Chico's Emanuel easy winner while Panther's Wilson outduels Foothill's Moran Shasta boys & girls claim both team titles at EAL Cross Country Championships Thursday November 5, 2015 Story & photos by Tom Cushman PALO CEDRO — An epic duel developed in the varsity girls race at the Eastern Athletic League Cross Country Championships held on the Palo Cedro campus of Foothill High School. Chico's Celeste Wilson and Foothill's Belle Moran battle for league supremecy was a memorable one. With two time defending champion Enterprise's Natalie Ulloa on rehab from a stress fracture in her foot, the Panther and Cougar seniors had been trading places throughout the season. Two weeks prior at the final league center meet, Moran had come away with a relatively comfortable victory over Wilson on her home course. Wilson's motivation on this day was very evident as she takes the early lead and maintains it through the opening mile. Moran rises to the challenge as the two trade the lead several times in second mile. It would be the final time in the "wilderness" where Wilson would open up 10-15 meter gap on her league rival and hold it to the finish. Both Wilson (18:37) and Moran (18:45) would ran personal bests on the Foothill course in finishing 1-2. Shasta girls claimed the team title over Chico 40-43 as the Wolves late team surge was just enough overcome Panther's Jessalyn Ayars return to form. Ayars seventh place finish (& first time this year as Chico's number two runner) was a huge boost to the Chico effort after struggling with an iron deficency most of the season. Beheind the Panthers, host Foothill was third (83), Red Bluff fourth (89) and Pleasant Valley fifth (95). Enterprise and Paradise didn’t have complete teams. Rounding out the top ten were Miranda Avalos of Shasta (3rd-19:34), Paradise’s Talia Swangler strong second half of the race netted her fourth (19:46) Red Bluff’s Naomi Renfroe was fifth (20:01), and Shasta’s Mae Huang was sixth (20:15). Chico’s Jessalyn Ayars claimed seventh at 20:27 by holding off Shasta's hard charging Daria Drake (eighth, 20:27). Foothill’s Laurel Durbin was ninth (20:37) while PV’s Nikki Dully took the final spot (10th-20:42). Much less drama in the varisity boys race as cross country newbe Chico's Jack Emanuel, running in his first league championship race, opens up a commanding lead in the opening mile and holds it through the end to win in a fine time of 15:59. Masen Becerril of Paradise (2nd-16:14) would out duel Shasta's Andrew Skoy (3rd-16:18) after the two broke away from a large pack midrace. In a race dominated by runners from only two schools, Shasta High’s boys cross-country team still managed to come away with a more dominant win than their female counterparts in also capturing Eastern Athletic-Sac River League championships Thursday by placing five runners in the top ten to Chico's three. Shasta’s league championship team, in addition to Andrew Skoy (16:18) included a fourth-place finish from Noah Bland (16:31). Shasta’s Brent Hunter was seventh (16:37), Samuel Grafe was eighth (16:41) and Carlos Manzo was 10th (17:05). The Wolves claimed the title with 32 points, Runnerup Chico was second with 45 points, Pleasant Valley third with 70, Paradise fourth (110), Red Bluff fifth (133) and Foothill sixth (137). Enterprise did not have a varsity boys team. Rounding out the top ten were Chico's Kellen Pierce (5th-16:34), PV's Shayne Morrissey (6th-16:35) and Chico's Liam Monninger (9th-16:48). On the JV level, Paradise boys, led by Gabriel Price's first place finish, hold off Chico and Foothill to win 49-56-60 respectively, while in girl's JV race Foothill, by placing four in the top seven, cruised to an easy win over Chico 29-42 as the Mason & Morgan Beasley go 1-2. All teams compete next Thursday (November 12th) at the Northern Section cross-country championships on the storied West Valley High School course in Cottonwood. Additional race photos