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Girls Finish Season @ California State Championships!

November 27^th, 2021

Clovis, CA – The girl’s cross country team completed their 2021 season by finishing 11^th at the California State Championships on Saturday.  Led once again by sophomore Milan Jackson, the Panthers battled and overcame tough competition and a bit of illness to just miss out on a top 10 finish.  Freshman Khaya Jackson and sophomore Annika Punz finished 2^nd and 3^rd for the Panthers respectively, both running “really, really good races” according to coach Denis Mohun.  Junior Sofia Jackson, freshman Alexa Lawson, junior Leiah Goode, and senior Mallory Boell comprised the rest of this amazing girl’s team. 

Also competing on Saturday was junior Mateo Malko-Allen, who finished 43^rd overall with a time of 16:21.  All the Panther runners, except for senior Mallory Boell, will return next year in what looks to be a very promising season.  Congratulations to the entire cross country team and coaches for a great season!   

Girl’s Team, Mateo Malko-Allen Run Big @ NCS. Next Up: State Championships!

November 20^th, 2021

Hayward, CA – For the first time since 2014, the girl’s cross country team is headed to the California State Championships after a spirited, tough, gritty run at the North Coast Section Championships. 

Hosted by Hayward High School and spanning the entire north coast of California, the meet features the section’s top division 4 teams… north from Arcata and south to Fremont.  With nearly 200 runners in the race, only the top 3 teams advance to state.  Still, despite the competition and high pressure stakes, the girl’s team placed 2^nd, just a few points ahead of 3^rd place Acalanes and only a few points behind eventual winner Miramonte.  Their total team time was the 2^nd fastest in school history and bodes very well for a team that next year returns the top 6 runners from this year’s squad.

Nicknamed the “Jackson 3”, sophomore Milan Jackson, junior Sofia Jackson, and freshman Khaya Jackson all placed in the top 10 individually and led the way for the Panthers. Afterwards, a smiling coach Denis Mohun was certainly pleased with their runs.  “Those three all ran much faster than they did a month ago on this same course. Today, they all ran under 19 minutes and really set the tone for our team.  We needed those performances today.” 

Junior Leiah Goode ran her PR 19:40 to place 4^th, while sophomore Annika Punz was 5^th (PR, 19:42) and freshman Alexa Lawson was 6^th (19:43).  Senior Mallory Boell, who coach Mohun calls the team’s “spiritual and emotional leader” rounded out the state-bound squad, running 20:48.

For the boy’s, the race was equally as competitive and tough.  Overall, the team ran well, placing 6^th overall… outrunning perennial powers Miramonte, Marin Catholic and Moreau Catholic.  Junior Mateo Malko-Allen was the lone Panther of the day to win an individual medal,(awarded to the top 7 runners in each race), placing 6^th overall. 

“Mateo did not have his best race today,” noted coach Jeff Rogers, “but he gutted it out and earned his spot into the state meet.  He represented Saint Mary’s very well today.”

Senior Ryan Painter (17:03), running his final NCS Championship race, finished 2^nd on the team, while junior Adrian Licea (17:19) was 3^rd for the Panthers.  Fellow junior Jurgis Vass was next (17:44), followed by sophomore Charlie Higley (18:02) and senior Simon Moss (18:05).

Next up is the California State Championships next Saturday, November 27^th at Woodward Park in Clovis (Fresno).  Good luck to the girl’s team and to Mateo!    

More Championships for Panther Harriers @ TCAL Finals!

November 10^th, 2021

Richmond, CA – It has been said that familiarity breeds apathy and that apathy adds up, in the long run, to cowardice.  Luckily, these ancient proverbs couldn’t have been farther from reality at the TCAL Cross Country Championships on Wednesday at Point Pinole Regional Park.  Running on their very familiar home course, the Panthers were anything but cowardly as they captured 3 of the 5 team races along with placing dozens of runners on the all-league list.

The show-stealers were certainly the varsity girl’s squad.  Coming into the meet ranked #5 in the state and #1 in the North Coast Section, the defending TCAL Champions were anything but apathetic.  Led by what has become known as “The Jackson 3”, sophomore Milan Jackson, junior Sofia Jackson, and freshman Khaya Jackson were the top 3 finishers for the victors. 

