Buchanan High girls can’t escape colds, run shorthanded at Asics Clovis Invitational

The Buchanan High School girls – the country’s top-ranked cross country team – wasn’t fast enough to outrun a contagious cold virus that sidelined many of its runners.

That resulted in not fielding a full team at the 43nd Asics Clovis Invitational Cross Country Meet at Woodward Park on Saturday. The Bears started five runners, but had to pull one out from the race due to a leg issue more than halfway into the race.

“We’ve had some illnesses on our team this past week, and so we made a decision before the start of the race to only run five girls,” said Buchanan High head coach Brian Weaver.

Among those not running were senior Sydney Sungren and sophomore Sierra Cornett, who have both broken 16 minutes at the 3-mile distance and would have helped Buchanan.

Nonetheless, Weaver and his team remained upbeat at having to watch Los Altos High walk away with the team title (93 points to JSerra Catholic’s 122 points and Newbury Park’s 123 points).

Buchanan had two top 10 finishers in sophomore Elle Lomelí (third, 17:28.1) and freshman Kynzlee Buckley (sixth, 17:36.1).

“We took it very seriously today, and we had some huge times with our girls who were up front,” said Weaver. “Overall, we had a pretty good showing. We just didn’t have enough (runners) for our team today.”

Buchanan has been able to rely on its depth, but Weaver said the cold virus has impacted many of his runners.

The Bears planned on having six runners for the championship race, but Sundgren showed up sick and the decision was made to rest her. Weaver decided not to substitute someone at the last minute.

“We didn’t want to add last-minute stress to those girls. They’re young and we’re still trying to develop them as we go along,” he said.

Weaver hopes his team gets healthier as Buchanan gets into the second half of the season, which includes defending its state and CIF Central Section titles.

“We have girls that are capable of running with those (top) girls as well,” he said. “Actually, if we really look at it, they can be pretty excited about it.”

Weaver emphasized that the illnesses have been colds and flus and not COVID. He blamed the recent changes in weather from hot to rain to warm for the problems.

However, he remains pleased with the strength of sophomore Elle Lomelí, who came within a whisker of grabbing second place.

“She placed eighth in the state last year as a freshman, so she’s a very talented young lady,” said Weaver. “She was followed today by freshman Kynzlee Buckley. It says a lot about those two and how they have progressed.”

Lomelí said the colds spread quickly because “we’re such a close team.”

The runners still pushed each other, she said, “knowing that we have goals that we want to work towards.”

“So, regardless of sickness, we knew that we had to come out here and give it all we had for the day, and keep working after the race for the postseason races,” said Lomelí.

Lomelí’s time was a personal best. She had wanted to see how she matched up against other top runners.

The championship race showed the power of underclassmen, with three freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors among the first nine finishers.

Montgomery High sophomore Hanne Thomsen remained unbeaten on the season with a winning time of 17:04.2.

La Costa Canyon junior Gioana Lopizzo barely held off Lomelí for second with a time of 17:28.0.

Highland High (Bakersfield) junior Mía Torrecillas was eighth in 17:46.8.

Other results

Matilda Torres High (Madera) junior Sophia Mirelez finished fifth in 18:43.6 in the girls M Varsity race.

Immanuel High freshman Clara Riddle placed seventh in the S Varsity race with a time of 19:25.4.

Clovis East finished second in the XL Varsity standings with 178 points, behind Granada Hills Charter’s 149 points.