MODESTO — It turns out that repeating as Trans Valley League champion won’t be so easy for Ripon High’s boys cross country team.

Feeling confident, the Indians had momentum on their side after capturing the small-schools championships in the Lodi Flame Invitational and Lagoon Valley Classic in the past week.

One would think they’d be the ones to beat going into Wednesday’s TVL cluster meet — the first of three — at Tuolumne River Regional Park.

Hughson thought otherwise.

Although Ripon’s Ryan Torres prevailed as the individual winner in 17 minutes, 42 seconds, second-place sophomore Ian Brooks (17:57) got the last laugh as his Hughson Huskies emerged victorious in the team tally, 32-34.

Riverbank checked in at third place with 62 points, so it’s apparent that it will be a two-way scrap for the 2011 league championship.

Ripon’s girls squad also took second, trailing Riverbank 23-38.

“(Hughson) hadn’t posted any times, and it made it tough because we didn’t know who our competition was going to be,” said longtime Ripon coach Paul Calkins, who led Ripon’s boys team to its first-ever appearance to the state meet last season.

“Well, now we know. Our guys are motivated — they want to get them back. But we also know the Hughson coach and is kids aren’t going to rest either, so there is a nice little rivalry developing here.”

Alex Steinberg (fourth, 18:16), Jordan Gibson (eighth, 18:44), Nick Ratto (10th, 19:35) and Christian Plata (11th, 19:55) rounded out the top five for Ripon. Hughson had four runners end up in the top 10, and Adam Lundell’s ninth-place finish may have been the difference.

“Our 4 and 5 (runners) weren’t where I wanted to them to be, but they have been sick this past week,” Calkins said. “It’s unfortunate, but that happens. Not to take anything away from Hughson, they did a real fine job, but now we know what we have to do.”

In the girls competition, defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV champion Becky Hobby of Hughson coasted to the top finish in 20:11. The next three finishers belonged to team-winner Riverbank: Mikayla Flores, Adriana Rosales and Jackie Herrera.

Bekah Brown paced Ripon in fifth place (21:49), and standout Jessica Betancourt was sixth in 22:36. Ana Hermosilla (eighth, 22:48), Alexis Keylon (11th, 23:18) and Jessica Carmona (13th, 24:15) followed suit.

Ripon’s frosh-soph boys dominated and had four harriers make up the top five. Patrick Nelson, Michael Regalo and Angel Arredondo went 1-2-3, and Chuey Calvo placed fifth. Pavit Dhaliwal edged out teammate Lupe Hernandez for eighth place.