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Over 900 athletes from 41 high schools are expected this Saturday at Sierra College in Rocklin for the Fourth Annual Bella Vista Bronco Cross Country Invitational.  With all athletes competing in the same race and team/individual champions and placers determined on large (CIF Division 1 and 2) and small (CIF Division 3,4, and 5) school divisions, the meet provides a unique opportunity for “head-to-head“ competition.  Varsity races will be contested over the challenging 5,000-meter collegiate course. With relatively mild weather in the low to mid 70’s expected and a number of quality individuals and teams scheduled to compete, a number of the meet records appear to be in jeopardy.

In the varsity girls competition, the late scratch of defending champion and meet record holder (18:53.5) senior Natalie White (now at Johnson [Sacramento]) leaves Reno’s dynamic sister duo of senior Collier and freshman Marie as the favorites.  The sisters finished first (Collier) and second (Marie) at the prestigious Stanford Invitational on September 27. Their times of 17:34 and 17:40 over the 5,000 meter course were the fastest of the over 1,000 girls competing. A number of other top individuals will also be challenging for top finishes including: Reno (NV) athletes Daryan Glenn (sophomore) and Nicole Lajeunesse (freshman); Folsom junior Natasha Lebeaud (who toured this course in a controlled 19:31 (October 8^th) in her first meet since returning from a stress fracture); sophomore Cecily Lemmon of Vacaville; Davis junior Kaitlin Gregg; St. Francis (Sacramento) juniors Megan Alexander and Mairin Melvedt; senior Amanda Burkhardt (Ponderosa, Shingle Springs); and juniors Michelle Born of Oakmont (Roseville) and Erin Wachter of  Cordova (Rancho Cordova).  In the varsity girl’s team competition, Reno established the meet record last year at 100:22.2 and are poised to lower that mark even further based on their awesome team performance at the Stanford Invitational. They recorded the fastest team time of the day and finished second in combined team scoring to nationally ranked (9^th place) College Park of Pleasant Hill. The Blue Devils of Davis should also challenge for a high team finish off their excellent performances at Stanford Invitational and Yolo County Championship Meet. Two of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s best, the Vikings of Oakmont (Roseville) and the St. Francis (Sacramento) Troubadors, will continue their rivalry in the small schools division. Oakmont captured the team title earlier this year at the Lagoon Valley Classic, while the Troubadors are the defending Sac-Joaquin Section and California State Division 3 Champions. The upstart Diamondbacks of Union Mine (Placerville) finished second at the Lagoon Valley Classic and could also be a factor for the small school’s team title.