SAN FRANCISCO – Conor Lott achieved the first significant victory on his journey to capturing the CIF Division 1 boys state cross country title with last year’s performance at the Lowell Invitational.
Lott not only earned another win Saturday in the second boys varsity section at the 52nd edition of the meet at Golden Gate Park, but he also guided Clovis North High to a memorable team performance against a deep field in the Broncos’ season opener.
Lott covered the 2.78-mile layout in 13 minutes, 50 seconds, leading five athletes to sub-14 performances, in addition to helping Clovis North produce six competitors in the top 40 to prevail by a 101-104 margin against Mountain View, capturing the team title at the meet for the first time in program history.
Bellarmine Prep took third with 122 points, Saugus finished fourth at 142 points and San Clemente achieved fifth with 161 points.
Farah Allen of Ross Branson School led all female athletes by running 16:19.0 on the 2.78-mile layout at Golden Gate Park at the Lowell Invitational | Erik Boal photo
Farah Allen, a junior at Ross Branson School, clocked 16:19.0 in the second girls varsity section to produce the fastest female performance of the meet for the reigning CIF Division 5 girls state team champions.
Brooke Lee, a senior, celebrated one of the biggest breakthroughs of the meet by securing second in 16:26.8, an improvement of more than two minutes from last season, to lead five Archie Williams athletes placing in the top 50 to achieve a 90-101 triumph against Los Altos.
Brooke Lee was runner-up in the second girls varsity section to lead Archie Williams to the team title at the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park | Erik Boal photo
Lee clocked 18:38.3 to place 28th in the opening girls varsity section last year.
Monte Vista was third with 131 points, Clovis North grabbed fourth at 142 points and Mountain View edged Saugus for fifth by a 150-152 margin.
Evan Chopra, a Menlo-Atherton junior, won the opening boys varsity section in 14:25.1, holding off Beyer senior Hayes Terry in 14:27.4.
Evan Chopra prevailed in the opening boys varsity section, also helping Menlo-Atherton secure the team title at the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park | Erik Boal photo
Chopra led five Bears placing in the top 30, including three athletes in the top four, for a convincing team triumph with 42 points.
Bellarmine Prep was runner-up with 114 points and Beyer took third at 142 points.
Aidan Sharp of Menlo-Atherton achieved third in 14:46.0, followed by fellow senior Cason Mitchell finishing fourth in 14:47.1.
Menlo-Atherton had three athletes place in the top four, with all five scorers finishing in the top 30 to triumph in the opening boys varsity section at the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park | Erik Boal photo
Havyn Bartell of Beyer placed fifth in 14:47.3.
Gretchen Yakaitis, a Carondelet senior, ran 16:45.4 to emerge victorious in the first girls varsity section.
Gretchen Yakaitis of Carondelet was victorious in the opening girls varsity section at the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park | Erik Boal photo
Edith McKerracher, a junior at Palo Alto Gunn, was second in 17:38.4, helping the Titans place five scorers in the top 35 to triumph with 58 points.
Archbishop Riordan was runner-up with 96 points.
Nine competitors produced sub-17 efforts in the second girls varsity section, including Monte Vista sophomores Kaylie O’Connell and Ava Padilla taking third and fifth in 16:34.4 and 16:49.4, respectively, with Los Altos senior Samantha Witteles earning fourth in 16:37.1.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, a senior at The Nueva School, was runner-up in the second boys varsity section in 13:52.5, Mountain View senior Ryan Chen clocked 13:53.1 to take third, Saugus junior Adrian Cantu finished fourth in 13:57.0 and Bellarmine Prep senior Stephen Sziebert captured fifth in 13:58.9.
Jacob Leath, a sophomore, was ninth for Clovis North in 14:08.9, with seniors Mathew Castaneda (14:42.2) and Matthew Wong (14:44.0) grabbing 30th and 31st, respectively. Charlie Rubenstein, a sophomore, captured 34th in 14:48.8 for the Broncos.
Lee was supported by seniors Ani Stieg and Claire Palmer earning 12th and 14th in 17:11.0 and 17:15.3, respectively. Alyssa Silverstein, a senior, was 22nd in 17:31.9 and junior Ainsley Sullivan took 46th in 18:31.9 for Archie Williams.