“All of our girls ran solid races today,” said reigning TCAL coach of the year Denis Mohun.  “The tone for our race is usually set by our leaders and they did a good job today of focusing our team and taking care of business.  It would have been easy to come into the race today over confident and lackadaisical.  Luckily, our leaders were focused and their tenacity when racing spreads to everyone on the team.  As a coach, I’m lucky in this way.”

Milan’s PR 18:39, 3^rd place overall finish was followed by Sofia (4^th - 19:35), Khaya (5^th -19:36) , Alexa Lawson (6^th - 19:51) and Leaih Goode (PR 19:56).  The girls team scored a mere 25 points, which more than doubled the score of runner-up Albany.  Sophomore Annika Punz and senior Mallory Boell also ran fine races according to Coach Mohun.

The JV girls, coached by former Panther standout Ariana Corwin, also extended their TCAL Championship streak to 8 with a resounding win.  The girls won 7 of the top 8 places and 9 of the top 11 in a muscle flex that is becoming all too commonplace. 

“Our girls are not only talented but SO competitive,” commented coach Corwin afterwards.  “It’s no wonder they do so well.  Their willing to run hard and they really want to win.  It makes my job pretty easy!”

Freshman Jing Li-Chou was the JV Girls champion, followed by teammates Aoife Shen and Hailey Vines, who finished 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.  Juniors Cally McIntyre, Honey Rose Smith and Olivia Tarango… along with freshmen Lia Sullivan and Maddie Potter also were heralded by Coach Corwin. 

On the boy’s side, the frosh-soph boys avenged an early season loss to Albany when they won their championship race against the arch rival Cougars.  Sophomore Charlie Higley was the day’s fastest, running a 2.0 mile PR of 11.17 to win.  Fellow 10^th grader Darragh Westover was 2^nd (11:25), while a bevy of freshmen (Brandon Bosio, Luke Bradley, Kai Valle, Jacob Demissie, and Gabriel Cabral), joined forces to secure the victory for the Panthers. 

“I thought we ran great today,” said former Panther great and current Saint Mary’s teacher/coach Rob Riccardi.  “Our team improved by more than 5 minutes in just the past 6 weeks… and that’s not counting the guys didn’t score today but still ran really well.  It’s that type of growth and improvement that makes us winning even that much more special.  I’m happy.”

Finally, the varsity boy’s, up against the state’s #2 ranked Albany boys, put up a courageous battle before finally succumbing  19-38.  Junior Mateo Malko-Allen placed 2^nd overall with a Point Pinole PR of 15:36.  Senior captain Ryan Painter ran his way onto the TCAL 2^nd team all-league squad, placing 9^th overall.   Sophomore Colin Kopchik and junior Vale Johnson Vigeant also scored course PR’s.

Both Panther varsity teams advance to the North Coast Section Championships on Saturday, November 20^th at Hayward High School. 

State Ranked #5 Girls Finish 12-0 in TCAL League; Boys Now 11-1

November 4^th, 2021

Richmond, CA – The girls cross country team, who have won every TCAL Championship since the league was formed in 2013, ran their league record to 12-0 with easy wins over El Cerrito and John Swett on Thursday.  The girl’s dominance comes as no surprise considering the team is currently ranked #1 in the North Coast Section (Division 4) and #5 in California.  They go into next week’s TCAL Championship meet as the heavy favorites to once again repeat as champions.  The junior varsity girls, who have also won every league championship ever contested, will also enter the meet as considerable favorites.

The boy’s teams, both JV and Varsity, finished the regular season 11-1 after defeating the aforementioned teams.  They were led by varsity winner Mateo Malko-Allen and JV winner Charlie Higley.  Senior Ryan Painter and junior Jurgis Vass ran strong varsity races as did freshman Brandon Bosio and sophomore Darragh Westover in the JV race.  They, along with several of their teammates, will have all-league aspirations at next week’s championships.

Huge Medal Haul for Runners @ Mariner Invitational!

