SCIAC Cross Country Championships Preview

The CMS cross country teams enter the championship phase of their season this weekend as they will compete at the SCIAC Championships on Saturday, November 1 at Prado Regional Park in Chino.  The men will race first at 9:00 followed by the women at 9:45.  The meet determines fifty percent of the SCIAC team championship with the other fifty percent determined by the SCIAC Multi-Dual meet.  The Athenas finished 8-0 at the Multi-Duals and the Stags finished 7-1, but a first place finish on Saturday would give them both outright SCIAC titles.  Individual All-SCIAC teams are also determined by this race with the top 10 earning First Team All-SCIAC honors and 11-20 earning Second Team All-SCIAC honors.

The Athenas are looking to earn their fifth consecutive title and will be heavily favored after their performance at the Multi-Duals.  Sara Mostatabi is the top returner from last year's race as she finished fifth overall in 2013.  Mostatabi won the SCIAC Multi-Dual and also earned First Team All-SCIAC honors in 2012 and 2011.  CMS had eight additional women finish in the top 20 at the SCIAC Multi-Dual including Caroline Willian (6th), Bryn McKillop (7th), Carmen Mejia (10th), Roselyn Cantu (11th), Anna Shepard (12th), Taia Wu (15th), Rachel Mow (16th) and Kaitlyn Spees (17th).  Pomona-Pitzer finished second at the Multi-Dual with a record of 7-1.

The Stags will be looking to earn their third straight title, but will have to beat a Pomona-Pitzer squad that was 8-0 in the Multi-Dual.  Zorg Loustalet, who finished third in last year's race, will be one of the individual favorites after his second consecutive win at the Multi-Dual.  Looking to repeat their All-SCIAC performances from last year will be Jacob Higle-Ralbovsky and Sam Pitcavage who finished 11th and 13th respectively a year ago.  CMS had five additional men finish in the top 20 at the Multi-Dual including Alex Mauro (10th), Hunter Olsen (12th), Kyle Lund (17th), Jesse Joseph (18th) and Joshua Sealand (20th).