Jackson Spencer of Herriman High in Utah sets Woodward Park record of 14:16.9 at ASICS Clovis Invitational, Ventura’s Aelo Curtis also prevails

FRESNO – Jackson Spencer has traveled all over the country during his prep career representing Herriman High from Utah by leaving an impressive mark on outdoor ovals and indoor tracks, including a big contribution to the 4×800-meter relay national high school record in June in Philadelphia.

But during Spencer’s only career opportunity to compete on one of the most prestigious cross country courses in California, the Brigham Young-bound senior standout responded by taking down the most respected record in the state’s history.

Spencer covered the 5-kilometer layout Saturday at Woodward Park in 14 minutes, 16.9 seconds to win the Rob Brenner boys championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational, eclipsing the all-time mark of 14:24.0 established at the 2007 California Division 4 state final by German Fernandez of Riverbank High.

Jackson Spencer of Herriman High in Utah made the most of his lone career appearance at Woodward Park in Fresno by producing the all-time 5-kilometer course record of 14:16.9 to win the Rob Brenner boys championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational | Erik Boal photo

The record stood for more than 6,530 days, despite significant challenges from several of the elite cross country runners in California prep history, as well as appearances during the past six years from all-time competitors representing Arizona and Oregon.

Spencer also eclipsed the meet record of 14:25.9 set in 2022 by Leo Young from Newbury Park High in California. The previous fastest performance by an athlete from outside California competing at Woodward Park was 14:30.9 by Leo Daschbach of Highland High in Arizona in 2019 at the ASICS Clovis Invitational.

Spencer covered the final mile with a 4:24 split, turning a seven-second advantage at the midway point against Maximo Zavaleta from Martin Luther King High in California into a runaway victory.

Zavaleta was runner-up in 14:44.8, elevating to the No. 10 all-time boys competitor in California Division 1 at Woodward Park.

But Spencer continued to demonstrate why he is a significant national championship contender in December, following his victory Sept. 20 in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race at the 44th Woodbridge Classic Presented by ASICS by covering the 3-mile layout in 13:42.1 at Great Park in Irvine with another memorable performance in California.

Spencer was also able to contribute to a Herriman team victory at Woodbridge, but Carmichael Jesuit of California arrived at Woodward Park for the rematch with a deeper lineup, in addition to senior Eli Jarvis – third in the Sept. 20 sweepstakes race – racing despite battling illness for the Mustangs.

Jesuit had five competitors in the top 40, all running under 15:30.0, to triumph with 90 points.

Carmichael Jesuit regrouped following a loss Sept. 20 to Herriman High in Utah at the 44th Woodbridge Classic to win the Rob Brenner boys championship at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational with 90 points at Woodward Park in Fresno | Photo courtesy of ASICS Clovis Invitational

Herriman produced five scorers in the top 55, including Jarvis in 25th place, to secure second with 112 points, with Woodbridge taking third at 165 points and Beckman edging San Clemente for fourth place on a sixth-runner tiebreaker after both lineups accumulated 223 points.

Following a 5-kilometer course record last year at Woodward Park by Sadie Engelhardt, who ran 16:24.2 to win the Bill Buettner girls championship race, Ventura High of California was in the spotlight again Saturday, with senior Aelo Curtis prevailing in 16:44.5.

Aelo Curtis gave Ventura High consecutive victories in the Bill Buettner girls championship race by running 16:44.5 at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Ventura became the first girls program to produce a pair of athletes with sub-17 efforts at Woodward Park in consecutive years, and just the second school to have multiple competitors eclipse the barrier on the historic 5-kilometer layout, joining Buchanan High, with Corie Smith clocking 16:53.9 at the ASICS Clovis Invitational in 2019 and Hagen Reedy running 16:59 at the meet in 2012.

Curtis, who ran 17:42.1 as a freshman at the 2022 California Division 2 state championship, finally celebrated a new personal-best effort on the 5-kilometer course in Fresno.

Aelo Curtis of Ventura High, right, lowered her personal-best effort from 17:42.1 to 16:44.5 at Woodward Park in Fresno, with Millie Bayles from Trabuco Hills clocking 17:28.1 in the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational | Erik Boal photo

Curtis elevated to the No. 3 all-time girls competitor in California Division 2 at Woodward Park, in addition to the No. 7 female athlete at the venue in state history.

Summer Wilson of Irvine High ran 16:57.2 to place second Saturday behind Curtis, eclipsing the 16:57.5 effort achieved at last year’s state final by Abigail Errington from South Pasadena.

Mille Bayles of Trabuco Hills, left, as well as Braelyn Combe from Corona Santiago, center, and Summer Wilson of Irvine all produced sub-17:30 performances in the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Wilson improved from running 17:08.8 at last year’s ASICS Clovis Invitational.

JSerra won the Bill Buettner girls championship race for the second time in three years, relying on five scorers in the top 25, all running under 18:15.0, to prevail with 55 points.

JSerra girls secured victory in the Bill Buettner girls championship race for the second time in three years by accumulating 55 points at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Photo courtesy of ASICS Clovis Invitational

Buchanan, last year’s winner, had five competitors in the top 55 and was runner-up with 90 points, followed by Corona Santiago taking third with 132 points, Mira Costa achieving fourth at 166 points and Davis Senior placing fifth with 171 points.

Corona Santiago took third in the Bill Buettner girls championship race for the second year in a row, accumulating 132 points at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

JSerra became the first girls program since Great Oak in 2018 to win both the Bob Day girls sweepstakes at the Woodbridge Classic, as well as the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational in the same year.

The Lions also achieved the second sub-90 team performance in program history by clocking 89:43, just off the 89:41 from the 2023 California Division 4 state final.

