The Sacred Heart Prep boys successfully defended their title, the Priory girls won in an upset and Menlo School sophomore Robert Miranda won his first individual crown to highlight the West Bay Athletic League cross country championships on Friday.
The Gators had five runners among the first 12 and scored 32 points for the victory. SHP improved upon last season’s winning score of 34.
Miranda, meanwhile, crossed the finish line then turned around as if he were waiting for a friend. Race officials urged him to proceed through the chute. Once he had turned in his tag, he turned to greet the next runners with hugs. Then, the sophomore gave high-fives and encouraging words, not just to his Menlo School teammates, but to every runner from the second-place finisher to No. 50.
Miranda had just won in a meet record of 15:38 on the 2.95-mile Crystal Springs course in Belmont to celebrated accordingly. He finished third last year in 16:18.
The SHP boys dominated as freshman Max Cluss led the way in third in 16:17 with teammates Brett Anstrom fourth in 16:18 and Sasha Novitsky fifth in 16:21. Graham MacFarquhar was eighth in 16:45 and Anderson Page wrapped up the scoring in 12th in 17:14.
Trailing Miranda was Robert Screven of Priory in 16:13 with Raphael Serrano of Menlo sixth in 16:25 as the Knights finished third in the team race.
In the girls’ race, Priory moved up from last year’s sixth-place finish and took the title with 102 points. Senior Hana Marsheck led the Panthers with a second-place finish of 19:03.
Eliza Crowder of Menlo was third with a PR of 19:05, Eastside Prep freshman Zion Gabriel was fourth in19:18 and Natalie Novitsky of Sacred Heart Prep took fifth in 19:23.
Helping Priory claim the team crown was junior Elise Rust, who finished 16th in 21:04, freshman Stephanie Sanchez (20th in 21:19), freshman Emma Jaeger (21st in 21:20) and senior Sarah Halabe (43rd in 22:25).
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Menlo Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Menlo Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Menlo Athletics