CIF State XC Championships Recap - Girls Division 1

The showdown involving two of the elite girls programs in the country delivered one of the most memorable matchups at the CIF State Cross Country Championships, with Corona Santiago High senior Rylee Blade adding to her impressive legacy with consecutive Division 1 titles Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Trabuco Hills and Buchanan produced the two fastest team times ever achieved on the 5-kilometer layout, with the Mustangs rallying for a 48-57 victory and the first girls state championship in program history following a trio of third-place finishes, including last year.

D1 Girls Rylee Blade (#1400, Corona Santiago) Holly Barker (#1617, Trabuco Hills, 11/23/2024)

Blade ran 16:46.5, her fourth career sub-17 effort at Woodward Park, to become the first female athlete to win back-to-back Division 1 championships since former Davis Senior standout Fiona O’Keeffe in 2013-14.

Blade and junior teammate Braelyn Combe, third in 17:07.6, helped Corona Santiago take third at 144 points, following the Sharks winning their first championship last season with a one-point triumph against Buchanan.

Holly Barker, a senior, placed runner-up for the second year in a row by clocking 16:58.9, with junior Millie Bayles finishing fourth in 17:22.2, leading five Trabuco Hills scorers in the top 40.

Anna Desormeau earned eighth in 17:30.6, Sophie Guilfoile took 12th in 17:38.4 and freshman Evangeline Williams captured 36th in 18:16.6 for the Mustangs, who ran 87:47 to eclipse Corona Santiago’s record from last season by more than a minute.

Molly Sundgren finished fifth in 17:29.4, Gaby Gutierrez achieved 11th in 17:36.4, Sierra Cornett earned 14th in 17:41.8, Brooklyn Buckley captured 19th in 17:41.8 and Kynzlee Buckley grabbed 25th in 17:56.3 for Buchanan, which clocked 88:34 to improve on its own Central Section record by a minute and elevate to No. 2 all-time at Woodward Park.

Fresno Bullard junior Isabella Ramirez secured sixth in 17:29.9, following a 34th-place finish in the Division 2 state final last year in 18:42.9.

San Juan Hills sophomore Carol Dye, who didn’t advance past the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 prelims last season, secured seventh in her state meet debut in 17:30.0.

Katja Dunayevich, a senior at Canyon Crest Academy, placed ninth in 17:33.3, improving from 58th last year in 19:02.8.

Arcadia junior Charlotte Hopkins took 10th in 17:34.4, elevating from a 28th-place performance in the Division 4 state final last season competing for La Canada in 19:00.9.

Hopkins was among 27 female athletes in Division 1 to eclipse the 18-minute barrier, contributing to 60 girls competitors to achieve the feat Saturday across all five divisions.

Trabuco Hills and Buchanan secured the two automatic berths to compete Dec. 7 at Nike Cross Nationals at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore., in addition to Blade and Combe advancing as individual qualifiers as well.

By Erik Boal