October 16^th, 2021

Hayward, CA – On Saturday, the cross country team sent 4 teams and 26 runners to the 38^th annual Phil Wilder/Mariner Invitational, hosted by Moreau Catholic High School.  Because the race is run on the famed Hayward High School course, site of the North Coast Section Championships next month, it attracts many of the top teams from area, all wanting to preview the facility and assess their teams strength on the rolling 3.0 mile course.  Consequently, one can expect the competition to be fierce and the times to be fast in the mid-October showdown of top caliber teams.  And, as expected, the competition was top-flight and the Panthers, along with many others, did run scorching fast times while bringing home a bevy of hard-earned medals.

The varsity boys opened the meet with a spirited 4^th place finish in their race.  Mateo Malko-Allen, himself not a stranger to fast times, ran the fastest time of his young life - and the fastest time by a Panther in more than a decade – when he placed 3^rd overall in 15:23.  Only former Brown University star Matt Duffy and former Claremont McKenna runner Dan Maxwell have ever run faster at Hayward, according to longtime coach Jeff Rogers. 

“Mateo competed very well today,” assessed coach Rogers.  “He ran in the 2^nd spot for most of the race and really executed the race plan we talked about beforehand.  Both he and I were quite happy afterwards.”

Senior captain Ryan Painter, no stranger to races at Hayward High, started aggressively and hung on to finish :30 faster than he ever has - a PR 16:41, which also earned him a medal.

Adrian Licea, who seems to get faster and faster every week, also medaled by running a satisfying but agonizing PR 17:01.  The 17:00 barrier, one every varsity boy high school runner is aware of, remains elusive for the fast charging junior.  Fellow junior Jurgis Vass and senior Simon Moss also ran the fastest races of their lives, each flirting with the 17:00 barrier ½ through the race before falling back a bit and finishing in 17:23 and 17:25 respectively. 

The girls, who earlier this week were named the state’s #5 ranked division 4 team after their huge Clovis performance, were once again facing several larger, state ranked teams as well as several of the top large school teams from the Central Coast Section… and once again the Panthers came to run.  Junior Sofia Jackson led the way this week for the Panthers, running a PR 19:12 while earning herself a medal.  Khaya Jackson, Milan Jackson and Alexa Lawson all ran in the mid-19:00’s to follow Sofia, while Leiah Goode moved up from her 6^th spot a week ago to place 5^th and close the scoring for the Panthers.  Leaih’s time of 19:52 was also a lifetime best.

The junior varsity girls team – Jing Li-Chou, Hailey Vines, Tatiana Wilson, Lia Sullivan, Cally McIntyre, and Georgia Rogers – easily won their small school (division 3-5) race.  The team of 6 spent much of the race running with and against each other, exchanging leads and positions frequently, before finally finishing in the order listed above.  All of the runners medaled despite this being, for most of them, their first ever 3 mile race!

Finally, the junior varsity boys also made a valiant effort at a team win before finally falling just a few points short and finishing second.  Sophomore Collin Kopchik and Charlie Higley were the front runners, placing 3^rd and 7^th respectively – in 17:36 and 17:45.  Sophomore Darragh Westover placed 3^rd  (18:34) and collected himself a medal, while freshmen Brandon Bosio (19:23), Luke Bradley (19:24), Gabriel Cabral (19:37), and Jacob Demissie (19:57) all ran solid races in their ever trip to Hayward.

The Panthers won’t be racing officially again until Thursday, November 4^th when they host El Cerrito and John Swett at Point Pinole Regional Park.

Panthers Run to Victory @ SPSV

October 14^th, 2021

Vallejo, CA – All four Panther cross country teams – junior varsity and varsity – scored resounding wins in their 2^nd of 3 TCAL Cluster meets on Thursday at St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School.  The JV Boys team swept the likes of SPSV, Jesse Bethel (Vallejo), and Hercules to run their league record to 7-1.  The team, running an unorthodox 2.0 mile course, was led by sophomore Darragh Westover (12:47) and freshman Brandon Bosio (12:58), who finished 2^nd and 3^rd overall.  Freshmen Luke Bradley (13:07), Kai Valle (13:07) and Gabriel Cabral (13:14) completed the scoring for the victorious Panthers.

The JV Girls followed suit, with freshmen Sorcha Shen, Aoife Shen, Tatiana Wilson and Lia Sullivan combining with senior Hailey Vines and juniors Cally McIntyre and Georgia Rogers to sweep the first 7 places. 

