17:40.7), Ernesto Pacheco (31st, 17:41.3), Tristan Crowe (50th, 18:09.6) and Brady Alves (51st, 18:10.4).
Sierra also had a full squad for the Division III varsity girls race, taking seventh out of 10. Leading the Timberwolves was Monse Saavedra (28th, 21:13.7). Also scoring were Haley Hill (41st, 22:07.6), Serena Dittman (51st, 22:40.0), Ashlyn Springer (55th, 23:05.6) and Mikayla Bueno (23:34.8).
Ripon’s varsity girls placed fourth out of 11 teams in Division IV. Jenna Skavdahl (13th, 21:38.7) and Mallory Govia (21st, 22:10.3) spearheaded the Indians, who also got scoring contributions from Clara Schoolland (40th, 23:30.9), Kember Duncan (42nd, 23:32.2) and Alyson Harvey (43rd, 23:40.1).
Ripon Christian had boys and girls varsity teams in Division V.
The girls took sixth and were paced by Anika Schoolland (24th, 24:29.2), Laura Thompson (25th, 24:37.6) and Addison De Jong (26th, 24:38.7). Ava Amirhamzeh (45th, 27:55.2) and Natalie Thompson (49th, 28:16.0)
RC’s boys finished in eighth place. Scorers were Landon Nydam (26th, 19:48.7), Matijs Zylstra (37th, 20:15.0), Jackson Anema (49th, 20:35.9), Colton Grimm (57th, 21:11.7) and Zach Varni (64th, 21:38.0).
Lower levels
Led by four top-10 finishers, Lathrop’s sophomore boys captured the Division III crown with 42 points. Sierra took fourth with 74.
Adrian Vaye (12:31.9), Riley Gier (12:37.1) and Caleb Montiel (12:40.0) finished 5-6-7 in that order to earn top-eight medals. Amani Vaye (10th, 12:48.0) and Nathaniel Kuuske (27th, 13:46.3) rounded out scoring for the Spartans. Xavier Hardiman of Sierra also earned a medal, taking eighth in 12:41.1.
In Division III frosh-soph girls, Sierra’s Alyssa Rodriguez (15:28.8) edged out Lathrop’s Jacquelyn Pena Santillan (15:30.9) for eighth place. Lathrop beat out Sierra in team scoring 80-82 for third place.
Second-year River Islands had three individual medalists.
Gabriel Cabiguen (fourth, 14:21.1) and Logan Orndoff (seventh, 14:29.1) made the top eight in Division V sophomore boys, while Amadeo Erilim (eighth, 14:36.0) got his medal in the freshman race.
