The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes.
There will be a changing of the guard in Moore League girls’ cross country this fall, with the individual crown up for grabs now that Wilson grad Nadia Mejia is running for UC Riverside.
A number of candidates will vie for that top spot–including several of Mejia’s former teammates–and the league slate will be different with two races at Heartwell Park and none at Signal Hill this season.
The Wilson Bruins made it back to the CIF State meet for the first time since 2002, finishing 12th in the Division 1 race with an experienced core of runners. Despite suffering some notable losses from last year’s group–especially Mejia–the Bruins have plenty of returning firepower and a deep senior class looking to keep Wilson the top team in the city.
“This year’s group is focused on committing themselves fully to the process of getting better,” said Bruins head coach CJ Brewer. “They are all-in and have put in the work needed to win this off-season. This senior-heavy group has seen the formula for success and is eager to replicate it this year. I’m excited to watch them compete against the best teams every week as they strive to earn the respect that they’ve been working to receive.”
Wilson’s top returner is senior Audrey Buckley, who was the runner-up last year at league finals and she has a PR of 17:31 from a year ago. Brewer praised her performance during track season and her offseason training, which puts her squarely among the favorites to win gold at this year’s Moore League finals.
Fellow senior Avery Errecart is another runner to look out for after her 5th place finish at Heartwell. She had a strong track season in the 3200, reaching the CIF-SS prelims in that event as a junior. Other key members of the senior class include defending JV league champion Leticia Tovar, plus Olivia Jones, who is a hill running specialist eager to help out her squad at Mt. SAC.
Other seniors in the mix include Riley Jones, Isabelle Gabisan, Patricia Tovar, Coco Gonzalez, and Shariyah Lewis Williams.
Multi-sport athlete Ella George leads the group of non-seniors vying for varsity spots. The soccer player had her offseason training derailed by injury, but she should round into form by the end of the season, and Coach Brewer credits her as being “one of the most mentally tough competitors we’ve ever had.”
Juniors Samantha Calderone and Sydney Heath, plus freshman Emerson Irvin provide depth for a program excited to be on top, and ready for a challenge from the rest of the league.
Among those challengers is Long Beach Poly, a team that has a deep junior class and a lot more experience coming into this season.
“They’re going to help us be better,” said Poly head coach Mandy Wainfan of her team trying to unseat the rival Bruins. “Obviously, the goal is to beat them, but when you show up to the line, it’s about who’s the most prepared and who’s the most able to race the day that you’re given. I have full trust in these girls in terms of toughness. Like if it’s hailing, they’ll race well. If it’s 100 degrees, they’ll race well. So they’re really mentally strong, and of course, they’re physically prepared.”
But Wainfan made clear that her team’s focus isn’t just on league finishes and rivalries, but on CIF qualification and advancement in the postseason.
The top returner for the Jackrabbits is junior Sienna Young, who finished sixth at league finals and is ready for her third year as a varsity runner. She’ll be joined by senior Estefany Garcia Hernandez, who also competed on varsity starting as a freshman but has battled injuries the past few years. Wainfan is excited to have her back at full stride this season and ready to challenge the top of the leaderboard.
Poppy Wells is another senior in the lineup for Poly who brings back valuable varsity experience. She’ll be joined in the top seven by junior Rosie Morishita, who’s already dropped 20 seconds off her PR early in the season.
As mentioned, that 11th grade group will anchor the team for the next couple seasons. Lucy Holmen is looking to translate her speed on the track onto the XC course, and Maxine Landa has put in consistent work over the offseason to earn her way into the varsity lineup.
Another junior, Sohl Vadecha, won the frosh-soph race at Signal Hill last season and is a talented runner and basketball player for the Jackrabbits. Tessa Thompson is also expected to compete for a varsity spot as she works her way back into form throughout the season.
There’s also returning talent for the Millikan Rams, led by talented sophomore Amberly McDowell, who finished third at league finals as a freshman, running an 18:12 at Heartwell. She’s already thrown down a 17:47 in her debut race this season at the Cool Breeze Invitational, earning a runner-up finish in that race with a time less than seven seconds off her PR.
Overall, it’s a young squad, but head coach Pedro Ramirez has seen the growth within the team as they look to build back up to a championship-level program.
“I see improvement in just the way they think. They’re hungry, they want to improve, and they want to eventually win league,” said Ramirez of his group. “In the past. I wouldn’t really hear them talk about going to CIF and going to CIF finals, etc. So what I hear from them is refreshing. So again it’s a young group, but they want to run and they want to do better.”
Senior Jocelyn Jimenez should be up near the top of the pack with McDowell, along with promising freshman Sophie Rivera. Fellow ninth graders Stella Murphy and Emma Walsh should also step into the varsity lineup for a young but improved Millikan group.
The Lakewood Lancers are once again relying on their upperclassmen to lead a tighter team. Senior Delilah Beristain was the top returner for Lakewood last season, and she’s back again to lead the Lancers in her final year.
Beristain is already producing results as Lakewood’s top runner, crossing the finish line at 23:06 at the Pat Hadley Memorial Invitational. Junior Katherine Garcia wasn’t far behind Beristain, finishing in 23:44.
As the season continues, Lakewood will rely on their top finishers to continue producing results, but their depth will be a point of focus throughout the year.
There are only a handful of runners for Cabrillo, highlighted by the return of senior Juliana DeMendoza.
As Cabrillo continues to emphasize growth as a team, they’ll look to their young talent to blaze the way, with a mix of upperclassmen leaders and fresh energy.
“I am excited to bring this young and talented group of athletes together as they represent Cabrillo High School and the West Side,” Castillo said. “The future is bright, and I can’t wait to see what this team accomplishes.”
At St. Anthony, previous head coach Michael Canas has moved on to Marina, and there’s no word yet about a new head coach for the Saints cross country program.
Moore League cross country begins on Sept. 30 with the first league meet, held at Heartwell Park this year. The league will return to that same course for league finals on Nov. 4.
