Another conference championship for the Wildcat men as streak swells to 20
Abberton outduels Emanuel for win. D'Atri fourth highlights womens runnerup effort

Saturday, November 5, 2022
Comments & photos by Gary Towne/Chico State Cross Country Coach

Carmel, CA -- I'm proud to announce that your Chico State Wildcat cross country squads enjoyed strong performances in Saturday's CCAA Championships in Carmel, CA. The Chico State men were the heavy favorites going into Saturday's 8k and held serve quite well, scoring 20 points, while notching the program's 20th straight CCAA title. The women lost a hard-fought battle with rival Stanislaus State, despite pouring 9 runners into the top-19 overall. Junior Rory Abberton became the 'Cats newest CCAA Individual Champion, outdueling teammate Jack Emanuel over the final half mile of the course. 6 Wildcat Men would earn All CCAA honors, while the five scoring women would also earn the distinction.

Before diving into the details, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have helped us to the point that we are as a program. The 20-win milestone for the men has definitely had this coach reflecting about all of the folks who have contributed to this amazing run (no pun intended). Alumni, family, donors, supporters, it's truly taken a village to reach this point, and we're so fortunate to have such a great support system surrounding us. Much thanks to you all, as these are shared accomplishments.

Men's 8k Championship: The Palo Corona Regional Park course is a new dedicated XC venue that's enjoying it's first racing this year. I for one was Very impressed with the course. Tucked into a hilly valley in picturesque Carmel, Park officials have constructed 2k and 1k loops on crushed granite footing. Each loop offers some challenging climbs and of course some beautiful views.

The men's course started with a circuit of the 2k loop, then finished with two trips around the full 2k+1k loops. The most challenging stretch of the course was the initial mile of the 2k loop, that had 3 separate climbs that would take some wind out of athletes' sails, especially after three trips up them.

Given the challenge of the layout the men's race went out relatively modestly as top athletes seemed to feel each other out over the early going. Pomona, the second ranked team coming into the championships seemed uninterested in taking the front, so it was the Wildcat men who dictated the action throughout. The second loop offered much the same, although each passing kilometer seemed to dispatch a few more from the lead pack.

Heading into lap three and up the big hill for the final time, Chico's Rory Abberton, Jack Emanuel and Omar Alvarez led a pack of 10-12 that also included teammates Cameron Duquette, Daniel Hernandez, and Brayden McLaughlin (Defending CCAA Champ). Pomona offered standouts Leandro Candray (29:58 10k guy), Ricardo Vargas (Top-5 @ US Junior 5k Champs last summer), and Vincent Sarino (CCAA Runner-up in 2021). San Marcos' 30:09 10k performer Ruben Pina looked stretched, but was still attached to the group. Stanislaus standout Medhane Woldu (23:51 PR) was the final runner in the pack, and seemed to be covering every move that the top 'Cats were making throughout.

Somewhere in the series of hills over the final 2k loop Emanuel and Abberton made a move that only Woldu could respond to. Careful not to lay the pace on too thick, knowing there were several more hills and a final kilometer of running ahead, the pair of 'Cats allowed Woldu to take a short lived lead, before Emanuel surged again, gapping even Abberton with just over a kilometer remaining. Rory slowly worked away from the tiring Stan State athlete, and over the next quarter to half mile, made up the gap that had formed between himself and Emanuel. Abberton, a 3:44 1500m runner was now the clear favorite for the individual title, which he accomplished with a final surge to the finish. Jack navigated the final stretch well, taking second. Having the race of the day for the 'Cats was Senior Cameron Duquette who'd been the team's #6 runner in each previous race of the year. Today he would nearly catch Woldu at the line, giving the 'Cats 3 of the top 4 finishers. Next across the line was Brayden McLauglin in fifth. Pomona would start their scoring with Candray and Vargas taking 6th and 7th, while Omar Alvarez Hernandez and Daniel Hernandez would give the 'Cats 6 of the first 9 finishers in the race. Joshua O'Neill (17th) Bennett Woodward (20th), Brian Hastings (22nd) and Travis Selby (55th) would conclude the 'Cats historic day.

By virtue of their Top-15 finishes Abberton, Emanuel, Duquette, McLaughlin, Alvarez-Hernandez, and Daniel Hernandez, each earned All-CCAA honors. Emanuel's most recent All-CCAA run was his fourth in what has been an illustrious career to date. Another amazing CCAA day for the Wildcat men.

