CHICO - Chico State cross country coach Gary Towne feared that the Chico State men's cross country team's run of 22 straight California Collegiate Athletic Association titles may come to an end Friday as the Wildcats hosted the CCAA Championships at Hooker Oak Park in Chico, but a stellar performance by the Wildcats six top-15 finishers gave the Wildcats a six-point victory over Cal Poly Pomona.
"Both races were so exciting and I couldn't be more proud," Towne said. "I knew we were capable, but this is incredible."
Just after the Wildcat women took first place with a six-point victory over Stanislaus State led by Chico High alumnae Iresh Molina crossing the finish line of the six-kilometer race with a "C" shape on both hands, fellow Chico High alumnus Mario Giannini crossed the finish line of the eight-kilometer race with hands above his head in pure exhaustion but pure excitement. After seeing his teammates cross the finish line he looked to Towne and said, "Did we win? Did we do it?" Towne's response was, "I think so, but it's close."
Once the final results were confirmed for both races and the Wildcats were crowned champions, Giannini let out a sigh of relief before celebration erupted. Giannini gave a huge hug to his dad, and Towne had a proud smile from ear to ear.
"Chico, you know, Chico, you know, Chico you know, woooo," Towne and the Wildcats team and fans went back and forth screaming.
Giannini won the men's individual eight-kilometer race in a time of 24 minutes and 20.5 seconds (4:53.8 average mile time), the junior's second straight individual CCAA title. Molina won the women's six-kilometer race in a time of 21 minutes and 32.7 seconds (5:46.7 average mile time), improving one spot after finishing second to her twin sister Della Molina last season.
"I couldn't have done that if it wasn't here," said Giannini, who injured his knee last week before coming down with the flu. Last week Giannini ran just 12 of his average 60 miles per week due to injury and illness. Towne said Giannini is the only guy on the Wildcats' roster who could achieve the success Giannini had on such a limited training week.
"This place is just magical. It wasn't just the course, it was the people," Giannini said. "They really pulled me through. I didn't feel super great physically, but I was in it mentally. The fans and my whole family's here. I got two sets of grandparents here, my brother's here, my girlfriend's out here cheering, and I just kept telling myself don't let go. I was really deep in the well, which is a term when you're really hurting in the race. I just kept pushing because I knew no matter how bad it hurt, it would hurt worse if I didn't."
Both Pleasant Valley and Chico High cross country teams took field trips, a junior high was in attendance where a Chico State cross country runner talked to, many alumni cheered with signs, and student athletes from across Chico State's other sports were in attendance with signs to support their friends.
Race Details
Throughout the start of Giannini's race he mixed into the top five, but on the final lap he made a final push and made it known he is the champ. In the final lap he pushed past teammate Damian Garcia (who finished second) and extended his lead more and more in the final stretch. Giannini finished three seconds ahead of Garcia, who finished in a time of 22:45.8.
Six Wildcat men finished in the top-15 to earn all-conference honors, including true freshman Jackson Stream. Stream was the first true freshman to run for the Wildcats since Scott Bauhs in 2004.
"We usually redshirt them, but this year they have a new rule where you can put a freshman in for up to three races and it doesn't count against their eligibility, so we did it and it worked out. We needed him," Towne said.
Chico State's Sergio Cuartas III finished sixth, Matthew Gordon finished eighth, Jesus Villarreal finished 13th and Stream finished 14th. Pleasant Valley High School alumnus Renton McGregor, now running for Cal State San Marcos, finished ninth.
"I was super proud to be a Chico High runner today," Giannini said. "My rival in high school, Renton McGregor (running for San Marcos), ran a phenomenal race and I was so happy with that too."
In the men's awards Giannini won Runner of the Year, String won Freshman of the Year, and Towne won Coach of the Year for a 23rd season in 30 years of coaching.
The women's race was all Molina from the start. Running with a smile on her face all race long, she led all race, with Stanislaus State's Annie Wild and Cal Poly Pomona's Vivian Martinez on her tail the entire race. At the end Molina finished an impressive 7.2 seconds ahead of Wild and 13 seconds ahead of Martinez.
"Literally no better feeling than being in my hometown, being able to race conference, racing in front of all my friends and family, it's literally amazing," Molina said. "It made it feel really nostalgic because I did race a similar race in high school that was obviously shorter. It gave me so much nostalgia and pride to be a Chico local and just to be out here and win it in front of my family. I was so happy they could be here and Chico did amazing."
Stanislaus State had the early team lead, but slowly but surely the Wildcats' runners behind Molina crept back into the race. At the finish line behind Molina, Wild and Martinez was three Wildcats - Megan Mallow in fourth, freshman from Orland High School Paulina Martins in fifth, and freshman Kira Forsberg in sixth. Sienna Bianchi finished ninth, Olivia Beschorner finished 11th and Jasmine Fletcher finished 13th as the Wildcats had seven top-15 finishers.
"We definitely wanted this, but our biggest thing was coming into it with a good mindset," Martins said. "We wanted to represent at home, bring the championship home, defend the home turf, but most importantly approach it with confidence and staying cool and not getting too overwhelmed with everyone is here and watching being at home. I feel we really talked with each other as a team before and get in a good headspace and just do what we know. Gary told us no matter what we have the fitness, we did the training, we prepared for it, we just got to do what we know and I feel like that really helped."
At the awards ceremony the Wildcat women swept all four awards, with Molina winning Runner of the Year, Martins winning Freshman of the Year, Forsberg winning Newcomer of the Year, and Towne winning Coach of the Year.
Next up is the NCAA West Regionals, where distances will increase in the event held at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon. After that the NCAA Championships will be held on Nov. 22 at the Wayne E. Daniel National Cross County Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
