Two Oregon high school cross country programs are ascending the national totem poll.
Crater (No. 5) and Jesuit (No. 6) both made the top 10 in DyeStat’s Sept. 29 ranking of the country’s top 30 high school programs. Following a host of invitationals throughout the back half of the month, the programs are rising to the top in the state of Oregon.
“We’re just having fun with the year,” said Crater’s coach of 22 seasons, Justin Loftus. “I try to tell them not to worry about rankings. We’re gonna roll with that.”
Led by sophomore Tayvon Kitchen in fifth with a time of 17 minutes and 27.3 seconds, five Crater runners placed in the top 20 in the men’s 5,000 meters varsity race at the Woahink Lake XC Invitational on Oct. 1. Loftus said he intentionally left out some of his varsity members.
In the junior varsity 5,000 meters, Crater swept the top four as Hudson Barsalou took first in 19:57.8. The three Crater runners behind him finished within one second of him. Crater had two other runners in the top 10. The school had the top team scores in both events.
On the women’s varsity side, Samantha Payne took first in 20:37.5 and was the only Crater runner in the top 30. The school was fifth overall (101) in team score.
At the 15th annual Nike Twilight XC Invitational, Jesuit dominated the junior varsity 5,000 meters races. In the junior/senior event, juniors Becca Ricci (20:54) and Kayla Contreras (21:49.30) took first and fourth, respectively. On the men’s side, junior Owen Bostic took the lead in 17:03 and senior Owen Firth took second in 17:33.70.
The women’s 3A/4A varsity race saw Jesuit win with a team score of 57. Sophomore Maura O’Scannlain finished third in 18:05.30, good for fifth amongst women’s finishes this season state-wide.
Lastly, in the men’s 3A/4A, Jesuit (35) edged out Eastlake (46). Senior Jacob Nenow (14:52.80) finished second and led four top 10 Jesuit runners. Nenow’s time was fifth best state-wide in the 2022 season.
Crater senior Tyrone Gorze streaked to a 14:43.6 finish at the 8th Annual Rogue Valley and lays claim to the state’s best time this season.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Loftus said. “He’s super fit.”
For as successful as the team has been thus far in the 2022 season, it’s the individual side of things that Loftus wants to devote increased focus to.
“I’m trying to focus a little bit more individually on kids (and) their progression because we have a lot of kids that would like to do something at the postseason level as well,” he said. “We definitely individualize things a little bit more. And I think kids are going to pop out the progression and successes as we get through this year.”
Jesuit’s next meet is Wednesday at Westview and Crater’s is Oct. 13 at the Crater Track Twilight 2022 meet at home.
“We’re just looking forward to some more racing,” he said.
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