Surrey high-school runners raced to the top of the podium Wednesday, during South Fraser zone cross-country championships held at Crescent Park.
At the senior level, Surrey competitors swept the gold and silver positions, as Southridge School’s Maya Kobylanski – the reigning Fraser Valley champion from 2018 – was the first to cross the finish line in the five-km senior girls race in a time of 17 minutes and 56.5 seconds, which was more than a minute faster than anyone else in the field. In second place was Holy Cross runner Madison Stoochnoff.
Salish Secondary’s Emma Kearns finished just off the podium, in fourth, while Enver Creek’s Nanaki Sangha was fifth. Sullivan Heights Secondary runner Jasleen Grewal and Clayton Heights’ Dora Chan were sixth and sixth, respectively.
In the senior boys race – also a five-km circuit – Lord Tweedsmuir’s Tyler Wilson won the gold medal, finishing in 16:40.7. In second place, clocking a time of 17:08.5, was Earl Marriott’s Evan De Souza, while two other EMS runners, Quinn Guiricich and Micah Logie, were fourth and fifth, respectively. Jeremiah Mackie, also from Marriott, was seventh.
Other top Surrey runners included Fleetwood Park’s Jaiveer Tiwana, in seventh; White Rock Christian Academy’s Sean Murray and Even Sloftstra in 10th and 11th, respectively; and North Surrey’s Maks Sutherland, in 12th.
The top individuals finishes were more than enough to vault Marriott to the top of the senior boys team standings, which are determined by adding up the finishes of each school’s top four runners, with the lowest aggregate score winning. Marriott’s total score of 18 was 34 lower than any other team in the competition. Semiahmoo – whose top runner was Michael Miller in sixth – finished second in team rankings, while White Rock Christian Academy was third and Tweedsmuir fifth.
In the senior girls team standings, Earl Marriott also placed first – thanks to a ninth-place run by Kylie Schlecker and 10th-place finish from Samantha Palatinus. EMS was followed by Elgin Park and Panorama Ridge, whose top runners were Emma Cobban and Muskan Waraich, respectively.
At the junior level – in which competitors ran a four-km course – Elgin Park won the overall girls team title, led by silver-medal winner Maella Hodgson, who finished just five second back of winner Viviana Li of Fleetwood Park. Semiahmoo Secondary’s Mackenzie Hack was third while EMS runner Julia Mackie placed fifth.
In the boys competition, which was also a four-km route, the top three overall teams were Elgin Park, Semiahmoo and Fleetwood Park.
Caiden Lee of the Surrey Academy of Innovative Learning (SAIL) was the fastest on the course, clocking a time of 12:54.4, and he was followed by a trio of Elgin Park runners – Connor Nichol, Isaac Baker and Kaelem Dumont. Pacific Academy’s Max Holmes rounded out the top five.
Next up for local runners is a chance to take on the best in B.C. at provincial championships, which are slated for Nov. 2 at Clearbrook Park in Abbotsford.
sports@peacearchnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