Both varsity teams – boys & girls – ran to convincing wins as well.  The boys had the top 5 placers while the girls had the top 6 as both squads recorded perfect 15 point totals. 

Next up for the Panthers is the Mariner Invitational on Saturday, October 16^th at Hayward High School – site of the 2021 NCS Championship meet. 

Girls Send Message to State Division 4 @ Clovis: "We’re Good"

October 9^th, 2021

Clovis, CA – After spending most of the 2021 season flying under the radar – un-ranked and un-noticed - the girl’s Varsity Cross Country team stepped onto one of California’s big cross country stages on Saturday, taking on 7 state ranked teams at the prestigious Clovis Invitational. Running with the ferocity and determination they’ve shown all year long, the Panthers nearly scored the shocker of the meet in nearly winning their small schools varsity race.  Leading half way through the race, the Panthers faded a bit but still managed to hang onto 3^rd place overall, just a few points from second and a mile away from what the pre-meet predictions had scored them. 

“Well, I guess we’re no longer a secret,” beamed head coach Denis Mohun afterwards.  “We hadn’t run our full team together until today.  We like the freshman and sophomore to run in their grade level at the beginning of the season so our team hasn’t been complete until today’s races so it was hard for the analysts to know how good we are.  I guess they do now,” coach said with a wry smile.

Sophomore Milan Jackson once again led the way, placing 8^th overall on the famed Woodward Park course.  Her 19:17 on the rolling 3.1 mile course was a personal best in that it was the only time she’s ever run a 5k.  In fact, for most of the girls and boys this was their first ever 3.1 mile race! 

The dynamic freshmen duo of Alexa Lawson and Khaya Jackson had “great races” according to Coach Mohun, finishing 20^th and 26^th (out of 176 runners) to place 2^nd and 3^rd on the team.  Teammate Annika Punz, who Coach Mohun calls the most improved runner on the team, was 3 places behind Khaya.. finishing 29^th in 20:15.  Sofia Jackson (20:25), Leiah Goode (PR – 20:57), and Mallory Boell (PR – 22:01) rounded out the scoring and placing for the soon-to-be state ranked girl’s team. 

The boy’s race was equally as competitive as the girl’s race - with 6 state ranked teams in the field of 24 teams and 170 runners.  The boy’s, again like the girl’s, went out fast and hungry and were 3^rd after the first mile.  However, the pre-race exuberance quickly turned to fatigue as the boys faded to 8^th.  Still, they managed to outpace and outrun several highly regarded teams while scoring some big individual PR’s. 

Junior Mateo Malko-Allen finished 5^th overall in 16:07, which was more than 1:30 faster than his 2019 race.  Senior Ryan Painter also had a solid race, placing 36^th in his personal best 17:19.  Junior Adrian Licea, “steadily rounding into shape,” according to Coach Rogers, had his best race of the year – running 17:56 to break the 18:00 barrier for the first time this year.  Sophomore Charlie Higley (18:08), senior Simon Moss (18:18), and junior Vale Johnson Vigeant (18:43)– all making their first appearance on the Woodward Park course – completed the Panthers squad at Clovis.   

Next up for the Panthers is their 2^nd TCAL Cluster Meet, on Thursday, October 14^th, at St. Patrick-St. Vincent (SPSV).  First race is at 4:00.     

Fast Runners Show The Way to Half Moon Bay

October 2^nd, 2021

Half Moon Bay, CA - The Panthers Cross Country teams came away from the 50^th annual Artichoke Invitational, hosted by Half Moon May High School, with a horde of personal bests, individual medals, a victorious team plaque, and plenty of smiling faces.  But, according to girl’s assistant coach Ariana Corwin, what may have been the biggest result from the always-popular invitational is “the confidence that so many of the runners seem to be running with.  I don’t think I’ve seen our team compete as fiercely as they did today.  I mean, they were getting out with the leaders and battling for medals and team titles.  It was awesome.”

Indeed, the times and results themselves substantiate Coach Corwin’s astute observations.  Four teams entered: 12 medalists, 1 overall team win, 3 second place team finishes, and 100% of the runners captures personal bests.  Incredible!

