The Chico State proves the're the dominant team in the West Region
Eleven garner All-West honors as tight grouping insures return to NCAAs

Saturday, November 9, 2019
Comments & photos by Gary Towne/Chico State Cross Country Coach

Monmouth, OR -- In the fall of 2000 the Chico State cross country teams made history the first weekend of November by qualifying both squads to the NCAA Championships Together for the first time. Little did we know at the time that this was just the beginning of a long and prosperous "run" (pun intended) of success for the Wildcat harriers.

On Saturday the 2019 version of Wildcat harriers made it twenty straight years that both teams would qualify for the NCAA Championships Together, and they did it in dominant fashion. Both squads raced to lop-sided West Regional titles in Monmouth, Oregon on the campus of Western Oregon University. The men would place 6 across the line before runner-up Pomona's #2 had finished. The women would put all 7 in the top 31 while packing the entire roster across the finish within a :40 window. Eleven of the fourteen competing 'Cats earned All West Region honors (top-25 finishes).

We'll start with the women's race since the ladies kicked off the action first.

Women's 6k Championship: Heading into Saturday's race the Chico women had defeated all of the top teams in the region at invitationals through the course of the season. Usual regional foes Alaska Anchorage and Simon Fraser have been a bit below their regular levels of performance heading into the championships. Alaska has been led by a very strong Kenyan 1-2 punch, but their line-up falls off dramatically after that. Western Washington would go into the weekend as the 'Cats biggest threat to the title having won their conference championship with a very strong pack performance, but the Vikings would struggle at this year's regional, opening the door for other teams to emerge.

The women's race was honest from the start with Alaska's top runners pulling a large pack through the mile in 5:29. The Chico women, who've done an amazing job of putting themselves in races from the gun this season, rolled through the mile within 5 seconds of one another, with CCAA Champ Destiny Everett leading the way.

As the women completed their second of 4 loops Alaska's Chelimo, and Jeptoo (defending 1st and 2nd place finishers) had established a lead on all chasers. Destiny Everett ran among a pack of 5 that had separated themselves from a long line of chasing women. The remainder of the Chico women ran among the top 35, and although they appeared to be showing the effects of the fast early pace, they also looked to be holding or advancing their positions at the mid-way point.

The Wildcat women executed well over the final two loops and although they never ran together, they also did a masterful job of staying close to one another throughout. Perhaps the biggest move forward by the 'Cats in the final two circuits was that of Talia Swangler. The Paradise native had finished 74th in the regional a year ago, one week after her family lost their home to the Camp Fire. This year Swangler did a solid job of hammering through tiring runners in the second half of the run to eventually finish 9th overall. In fact a solid sprint to the line carried her past East Bay's Ronquillo, who'd finished second at the CCAA Championships two weeks prior.

Despite having dealt with a hip issue during the week leading up to the regional run Destiny Everett was determined to prove that her CCAA run was no fluke. The Lincoln native fought hard over the final circuit of the course and closed well over the finish stretch to nab a 5th place finish and her first sub 21 minute 6k clocking. Everett's roommate at Mechoopda hall Gracie Dupuis also smashed the final circuit en route to an eventual 17th place finish. Just behind Dupuis was senior teammate Nora Pizzella who would cross the line 20th while earning her 3rd All West Region honors in the process. Desirae Jones passed 4-5 athletes over the final 600m to nab one of the final All Region spots while placing 24th, while teammate Haley Boynton (26th) barely missed earning another regional award. Taylor Bailey would finish a very respectable 31st place in her first regional race, concluding the 'Cats day, while also adding to all other teams' point totals.

It was another solid outing for this group from 1-7, and the result was a well-deserved regional title, and berth into next week's NCAA Championships in Sacramento.

Men's 10k Championship: On paper, the Chico men returned just 2 athletes from the 2018 Regional Championship squad (Wyatt Baxter-8, Jack Emanuel-18) but the 2019 'Cats had spent the regular season proving themselves worthy of repeating as champions.

From the start it was apparent that the rest of the region would not roll over for the Chico men, as Stanislaus, Pomona, and UCSD had at least 4 if not 5 athletes among the lead group through 4k, and the pace was not dawdling. Thankfully all 7 Chico men ran among the lead group as well, and our pre-race meeting the evening before emphasized that Anyone could run the first 2-3 miles at a fast pace, but the race would go to those who saw the pace through the second half.

Leaders went through 5k in the low 15 minute range and a fairly large pack of 25-30 still ran within a few seconds of one another, with all 7 'Cats tucked into the front group. The fourth of 6 laps finally began stringing the pack, as athletes navigated their way through the rolling hill section of the course. Trad Berti covered the moves of Stanislaus' star frosh Joseph Macareno and CCAA champ Joshua Litwiller, and Alaska's Felix Kemboi and Westley Kirui. The remainder of the Chico men locked into positions among the top 10-15 making sure to work within themselves.

Late in the fourth loop Wildcat #7 Raymond Lopez fell from the pace and eventually dropped out having sustained a hamstring injury as he navigated a sharp turn. Thankfully the remaining 6 'Cats were now running ahead of all other team's #3 runners, so maintaining places over the final kilometers would secure a solid win.

With the team win nearly secured the main question became whether Trad Berti could become one of the 'Cats' few regional champions. The sophomore had convinced yours truly into allowing him to chase the individual title on race eve, as his initial race-plan was to work with teammates throughout. Berti made the most of his green light over the final kilometers as he and San Marcos' Litwiller traded blows, while shedding all other challengers along the way.

With just under 200m remaining Berti enjoyed a stride's length advantage over San Marcos' senior runner, but Litwiller appeared ready for the fight ahead. The two traded surges over the final 100m but Berti finally cracked, and Litwiller would cruise to the individual title. Berti would finish 2nd and it would take only 29 seconds for the remaining 'Cats to cross the finish behind him. Junior Wyatt Baxter would improve on his '18 8th place finish with his 5th place run. The 'Cats 3,4,5,6 runners would take places 11, 12, 13, and 14 while each finished well ahead of all but one team's #2 runner.

The team win would be number 15 in the past 18 years, and extends the 'Cats' NCAA qualifying streak to 21 years. dating back to the 1999 squad. Fittingly Kevin White a member of that '99 team who lives in Portland, OR came out with his family to cheer on today's 'Cats. It was another nice day to be a Chico State Wildcat!

Next Up: The 'Cats will take on the NCAA's best at next week's NCAA Championships in SACRAMENTO, CA. We're hoping to have a HUGE following out at the course next week, so please consider trekking to Haggin Oaks if at all possible. Race times: 10:00am-Women's 6k, and 11:15am for the men. Of course the date of the NCAA meet is Saturday November, 23. More to come on next week's championships in a final Pre-NCAA note late this week or early next..