U-Prep boys cross-country captures first NAL title, while Yreka girls extend theirs
Yreka's Isaac Fernandez, Meri Krier take home league titles at West Valley
West Valley High School, Cottonwood, California
Thursday November 3, 2016
By T.J. Holmes/Record Searchlight
photos by Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight
COTTONWOOD — U-Prep's boys cross-country team already is proving it can hold its own with the larger schools during the first year in a tougher league. The Panthers captured the Northern Athletic League title Thursday at West Valley High School as their top five runners all finished in the top 10 with each completing the 3-mile course in under 18 minutes. U-Prep claimed the small schools championship and its sixth straight Mid-Valley League title last year, but the Northern Section realignment forced the Panthers to become the smallest school based on enrollment in the NAL. It didn't matter.

"They're finally running like they should," U-Prep coach Kristen Reagan said. "We've been working on that clump and getting them all together and not having any separation. It's hard to beat a team that runs that close together." U-Prep won the meet with 34 points, West Valley was second with 51 points and Yreka was third with 56 points despite having the top two finishers. Lassen was fourth with 88 points. Yreka's Isaac Fernandez won in 16:47 and teammate Blake Chitwood was right behind him in 16:55. West Valley's Chris Meeder was third in 17:03 before the royal blue wave of U-Prep.

The Panthers had the Nos. 4-6 runners with Michael Cramer (17:15), Forrest Moore (17:16) and Nathan Lervold (17:23), respectively. The rest of U-Prep's qualified team included Adam Barsness in ninth (17:51) and Justin Matties in 10th (17:58). Adding on to that, U-Prep's Christian Lane was 11th and Derek Younkers was 13th, giving the team a deep pool of competitors that helped achieve the undefeated NAL season.

"They've been consistent," Reagan said. "Even if they have a bad day or race in their mind they don't feel good, they're still going to run close to what they should because they're at the point where they believe in themselves." West Valley's Eric Morefield was seventh (17:26) and Lassen's Jared Lile was eighth (17:34). The top 10 runners earned all-league honors. CV's top runner was Luke Butler in 19th (19:21) and Anderson's top runner was Vincent Lozoya in 24th (21:02).

U-Prep won the league with 16 points, followed by West Valley (12), Yreka (8), and Central Valley and Lassen each finished tied for fourth with one point. For the girls, West Valley's second-place finish (47 points) to Yreka (31 points) in the league finals resulted in the two teams sharing the league title. Yreka had won four straight outright and this is West Valley's first NAL crown since 2011. U-Prep was third (61) and CV fourth (85).

All the Eagles had to do was finish second Thursday due to league points. But having lost to the U-Prep Panthers last week re-energized the Eagles. "We figured Yreka would win, but we wanted to beat U-Prep because they got us by two points and we had a girl missing," West Valley senior Angelica Rodriguez said. "There was a lot more pressure so we really had to go for it today." Yreka had the top three finishers led by defending NAL individual champion Meri Krier, who won in 20:35. Teammates Lena Fogle (20:50) and Marron Bahen (20:56) were second and third, respectively. "It's my senior year; I wasn't expecting it, but I felt good," Krier said.
U-Prep's Morgan Gregory was fourth (21:20), Rodriguez was fifth (21:21), Central Valley's Jaycie Sundstrum was sixth (21:27), West Valley's Jasymne Aragon was seventh (21:31), U-Prep's Maia Crummett was eighth (21:35) and Savannah Tate was ninth (21:39), and West Valley's Toni Kostelec was 10th (21:45) to round out the all-league selections. West Valley and Yreka each finished the season with 13 league points to be named co-champs, followed by U-Prep (10) and CV (4).

Yreka's final two runners were Lacey Jackson (22:18) in 12th and McKenzie Morey-Adams in 13th (22:54). West Valley's Serenna Morefield was 11th (21:48) and Bri Minor was 14th (23:15). Anderson's top runner was Mari Swain in 24th (27:17). All teams are back in action Thursday on the same course at West Valley for the Northern Section championships. The girls race is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the boys to follow.
Editing provided by Tom Cushman