The Panthers grouped their squads by grade on Saturday – having the freshman and sophomores run in the frosh-soph race while the juniors and seniors competed in the varsity division.  The highlight of the day was the team victory in the frosh-soph girls race.  Despite racing without their top runner Milan Jackson (out with a minor hip injury), the Panthers more than made up for her loss with an impressive array of talent and determination. 

Freshmen Khaya Jackson and Alexa Lawson, fast becoming two of the top 9^th graders in the East Bay, ran together and amongst the leaders for most of the race before finally finishing 2^nd and 4^th overall.  Teammate Annika Punz, also competing in her first ever cross country season, continues to excite and impress the coaching staff with her efforts, this time finishing 6^th in 15:35.  Freshmen sisters Aoife and Sorcha Shen are also raising eyebrows with their continued success, each earning an Artichoke Invitational medal by finishing 9^th and 12^th respectively.  Tatiana Wilson and Lia Sullivan, also freshmen who are brand new to the sport, cemented the victory with their prize-winning 16^th and 17^th place finishes.

In the varsity girls race, the Panthers finished in the runner-up spot, a scant 5 point ahead of third place Soquel High School (Santa Cruz).  Sofia Jackson, who in 2019 ran 17:16 on the course, ran 1:41 faster this time around, finishing in 15:35, to place 2^nd overall.   

“Sofia is such a force on our team,” said head coach Denis Mohun after the race. “She’s such a competitor who puts it all out there when she runs.  She sets a great example for all of our runners on how to grind and dig deep.  She earned her medal today.”

Fellow junior Leiah Goode had her best race of the season as well, running a tough, courageous final ½ mile to move all the way to 3^rd place overall.  She too ran more than 1:00 faster than she did in 2019.  Senior Mallory Boell placed third on the team and 17^th overall with her 1:20 PR, while juniors Cally McIntyre and Georgia Rogers also ran close to a minute faster than they ever have at Artichoke to close out the scoring.  Junior Olivia Tarango was the 6^th runner for the Panthers.

The boy’s races, like the girls, were divided up by grade.  In the varsity race, super junior Mateo Malko-Allen – seeking to celebrate his 17^th birthday with an Artichoke Invitational win – fell (literally) just short of that goal.  Leading the 2.33 mile race the entire time and with just 300 meters to go, Mateo tripped while jumping over the hay bails – crashing to the ground, surrendering the lead, and having to settle for the runner-up spot.  After the meet, and still flashing his usual glowing smile, Mateo pondered whether or not the steeplechase is part of his future? 

After Mateo, the varsity boys squad was what coach Jeff Rogers called “the best they’ve been all season.”  Senior Ryan Painter ran his lifetime best by a full minute that earned him an individual medal; fellow senior Simon Moss – competing for the first time at Artichoke – grabbed one of the last medals handed out in his race; while juniors Jurgis Vass, Adrian Licea and Vale Johnson Vigeant packed well together and finished a mere :05 apart.  Both Jurgis and Vale ran about 1:40 faster than 2 years ago.

The frosh-soph boys race also featured a pair of medalists: Charlie Higley and Colin Kopchik.  Both sophomores were running their first ever Artichoke, including the vaunted Cougar Hill and it’s crushing ascent.  Both runners as well as their entire team, fortunately, survived the dread and were able to finish 4^th and 6^th overall. 

In fact, their times were the 3^rd and 4^th fastest times on the team.  Fellow 10^th grader Darragh Westover and freshman Brandon Bosio ran well together… as did first timers Gabriel Cabral and Jacob Demissie.  The group’s collective effort got them a runner-up team finish, just 2 points ahead of host Half Moon Bay high school. 

Up next for the Panthers is the Clovis Invitational in Clovis, CA on Saturday, October 9^th.  The meet features most of the top teams from around the Golden State.  Only the Panthers top 7 boys and girls varsity squads will travel to the meet.  

Girl’s Teams Dominate 1^st TCAL Meet; Open Season 5-0

September 30^th, 2021

Richmond, CA – The Saint Mary’s Cross Country Teams opened their 2021 TCAL season on Thursday, running at Point Pinole Regional Park against league rivals Albany, De Anza, Salesian, Pinole Valley and Richmond.  The 5-way meet was the first of 3 league cluster meets that bring together multiple teams to a single competition.  On Thursday, the other teams were no match for the powerful girls squad, which is quickly emerging as one of the top teams in the North Coast Section.