Women's 6k Championship: As yours truly doped out the women's race in the days leading up to Championship Saturday it was evident that Stanislaus' potential low sticks would create a big challenge for a hoped Chico win. To add to the challenge, the 'Cats' Della Molina had missed an entire week of training leading up to the week of Saturday's race due to having her wisdom teeth removed. Molina and her sister Iresh were the 'Cats 1-2 finishers at the recent Bronco invite so this would be a blow to our chances.

Stanislaus had defending CCAA individual champ Kaela Dishion leading the charge going into the weekend. Dishion ran a lightening fast 20:00 6k at the recent Bronco Invite.. and her teammate Najwa Chouati had run a 20:32 in the same race. Stan's #3 runner on paper was Kayden Legan (16:52 5k runner). Sonoma State offered stellar frosh Gianna Bomarito who finished 5th overall in the recent Pre-Nat's Invite in Seattle.

In all likelihood Dishion would win the race, and Bomarito and Chouati might battle it out for second. After that Legan would most likely have been a fourth seed on most form charts going into the weekend. The 'Cats would need to break up the Stan trio in the front to have much of a shot at victory, as well as packing their support group inside the top-10-15, and ahead of Stan's 4/5 runners. This was a tall order on paper, and as it turned out, in reality as well.

Marissa D' Atri did her absolute best to help break up the Stan trio in the front, as the senior from Martinez placed herself with the top seeded Stan trio, and Bomarito, as the elite pre-race favorite pack formed almost immediately over the hilly first mile. As the race approached the completion of the first 3k loop Stan's Dishion and Chouati were battling Bomarito heading up the big starting hill. D'Atri had fallen from the group, but she ran meters ahead of Legan and looked good heading into the tough final loop. Legan ran in 5th, with East Bay and Humboldt's top runners in 6th and 7th positions. Iresh Molina ran in 8th but just a few meters ahead of Stan's #4. Hannah Tiffany, Gracie DuPuis and Jaclyn Denham all ran among the top 10-14 heading into the final loop, but Stan's #5 trailed not far behind.

The final loop brought progress for the 'Cats, as a lot of the field strung out over the demanding terrain of Palo Corona. Dishion would eventually break the race open and cruise to her second straight win. Bomarito would hold on the best to take second, while Chouati would take 3rd. Marissa D'Atri would start the 'Cats scoring with a fourth place finish. Humboldt's Granados would take fifth, while CCAA 1500 champ Chase Worthen would out-kick Legan for 6th. Stanislaus' 4 (Yajaira Zuniga) would nearly seal the 'Warriors win with her 9th place run finishing just ahead of Chico's Iresh Molina. Gracie DuPuis and Hannah Tiffany would claim places 11/12, and Jaclyn Denham would finish the 'Cats scoring with her first All CCAA run (15th). Highlighting the great job our crew did over the second loop, Hannah Ryan, Katie Hawley, Della Molina and Jacqueline Cascione would take places 16,17,18, and 19.. all finishing well before Stanislaus' fifth (Haleigh Humble). Despite putting 9 in front of Stan's fifth, the Warriors would claim the victory with a 39-52 point differential. East Bay would finish third with 83 points.

Although the Wildcat women didn't get their hoped title, they had given Stanislaus a solid run, given the circumstances. A source of pride is the fact that our #9 on the day (Jacqueline Cascione) beat every other team's fifth, and nearly everyone's fourth. With their top-15 runs D'Atri, Dupuis, Tiffany, Iresh Molina, and Jaclyn Denham each earn All CCAA distinction.

Random Chico/CCAA Stats:
*The Wildcat men's 20 year streak is the longest in CCAA history in any sport.
*For the first time ever we had an athlete (Travis Selby) who was born After the streak began.
*A Chico runner has won the Men's CCAA individual title in 13 of the past 14 championships.
*The Chico Men/Women have combined for 36 wins out of 40 CCAA Championship races dating back to 2002.
*The Chico women have won 16 of the past 20 CCAA titles, and finished second in the other 4.

Coming Up: Both squads now turn their sights to the upcoming Regional championship to be held in Billings, Montana on Nov. 19. Given that the "warmest high temp" in Billings this next week is 30, I'm expecting that we'll have a very winter-like regional race in two weeks. Wish us luck as we attempt to win some regional titles, and qualify on to NCAA's.