Skyler and Stormy Wallace help Sage Creek prevail in Division 1 girls race against short-handed La Costa Canyon; Mavericks roll in boys matchup in Niednagel’s debut

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

The early weeks of the high school cross country season are all about new challenges and excitement. And after the Bronco Roundup on Saturday in Escondido, Calif., there’s even more where that came from for San Diego Section runners.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Sage Creek offered a major statement with a victory on the girls side, and both La Costa Canyon teams flexed some muscle with a dominant boys win and second-place finish for the girls in the 2-mile races at Kit Carson Park.

Junior Skyler Wallace, the reigning San Diego Section Division 4 champion, won the girls Division 1 race in 11 minutes, 27.4 seconds, placing just ahead of La Costa Canyon’s Jessica Riedman (11:34.6) and her sister, freshman Stormy Wallace, who placed third in 11:37.6 in her first high school race.

In just its sixth year, Sage Creek is a small public school in Carlsbad that’s seen tremendous success in cross country. Both the boys and girls were Division 4 section team champs last year, and both were top-five finishers at the CIF-State Championships, with the girls placing second behind two-time Division 4 winners Foothill Tech.

But the Bobcats want more. The first step was going toe to toe in the top division Saturday. Next week, the girls are scheduled to run the sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic in Norco.

“Mostly, I was just coming out to this first race wanting to feel confident going into the rest of my season,” Skyler Wallace said. “I think I definitely achieved the goal, and I think most importantly, our team achieved the goal.”

Wallace moved in the second mile and held off Riedman and her sister.

“Going down the second hill, I felt like that was the best time to make my move because I felt strong,” Skyler said. “I just surged ahead and kept the lead.”

The 1-3 finish pushed Sage Creek to a 62-72 win over La Costa Canyon, although the Mavericks ran without senior standout Kristin Fahy due to a college visit to Georgetown. El Camino finished third with 89 points.

Still, Riedman, freshman Kyra Compton (fifth, 11:55.5) and sophomore Sydney Weaber (10th, 12:12.2) rounded a strong top three.

“It’s really exciting, especially because we have a whole bunch of new freshmen coming who are doing really well in workouts,” Riedman said. “Our gaps are a lot smaller, so I feel like we more depth this year.”

And they will need it, as the Mavericks move up to Division 2 this year from Division 3, where the boys were second in the state and the girls third last season.

Senior Jacob Stanford outran close pursuers in San Pasqual senior Franky Varela (second, 9:44.4) and new teammate Caleb Niednagel, a transfer from Dana Hills, who was third in 9:46 in his Mavericks’ debut.

Garrett Stanford, who won this race a year ago, did not run Saturday, with Jacob saying his brother had some minor ankle pain, and he reported that Garrett would likely “take it easy, just for one more week.”

La Costa Canyon went 1-3-4 with junior Andy Pueschel finishing fourth in 10:02.7. That paced its victory with 51 points. El Camino was second with 96 points and Torrey Pines third at 115.

Like the girls, Jacob Stanford said he and his teammates relish the chance of moving up to Division 2.

“We’re definitely excited more than anything for the challenge,” he said. “We know (defending state champ Mountain View) St. Francis is going to be an amazing team this year at the state-wide level. We’re going to race against them probably at Stanford and definitely at the state meet.

“We want to make sure we have some guys who are able to contend with their guys; maybe even give them a run for their money.”

Stanford said the addition of Niednagel, the junior from Dana Hills who was the 10th-place finisher last year in Division 1 at the state meet, has strengthened the Mavericks’ team.

San Pasqual, too, showed some strength at the top end of its lineup with Varela, senior Mathis Wouters (fifth, 10:03.65) and senior Noah Tellez-Velazquez (senior, 10:17.7). The Golden Eagles were fourth with 136 points and could improve should they develop at the Nos. 4-7 spots.

Division 2 saw a pair of victories for two Grossmont runners. Grossmont’s boys also won as a team, 76-79, over San Dieguito Academy. Carlsbad and Santa Fe Christian shared first place on the girls side with 85 points each.

Grossmont senior Jonathan Rodriguez-Gomez won in 10:10.4, while the girls saw a bit of a surprise. Sophomore Madeline Minutelli won in 12:30.3, an improvement from the 15:03.04 she ran last year in a junior varsity race.
Minutelli missed the last three months of track with a stress fracture in her hip. She returned to running in July, saying her improvement has come by way of her summer training.

So did she expect to win?

“No,” she said in disbelief. “Not at all.”