Clear skies and relatively mild weather (temperatures in the low 70’s) greeted athletes from over 35 schools to the scenic Sierra College (Rocklin) cross country course and the Third Annual Bella Vista Bronco Cross Country Invitational. With all athletes in each classification 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 provided a unique opportunity for "head-to-head" competition. Varsity races were contested over the 5,000-meter collegiate course, which covers approximately 99% of the standard high school three-mile course and an additional 188 yards.

In the varsity girls competition, a pack of juniors Natalie White (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills) and Lawrence Collier (Reno, NV), sophomore Kim Crouch (Placer, Auburn), and freshman Daryan Glenn (Reno, NV) went out fast and pushed each other through most of the race. The last mile made the difference as Natalie White (Oak Ridge) pulled away with a 14 second victory and a large school meet record time 18:40.0 (18:01.7 for three miles converted) (Old Record: 18:41.1 by Jenny Aldridge [Maria Carillo, Santa Rosa). Lawrence Collier (Reno, NV) finished second in 18:53.3 (18:14.4 for three miles) to lead her Reno teammates (Daryan Glenn, seniors Karen DeMartini and Kathryn Magrath and junior Michelle Glenn) to a convincing victory in the large school division with a meet record 99:10.1 (95:45.5 for three miles converted) eclipsing the standard set last year by Maria Carillo (Santa Rosa) and a low 17 points. Led by senior Heather Gydrina (Wood, Vacaville) was second with 59 points and Fairfield finished third with 83 points behind junior Cassandra Quinonez.

Sophomore Kim Crouch (Placer, Auburn) finished third overall in 19:02.5 (18:23.4 for three miles converted) crushing the small school individual standard set last year by Ciera Viehweg of St. Ignatius (San Francisco) by 26 seconds. Her first place in the small school division led her Hillgal teammates (senior Christina Buck, sophomore Amanda Giuming and Katie Vaughn, and junior Eileen Howard) to a meet record 101:06.7 (97:38.3 three miles converted)(Old Record: 105:31.1 by Enterprise [Redding], 2001) and 25 points. Senior Sarah Krtil (St. Francis, Sacramento) just missed the old meet record in finishing second in 19:30.2 (18:50.1 three miles converted) leading her Troubador teammates to a second place finish with 35 points, as they were also under the old standard with a team time of 102:54.7 (99:22.5 for three miles converted). Led by freshman Megan Hillyard’s ninth place, South Tahoe finished third with 82 points.

In the varsity boys competition, junior Jonathon Cardenas dominated the field with a convincing 23 second victory over junior Steven Potter (Galena, Reno, NV) in 16:00.8 (15:27.5 for three miles converted). This eclipsed Luke Gibson’s (Davis) meet record of 16:29.8 by 29 seconds. Potter (16:23.4 – 15:49.5 for three miles converted) and third place finisher, freshman Joe Parker (Reno) with a 16:25.0 (15:51.1 for three miles converted) were also under the old standard. With Reno’s top five finishing in the top ten (senior Chris Concha [4^th], senior Neil Robertson [9^th], and junior David Shackleton [10^th]), they bested the field with 27 points and a meet record 83:52.6 (80:59.4 for three miles converted)(Old Record: 86:36.3 by Davis in 2000). Galena (Reno, NV) finished second with 38 points and was also under the old meet standard in 85:31.3 (82:35.1 for three miles converted). Led by by junior DJ Will, Foothill (Pleasanton) finished third with 104 points.

Oakmont senior Dan Napieralski finished fifth overall and first in the small school division with an outstanding 16:35.5 (16:01.2 for three miles converted). Fellow Oakmont seniors Kevin Newton and Mike Wells followed in second and third and the Vikings appeared to be on their way to the team title. South Tahoe, however, took the next four places - Chris Cosmo [4^th], senior Hudson Wilvers [5^th], sophomores Bryan Kurek [6^th] and Kyle Sullivan [7^th] - and with junior Tyler Rieger in 10^th captured the team title with 32 points and team time of 88:52.3 (85:49.1 for three miles converted). The Oakmont Vikings finished second with 46 points and Colfax, led by junior Miles McGammon’s 9^th place taking third with 89 points.

In the underclass races a number of meet records were established also and are summarized in the following table:

Summary of Underclass Meet Records Established at 2002 Bella Vista Bronco Cross Country Invitational