CIF State XC Championships Recap - Girls Division 5

A year ago, Amelia Sarkisian was gaining valuable experience as a Brentwood freshman competing for the first time on a big stage at Woodward Park in Fresno, and Ross Branson was represented by only Hailey Sellers in the Division 5 girls final at the CIF State Cross Country Championships.

D5 Girls Amelia Sarkisian (Brentwood, 11/23/2024)

Sarkisian was the center of attention Saturday and Ross Branson’s lineup was stronger than ever in the deepest Division 5 girls championship since the race was added to the state schedule for the first time since 1996.

Sarkisian triumphed in 17 minutes, 31.8 seconds on the 5-kilometer layout to become the first Brentwood female athlete to win a Division 5 state crown since Tani Brown in 2003.

Sarkisian ran 19:29.6 to place 24th in her state debut last season, then improved her time at Woodward Park to 18:12.1 on Oct. 11 at the 45th ASICS Clovis Invitational.

But the effort Saturday by the reigning Southern Section champion was the best in the division in five years, elevating Sarkisian to the No. 4 all-time competitor in Division 5 and the second-fastest sophomore behind only four-time state champion Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep (2005-08).

Ella Mogannam of Lick Wilmerding was runner-up for the second year in a row at 17:47.4, with Castilleja sophomore Brooke Oliveira taking third in her state meet debut in 17:58.2, the first time in division history that three sub-18 performances were achieved in the same year in a Division 5 final.

Branson returned to the state meet as a team for the first time in three years and captured the second Division 5 championship in program history by placing five scorers in the top 35 to produce an 82-point effort, in addition to achieving the fastest performance in division history at 94 minutes, 41 seconds.

Immanuel was runner-up with 103 points, Lick Wilmerding took third at 109 points and two-time champion Crystal Springs Uplands finished fourth with 126 points.

The Bulls eclipsed the 2016 standard of 95:19 established by Flintridge Prep, with Lick Wilmerding elevating to No. 3 all-time in the division at 95:22 and Immanuel ascending to No. 4 at 95:24.

Farah Allen earned eighth for Ross Branson in 18:27.9, first-year cross country athlete Audrey Spaly took 10th in 18:29.3, Imogen Brown was 30th in 19:07.8, Maya Gidney achieved 32nd in 19:17.4 and Sellers captured 33rd in 19:18.0, improving from securing 160th last season in 23:08.8.

Immanuel was led by Clara Riddle securing seventh in 18:16.1, the same time produced by Francis Parker’s Olivia Teates to earn sixth, part of a trio of all-state honorees from the San Diego Section.

Ari Llorens of Francis Parker finished fourth in 18:01.5 and Ayanna Hickey from The Bishop’s School placed fifth in 18:13.7.

Menlo School senior Veronica Taira finished ninth in her state championship debut in 18:27.4.

By Erik Boal