Dos Pueblos boys cross country won the CIF-SS Division 2 title and the San Marcos girls squad qualified for the Division 3 State meet on Saturday at the CIF-SS Finals meet at Mt. San Antonio College.
Both teams will continue their standout 2025 seasons next Saturday at the CIF State Meet in Clovis.
Dos Pueblos
The Chargers ended the race with a team score of 84 to finish ahead of Hart (88) and La Serna (91) in second and third place on the podium.
“This team represents the heart and soul of DP and this community, racing for each other and for things greater than themselves,” Dos Pueblos head coach David Jackson said. “They pride themselves on getting faster through each race and never giving up when challenges are presented.
“This serves them well not just in cross country but in life. Proud of this team and looking forward to what is to come in the state meet next week and the weeks ahead on a national level.”
Dos Pueblos was led by back-to-back finishes from Owen Abbott and Phil Contakes in 11th and 12th place, respectively. Abbott crossed the finish line in 14:28 and Contakes was not far behind at 14:34.
The Charger top five was rounded out by Linus Martin (14:44, 21st), Ashton Smedley (14:49, 26th) and Oliver Saleh (14:55, 34th).
On the girls side, Dos Pueblos placed ninth out of 16 teams in the Div. 2 race, led by a 24th-place individual showing by Cate Bishop with her time of 17:38.
Bishop was joined by Vienza Machuca (18:09, 42nd), Iyla Herrick (18:28, 53rd), Emilie Joulie-Mares (18:28, 55th) and Selah Blackwell (18:47, 74th).
“A top-10 finish at CIF is a tremendous accomplishment, and we’re proud of the commitment and resilience shown by these athletes throughout the season,” Jackson said. “Thank you to all the teachers, staff, and families who supported them along the way.”
San Marcos
The Royals finished in sixth place as a team to advance to next week, led by a personal-best time of 17:46 for Sofi Hernandez.
“Before transferring to San Marcos, Sofi’s dream was to qualify for the State Meet,” San Marcos head coach Marilyn Hantgin said. “To step up for her team in one of the final races of her senior year was truly amazing.
“I am so proud of her and all of her teammates. Sofi really helped Elsie throughout the race to stay engaged and keep fighting for every place.”
Hernandez was closely followed by Elsie Tuttle (17:49), Samara Shalhoub (18:12), Layla Llewellyn (18:17) and Autumn Richardson (18:25).
“This was probably the most difficult race for our girls,” Hantgin said. “I think they felt the pressure, but they have proven all season that they are strong and could handle tough situations.
“We are excited for the opportunity to race at the state championships next.”
Carpinteria High
The Warrior girls placed 13th overall in the CIF-SS Division 5 race on Saturday.
Jaqueline Guadian led the charge with a 13th-place finish and a time of 18:45.
The rest of the Carpinteria girls were Mila Martins (20:03, 50th), Penelope Rowe (21:00, 64th), Victoria Martinez (21:32, 76th), Kenzi Gardner (22:05, 90th), Lisa Stineman (23:29, 107th) and Stacie Miranda (23:46, 110th).
Meanwhile, Max Soto represented the Warriors in the boys Division 5 race and came in 32nd place with a mark of 15:46.
“I’m proud of both the boys and girls teams and all the hard work they put in for a successful season,” Carpinteria High head coach Angel Silva said. “They are excited and looking forward to the possibilities of next season.”