Menlo’s Landon Pretre sets impressive pace on opening night at Woodbridge Cross Country Classic

Pretre produces 3-mile effort of 14:16.7 to help Menlo triumph, with Natrona County of Wyoming teammates Brubaker and Wheeler also earning victories at Great Park in Irvine

Menlo School of California’s Landon Pretre Photo by Ken Martinez 

The spotlight was on several California Division 5 boys standouts Friday, with a pair of victories by teammates from Natrona County High in Wyoming also highlighting the opening night of competition at the 43rd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS America.

Landon Pretre led a dominant effort by Menlo School in a White Division boys varsity race, with Natrona County seniors Ally Wheeler and Kalel Brubaker both earning wins in Red Division competition at Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

Natrona County of Wyoming’s Ally Wheeler Photo by Ken Martinez

Pretre produced the fastest 3-mile performance on Friday’s schedule, clocking 14 minutes, 16.7 seconds, helping the Knights place five scorers in the top 13, including fellow senior William Hauser taking third in 14:27.2, to achieve a 34-96 victory against fellow California program St. Mary’s of Berkeley.

Ryan Fitzpatrick from The Nueva School was runner-up in 14:27.0, another junior standout in Olly O’Connor of Viewpoint finished fourth in 14:29.5 and Fresno Christian sophomore Blake Bay placed fifth in 14:30.9.

Wheeler achieved the top girls 3-mile effort Friday, producing the lone sub-17 mark by running 16:58.2 in her Red Division race, with fellow senior Ashley Gross taking ninth in 18:21.2 for the Mustangs, who triumphed by a 90-166 margin against Fullerton High from California.

Serenity Fausto, a senior at Santa Fe High in California, secured runner-up in 17:07.5.

Brubaker also prevailed in another Red Division competition, clocking 15:00.0, with Saul Reyna of Santa Fe placing second in 15:07.1 and Monrovia’s Joshua Menlove taking third in 15:08.1.

St. John Bosco of California had five scorers in the top 50 to achieve a 130-154 victory against La Habra Sonora.

Evan Hadeishi, a senior at San Pedro High in California, was victorious in his Red Division race in 14:55.8, with Owen Teague of Hemet clocking 15:00.2 to finish second.

Kingsley Lin took third in 15:03.8 and Landon Kozmor grabbed ninth in 15:12.6 for Santa Monica, which prevailed against fellow California program Menlo-Atherton by an 81-131 margin.

David Soria secured the individual win in 14:49.4 for American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) from Arizona, but Adrian Miller achieved a runner-up performance of 14:54.8 for Palos Verdes of California, which held the advantage in a showdown involving the programs with an 82-132 victory.

Amelia Sarkisian, a sophomore at Brentwood School in California, ran 17:17.4 in the opening White Division girls race to triumph by more than a minute over freshman Rogue Cutler of University Prep (18:18.9).

Maddie Caughey took third in 18:22.4 to lead Big Bear of California to a 114-150 win against Basalt High from Arizona.

Gisele Fernandez, a junior from Riverbank High, clocked 17:27.8 to earn the victory in the other White Division girls competition, with fellow California competitor Ashley Villafana of Kerman running 17:42.2 to capture second.

Laguna Beach, led by junior Hayden Joseph placing ninth in 17:57.3, held off Palos Verdes by a 133-146 margin in another showcase of California programs.

In the most competitive girls matchup of the night, a clash of California athletes concluded the schedule, with Downey senior Natalie Gonzalez winning the second Red Division race in 17:30.1 ahead of Ontario sophomore Isabella Ruiz in 17:33.2.

Natalie Gonzalez of Downey, left, and Isabella Ruiz from Ontario, right Photo by Ken Martinez

Mater Dei had five scorers in the top 35 to emerge victorious in another showdown of California programs, with the Monarchs prevailing 106-168 against Bakersfield Highland.