Trabuco Hills girls, Jesuit boys lead six California teams, plus 10 individual qualifiers to compete at Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon

Following its first Division 1 girls title and producing the fastest team time in Woodward Park history at the CIF State Cross Country Championships, Trabuco Hills High earned its first berth to compete Saturday in the 19th edition of Nike Cross Nationals at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore.

Trabuco Hills will be joined in the 22-team girls championship field at 10:05 a.m. PST by NXN veterans Buchanan and JSerra.

Carmichael Jesuit, the 10-time Division 2 state winner, is returning to race in the national final in Oregon for the first time since 2006 in the 22-team boys championship race at 11:35 a.m. PST, in addition to first-time NXN qualifiers Menlo School and Glendora.

Jesuit boys cross country | Ken Martinez photo

Along with the six teams, California will also be represented by five individual entries in each 5-kilometer race.

Rylee Blade of Corona Santiago, the back-to-back Division 1 state champion, and three-time Division 3 winner Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery – who was runner-up in Saturday’s final – both qualified for the NXN girls championship race for the third consecutive season, with Evan Noonan of Dana Hills also advancing to Portland to participate in the boys national final for the third year in a row following his Division 3 state three-peat at Woodward Park.

Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura, the three-time Division 2 girls champion, and Division 4 boys winner Eli Fitchen-Young from Santa Cruz both secured their second straight appearances at NXN.

Woodcrest Christian’s Eyan Turk, a two-time Division 5 boys state champion, as well as Division 2 state winner Hueneme’s JR Lesher and runner-up Griffin Kushen also earned the opportunities to compete in the boys championship race.

Hueneme’s JR Lesher, left, and Tesoro’s Giffin Kushen | Ken Martinez photo

South Pasadena’s Abigail Errington, winner of the Division 3 girls state crown, in addition to Division 1 third-place finisher Braelyn Combe of Corona Santiago also received individual bids to race in the national final.

Blade and Combe are the first California girls teammates to qualify for NXN as individuals in the same year since Buchanan’s Corie Smith and Meagen Lowe in 2018.

Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe, left, and Trabuco Hills’ Holly Barker | Ken Martinez photo

Blade finished 158th at NXN in 2022, before improving to 76th last year.

Thomsen took 16th to earn All-America honors two years ago, then placed 24th last season.

Santa Rosa Montgomery’s Hanne Thomsen, left, and South Pasadena’s Abigail Errington | Ken Martinez photo

Noonan placed 46th in his NXN debut as a sophomore and was 45th last year.

Fitchen-Young achieved All-America recognition by capturing 19th place last season.

Engelhardt grabbed 26th in the girls championship race in Portland last year.

Buchanan is making its fifth appearance in program history at NXN, in addition to competing at Glendoveer Golf Course for the fourth consecutive season the event has been held.

Buchanan girls cross country | Photo courtesy of Buchanan

Buchanan joins Southlake Carroll from Texas and Lone Peak of Utah as the only girls entries in Saturday’s field that qualified for NXN in 2019 and have also advanced all three years following the meet being canceled in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

JSerra, making its third straight appearance at Glendoveer Golf Course, joined Great Oak (2012-19), Saugus (2006-12) and Buchanan as the only California girls programs in meet history to make at least three consecutive trips to Nike Team Nationals or NXN.

JSerra won its fourth straight Division 4 girls state crown and the seventh team title in program history.

JSerra girls cross country | Photo courtesy of JSerra

Holly Barker competed last year in Portland in the girls championship race for Trabuco Hills, placing 12th to secure All-America accolades.

Barker was runner-up to Blade in the Division 1 state final, contributing to Trabuco Hills prevailing by a 48-57 margin against Buchanan and running 87:47 at Woodward Park, eclipsing the mark achieved last season by Corona Santiago by more than one minute.

Trabuco Hills had its boys team compete at Nike Team Nationals in 2006 and NXN in 2011.

Jesuit only experienced competing at Nike Team Nationals in 2005 and 2006 at Portland Meadows, but will experience racing at Glendoveer Golf Course for the first time.

Jesuit set the California boys record with its 10th championship at Woodward Park, including its first in 18 years, producing a 73-91 victory against Glendora.

Glendora boys cross country | Photo courtesy of Glendora

The Marauders lowered their own Sac-Joaquin Section record for fastest team time on the 5-kilometer layout in Fresno to 76:30, with Glendora clocking 77:12.

Menlo School relied on five athletes in the top 20 to produce the California Division 5 all-time mark of 76:37 at Woodward Park, becoming the only program in division history – regardless of gender – to qualify for NXN.

Menlo School boys cross country | Photo courtesy of Menlo School

Herriman High, led by former Great Oak head coach Doug Soles, is the reigning NXN boys team champion, with Utah Class 6A rival American Fork placing second and Southlake Carroll from Texas taking third last season.

All three programs are in contention for the boys team title Saturday, along with Christian Brothers Academy of New Jersey, Niwot from Colorado and Belen Jesuit Prep of Florida.

California has won five NXN boys team titles, with Arcadia securing victory in 2010 and 2012, Great Oak winning the championship in 2015, followed by Newbury Park in 2019 and 2022.

California has never captured the NXN girls team championship, achieving runner-up performances five times, including Saugus in 2007-08, Great Oak in 2014 and Davis Senior in 2015-16.

Buchanan is the last California girls program to secure a podium finish, taking third in 2022.

Colorado swept the girls podium last year, with Air Academy capturing the title, Niwot earning runner-up and Mountain Vista taking third.

Mountain Vista, Air Academy, Trabuco Hills, Buchanan and Bethlehem Central from New York are leading contenders Saturday for the girls championship.