Youthful exuberance drives Chico boys win to big at EAL XC Championships
Chico girls runnerup to Shasta as Wolves' Skoy & Hall win varsity races

Thursday November 3, 2016
By Joseph Shufelberger, Chico Enterprise-Record

CHICO, CA -- Youth wasn't just served. It served notice. The Chico High boys cross-country team not only won the Eastern Athletic-Sac River League Championships on Thursday, but the Panthers did so with plenty of underclassmen filling their ranks as part of a performance that saw five from Chico finish in the top ten overall. The Panthers totaled 28 points, and Pleasant Valley - aided by its own contingent of sophomores - took second with 46. 2015 team champions Shasta came up third with 56 points but did have the individual winner in Andrew Skoy and his course record of 15 minutes, 37.93 seconds on the 5K course that looped around the Hooker Oak Recreation Area.

"PV showed up. It was the first time we've seen them in full force. They ran really well," Chico head coach Kevin Girt said. "But our boys did what they needed to do. They marked their race. They ran as a pack." The Panthers had second thanks to senior Jack Emanuel's 16:19.61, and sophomore teammate Charlie Giannini was third in 16:29.63 as Emanuel battled with Skoy, who pushed for a fast pace and the sophomore trailing them.

But a large pack that trailed the leaders included Chico sophomore Rory Monninger in sixth at 16:59.94, Ty Thompson in eighth at 17:03.09 and Bretten Farrell in ninth in 17:04.58. And Chico continued to dot the results in the field of 52 runners. With four of their top six being sophomores, the Panthers like both the present and the path ahead. "I do, I do, especially if you look at the results of the JV boys also," Girt said, adding Chico placed eight of the top 10 in that race despite so many sophomores running in the varsity event. "You can't count your chickens before they hatch, but I'm hopeful for the future."

PV's boys didn't let Chico get too comfortable, placing three in the top seven. Sophomore Kyle Johnson's 16:44.33 was good for fourth with fellow PV sophomore Donovan Freer in fifth at 16:55.21. PV's Jafet Cordova finished in 17:01.61 for seventh. While Skoy and Emanuel were too far ahead, the large pack attempted to reel in Giannini. "I just had a lot left so I just finished off the race pretty strong," PV's Johnson said. "We just tried to stay together because we just run faster in a pack so we tried to catch Charlie." The top seven earn all-league honors with the next seven being named second-team.

While Skoy's personal-best time of 15-flat wasn't in danger, despite the lengthy margin between him and Emanuel, his performance has him looking forward to the Northern Section finals and another battle with the Chico senior among others. Emanuel won the first league contest held at Hooker Oak while Skoy took the second meet hosted by Foothill. They'll clash again next Thursday at West Valley High in Cottonwood. Emanuel ended up second Thursday in 16:19.61, well behind Skoy. "We're both fast. We have that respect on both ends," Skoy said. "We're pure-blooded racers, both of us. It's a lot of fun out there for sure."

Skoy's time eclipsed the previous course mark of 15:55.5, set by Mount Shasta's Chris Morzenti. The Shasta senior hit the first mile at 4:38, pushing the pace and Emanuel, who won the earlier league race held at Hooker Oak before Skoy was first at the second contest hosted by Foothill. "I kind of felt dead in the middle of the race," Emanuel said. "It's just kind of the way it goes toward the end of the season." But Emanuel enjoyed the team's result, especially headed into the section finals, which are next Thursday at West Valley High in Cottonwood where titles and state berths will be decided. "State is kind of our main focus," he said. "I really want to get my team to the state meet and let them experience that as well."

The Shasta High cross-country teams saw both their present and future compete Thursday. And they both look pretty good. Freshman Hana Hall led the girls' squad to the Eastern Athletic-Sac River League Championship, and senior Andrew Skoy set a course record to claim the boys' individual title in 15 minutes, 37.93 seconds on the 3.1-mile trek that looped through the Hooker Oak Recreation Area. Hall was one of several top finishers for the Shasta girls as the Wolves scoring five finished before the rest of the league's fourth runner did. A freshman from Ethiopia, Hall won in 19:18.89 after taking the lead for good in the last mile. "I'm really excited because my team's helping me a lot," she said.

Shasta senior Miranda Avalos was sixth in 20:03.81, helping the Wolves break away from Chico and Foothill for the team title. Shasta totaled 38 points while the Panthers had 57. Foothill was third with 59, led by Grace Dudley's third-place finish in 19:38.47. But the race belonged to Shasta as Aislinn Matagulay was eighth in 20:40.15, Isabelle Tate-Arevalo was 10th in 20:54.46 and Emma Robles' 21:24.83 was 13th among the 41 entries, leading to the Wolves' repeat. "We got it last year, but this has been the strongest team," Avalos said. "This is the fastest Shasta has seen in some time."Shasta's girls, though, are taking aim at continuing their pace next Thursday at sections and claiming another team title. "We're each waiting to do our best race still," Avalos said. "Everyone switches positions and that's what makes a strong team."

The Chico girls were second with 57 points to Shasta's 38. Foothill was third with 59. Jessalyn Ayars was Chico's top finisher at fourth in a personal-best 19:48.35. "It's one of my last races so I'm definitely feeling that push," the senior Ayars said. Teammate Nahkia Clements was fifth at 19:49.26. Pleasant Valley's top girl was Hailey Askew in 11th at 20:59.82. The Vikings were fifth with 102 points. Red Bluff - led by second-place finisher Naomi Renfroe in 19:32.18- was fourth with 93. Chico's Abigail Edwards was 12th in 21:01.78, and Natalie Harris was 16th in 21:43.80 in the field of 41.