Carvajal runs No. 2 time in meet history; Gaitan leads four girls under 17 minutes

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For those that traveled to San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura, Calif., with aspirations Friday of watching Malibu High star Claudia Lane – the nation’s top prep girls cross country runner – they likely left the Seaside Invitational disappointed.

For the people who witnessed the memorable efforts put forth by Great Oak, Oak Park, Trabuco Hills and Valencia, they were reminded about the amount of talent and depth this season in California high school distance running.

After setting the sophomore class record and running the third-fastest time in meet history last year, Lane decided not to open her junior season close to home, instead pushing back her start to focus more energy on what promises to be another demanding postseason schedule in November and December.

But her absence didn’t diminish what did transpire on the flat 3-mile course, highlighted by all-time performances in the senior boys and junior girls races.

INTERVIEWS

Great Oak senior Carlos Carvajal ran the No. 2 time in meet history by winning the senior race in 14 minutes, 12.4 seconds, trailing only the 14:05.77 produced in 2012 by Dos Pueblos CA graduate and Oregon senior Bryan Fernandez.

Valencia’s Britain Reynolds elevated to No. 5 all-time by placing second in 14:21.3, trailing Fernandez, Carvajal, Arroyo Grande’s Louie Quintana and San Diego’s Meb Keflezighi.

Great Oak’s Gabe Abbes, who set the freshman class record last season at 15:23.1, took down the sophomore mark as well by running 14:42.4, No. 22 in meet history.

On the strength of Carvajal and Abbes, in addition to seniors Gavin Korby (14:48.8) and Jacob Korgan (14:49.1) both breaking 15 minutes, the Wolfpack produced the fastest boys team time in meet history of 73:45, eclipsing the 2012 standard of 75:00 set by Dos Pueblos.

After Great Oak sophomore Tori Gaitan, a Yucaipa transfer, won the sophomore girls race in 16:52.6 – No. 7 in meet history – the junior competition marked the first time three athletes broke 17 minutes in the same race.

Great Oak’s Fatima Cortes improved 73 seconds from last year to prevail in 16:53.5, with Oak Park teammates Sylvia Cruz-Albrecht and Sarah Shulze running 16:56.7 and 16:57.3. The performances were good for Nos. 8, 10 and 12 in meet history, marking the first time four athletes broke the 17-minute barrier in the same year.

Great Oak became the first program to have three individuals under 17 minutes, with Oak Park joining Palisades as the only other team to boast two athletes.

The Wolfpack ran the No. 2 girls team time in meet history of 87:06, trailing only Great Oak’s 2014 standard of 84:53, which included Destiny Collins’ all-time record of 15:58.3. Sandra Pflughoft, who hadn’t run at Seaside since her freshman year, won the senior girls race for Great Oak in 17:18.4.

Trabuco Hills placed second to Great Oak’s boys, with Josh O’Neill winning the junior race in 14:45.3, just missing the top 25 all-time cutoff. The Mustangs also placed second to Great Oak’s girls, relying on five athletes running under 19 minutes.

Harvard-Westlake’s Natalia Quintero won the freshman girls race in 18:16.2, with Highland’s Daniel Rodriguez prevailing in the freshman boys race in 15:27.7.