Braelyn Combe helped Corona Santiago by taking third in 17:07.1, Chiara Dailey from La Jolla – the reigning California Division 4 state champion – was fourth in 17:16.7 and Millie Bayles of Trabuco Hills earned fifth in 17:28.1.

Chiara Dailey from La Jolla, left, along with Braelyn Combe of Corona Santiago, center, and Summer Wilson from Irvine High all finished in the top five in the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Isla Bulmer set the Claremont program record at Woodward Park by securing sixth in 17:28.8, Farah Allen from Ross Branson achieved seventh in 17:34.6, just ahead of Isabella Ramirez of Fresno Bullard in 17:34.7.

Allen elevated to the No. 5 all-time girls competitor in California Division 5 at Woodward Park, with Ross Branson featuring two of the top five, along with Julia Maxwell running 17:26 in 2012.

JSerra had Maya Pawlowicz, a freshman, take ninth in 17:35.6 and junior Reese Holley finish 10th in 17:40.2, with Buchanan following by having sophomore Brooklyn Buckley achieving 11th in 17:40.8 and junior Molly Sundgren grabbing 12th in 17:41.0, contributing to 17 athletes in the race producing sub-18 efforts.

Isabella Ramirez of Fresno Bullard, left, is joined by Farah Allen from Ross Branson, Isla Bulmer from Claremont, along with JSerra athletes Maya Pawlowicz and Reese Holley, in addition to Buchanan teammates Molly Sundgren and Brooklyn Buckley in the Bill Buettner girls championship race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Blake Bay of Fresno Christian also climbed the California Division 5 all-time ranks, taking third in the Rob Brenner boys championship race in 14:51.6.

Bay, a junior, elevated to the No. 3 male athlete at Woodward Park in Central Section history, as well as the No. 4 all-time Division 5 competitor at the venue, right behind the 14:47.5 effort achieved Friday by senior Olly O’Connor of Viewpoint.

Elias Thronson of Davis Senior was one of two sophomores to produce a sub-15 performance, finishing fourth in the Rob Brenner championship race in 14:54.3, with Mario Montoya setting a Redondo Union program record by clocking 14:57.7 to secure seventh.

Conor Lott from Clovis North, the reigning California Division 1 state champion, placed fifth in 14:55.0, Aidan Antonio of Woodbridge was sixth in 14:56.1, Yohan Anderson from San Clemente earned eighth in 14:59.0, Mason Nguyen of Beckman captured ninth in 15:00.0, with Stephen Sziebert from Bellarmine College Prep achieving 10th in 15:00.2.

Connor Bilodeau, a junior, led Jesuit by taking 11th in 15:02.6, with Isaac Abbott securing 16th in 15:06.1 and Kyle Jakary placing 20th in 15:09.8.

Trevin Lounsbury was 19th for Herriman in 15:09.0 and Jarvis ran 15:19.6 for the Mustangs.

Jace Deledonne of Riverside Poly won the Division 1 boys varsity race in 15:22.0, with Bryson Caganap from Ayala clocking 15:27.7 for second and Luke Lopez of Eastvale Roosevelt taking third in 15:29.2.

Great Oak had five scorers in the top 70 to hold off Ayala by a 193-194 margin, with Roosevelt finishing third at 209 points.

Taran Davies (15:29.3) and Sam Hurst (15:33.0) took the top two spots in the Division 2 boys varsity race for Los Altos, with Luis Torres Orrala from Valencia placing third in 15:33.5.

Trabuco Hills achieved five competitors in the top 35 to triumph with 84 points, followed by Oak Ridge at 89 points and Valencia earning third with 150 points.

Michael Ortega from Ontario won the Division 3 boys varsity competition in 15:08.2, relying on a late surge to pull away from Derek Luna of Rio Mesa in 15:12.0, with Lyle Mideiros from Claremont finishing third in 15:18.2.

Michael Ortega from Ontario, right, held off Derek Luna of Rio Mesa to emerge victorious by a 15:08.2 to 15:12.0 margin in the Division 3 boys varsity race at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Ventura was victorious with 169 points behind five athletes placing in the top 75, Newbury Park was runner-up at 177 points and Claremont achieved third with 221 points.

Elizabeth Jacklin from Martin Luther King ran 17:40.9 to win the Division 1 girls varsity race in a wire-to-wire performance, with Emily Bellinger of San Ramon California High taking second in 18:07.8 and Aziza Acosta from Milpitas finishing third in 18:08.6.

Elizabeth Jacklin from Martin Luther King won the Division 1 girls varsity race in 17:40.9 at the 46th ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno | Erik Boal photo

Crescenta Valley had five scorers in the top 50 to prevail with 104 points, Martin Luther King relied on Jacklin to secure second at 120 points and Clovis East earned third with 157 points.

Maya Hoxie from La Serna was the top competitor in the Division 2 girls varsity race in 18:16.3, with Katie Bosch of Clovis North and Lara Blanco from Irvine University High both being timed in 18:30.1.

Bosch led five Clovis North athletes in the top 30 to triumph with 67 points, Carson High from Nevada was second at 123 points and Mountain View captured third with 127 points.

Julie Plummer of Pleasant Valley in Chico became the fastest freshman in Northern Section history at Woodward Park, winning the Division 3 girls varsity race in 17:51.9.

Kaylie O’Connell from Monte Vista secured second in 18:08.2, with Sophia Grant of Newbury Park taking third in 18:12.4.

Newbury Park triumphed against Tesoro on a sixth-runner tiebreaker after both lineups accumulated 136 points, just ahead of Monte Vista at 137 points. Newbury Park had Halle Combe achieve 50th in 20:11.2, with Dylan McGrew grabbing 80th for Tesoro in 20:43.6.