Mt. SAC Invitational Preview: Johns, Van Meerten Among Runners to Watch

It’s expected to be an iconic Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational this year. Not only is the competitive field stacked, but it is also a milestone year as the historic invitational prepares to celebrate its one millionth runner.

The 78th annual meet returns to Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, with high school athletes racing October 23–24. Divisions 3, 4, and 5 compete Friday, followed by Divisions 1 and 2 on Saturday.

Elementary, middle school, and community college races opened the event this past Friday. Mt. SAC sophomore Jonah Botello won the men’s four-mile race in 21:55.4, ahead of Crafton Hills teammates Ramon Dorado in 22:04.7 and Thomas Carr in 22:07.4.

Mt. SAC placed five runners in the top eight to win the team championship with 23 points, followed by Crafton Hills with 47.

It was Jadeyn Skefich, a sophomore at El Camino, who took home the women’s three-mile title in 18:24.6, finishing well ahead of West Los Angeles’ Kaylah Quiroz, who placed second in 19:07.7.

Representing Mt. SAC was AJ Dorris, who finished third in 19:09.0.

Glendale won the women’s team championship with 49 points, ahead of Sequoias with 58 and West Los Angeles with 63.

Next weekend’s races will help put a few more strong contenders on the map as the cross country season moves toward November. We already have a list of the accepted sweepstakes teams, with squads like Great Oak’s girls expected to perform well. They finished ahead of fellow Mt. SAC entrants Beckman, Saugus, La Serna, and Mira Costa in the Clovis Invitational’s combined girls’ results.

Trabuco Hills’ boys won the October 17 Orange County sweepstakes with 55 points, making them strong contenders in the Division 1–2 team sweepstakes race.

Santiago Corona’s girls are also having a strong season. They are a top contender for the team title in Saturday’s individual sweepstakes race. Santiago finished tenth in the Clovis girls’ merge, led by Addyson Johns’ 16:50.8 victory in the Saturday championship.

While individual lineups still need to be finalized, Johns will have all eyes on her if she takes the starting line in the Division 1–2 girls’ individual sweepstakes race. It could be a rematch between her and Ontario senior Isabella Ruiz, who finished second at Clovis.

Last year, Santiago’s Braelyn Combe won the individual sweepstakes race in 16:53.2, setting a meet record on the updated three-mile course and earning her third consecutive Mt. SAC sweepstakes victory.

In the separate girls’ team sweepstakes race, Westlake’s Sabina Cruz is another name to watch. Cruz won that race as a freshman in 17:39.6 last year. Westlake is again on the accepted team sweepstakes list, as is defending team champion Mira Costa, which scored 58 points in 2025. Cruz’s course experience makes her a potential repeat winner if she leads Westlake’s lineup.

Youth Runner’s 2025 girls’ recap.

On the boys’ side, Flagstaff senior Yohanes Van Meerten could be a leading contender in the Division 1–2 team sweepstakes race. He ran 14:10.1 last year, setting the course record with his win.

Van Meerten recently finished fourth against a competitive Desert Twilight 5K field in 14:42.0.

Last year, San Clemente took the team championship with 104 points. Flagstaff and San Clemente are both accepted into this year’s team sweepstakes field.

California’s Mario Montoya of Redondo Union could provide a challenge. Last year’s Mt. SAC runner-up recently placed fifth in the Great American Race of Champions in 14:49.8.

The separate boys’ individual sweepstakes race could feature La Serna junior William Thompson, whose school is accepted into that field. Thompson finished second at Nike Portland in 14:42.1, then fifth at Clovis in 14:46.2.

The Mt. SAC Invitational’s high school competition kicks off on October 23.

Westlake freshman Sabina Cruz won the Division 1–2 girls team sweepstakes race in 17:39.6 on the three-mile course at the 2025 Mt. SAC Invitational Presented by Nike in Walnut, California. Photo courtesy of Alex Valladares.