Led by fast-rising sophomore Milan Jackson, junior co-captain Sofia Jackson, and a multitude of young, talented upstarts, the Panthers have the look of section contender.  “Today was our first 3 mile race of the season,” said veteran head coach Denis Mohun.  “For some of our runners, it was the first time they’ve ever raced for 3 miles.  Given that, I thought we ran pretty well.  However, I think this team has a lot more than we showed today.” 

The aforementioned Milan Jackson was the first Panther across the finish line, covering the rolling three mile course in 19:42.  Sofia Jackson was next in 20:02, followed by freshman Khaya Jackson (20:12), sophomore Annika Punz (21:00) and freshman Alexa Lawson (21:05).  Junior Leiah Goode (21:21) and senior co-captain Mallor Boell (21:40) made up the top 7 for the victorious Panthers. 

Earlier, the junior varsity girls completely dominated their race, grabbing 9 of the top 10 places (including the top 6) to cruise to an easy shut out victory.  Senior Hailey Vines, a newcomer to cross country, won the race, followed by three freshmen: Tatiana Wilson, Jing Li-Chou, and Lia Sullivan, and a pair of juniors: Cally McIntyre and Georgia Rogers. 

On the boy’s side, both varisty and junior varsity teams won 4 of their 5 races but both lost to powerful Albany teams.  In the varsity race, junior Mateo Malko-Allen (16:12) was the top Panther, followed by seniors Ryan Painter (17:11) and Simon Moss (17:51), sophomore Charlie Higley (18:05), and juniors Adrian Licea (18:25) and Vale Johnson Vigeant (18:28).  

In the junior varsity race, junior Jurgis Vass – normally a varsity runner who was, instead, running the shorter 2 mile race on this day - led the way for the Panthers, followed by freshman Brandon Bosio and sophomore Darragh Westover.  Ninth graders Gabriel Cabral and Luke Bradley completed the scoring for the JV team, many of whom were running their first race of the season.

Next up for the Panthers is the annual Artichoke Invitational on Saturday, October 2^nd in Half Moon Bay.  The Panthers have 25+ runners entered into the always popular 2.3 mile race.  Good luck to the Panthers this weekend!  

Player Profile: Ryan Painter

by Sydney Scott

September 28th, 2021

This week, I caught up with Varsity Cross Country Captain Ryan Painter. Ryan has run both cross country and track since he entered Saint Mary’s 4 years ago.  As a track athlete in the spring, he runs the 800 and 1600 but in the fall it’s nothing but 2 and 3 mile cross country races.  Ryan recently finished 12^th at the Viking Invitational with a personal best 11:04 on a two mile course. When not running, Ryan plays piano and enjoys mountain biking and surfing. He enjoys studying math and history and thinks he’ll pursue one of those areas once in college. 

Q: How did you get into your sport?   

A: I ran track in 8th grade and freshman year I ran cross country and I’ve been doing it since. I initially enjoyed both of them and have gotten more attached to them as time as gone on.   
 
Q: What do you like best about Cross Country at Saint Mary’s?
A: I’d say the comradery and everyone working together and pushing each other to improve. I love the team culture as we support each other and work hard together every practice. 

Q: What has been the highlight of your Saint Mary’s running career thus far?
A: Our race in Clovis in 2019.  The whole team drove out and it was a lot of fun.  Everyone raced well and we got a chance to compete on the state meet course against some of the best teams in the state.  But mostly, it was really fun to just spend time with the team. 

Q: Do you have a favorite story you could share about one of the coaches or your teammates?
My favorite story so far has been when we ran the Taco Bell Run at the end of last year.  The Taco Bell Run has each person run an all out mile after eating Taco Bell tacos.  As runners, our diet is usually pretty good so to have to eat fast food and then run as hard as we can is… let’s say… challenging.  Some guys had the tacos go down and then back up.  When people hear the stories, they think it’s pretty disgusting.  But somehow, it’s kind of fun.  It definitely is something you never forget.

Q: Do you have a pre-meet meal or ritual?
A: I eat pasta before every race and drink a lot of water the day of.

Q: What advice would you give to a new player/teammate?
A: If you’re new to running, don’t get discouraged after just a few weeks.  Running is hard and it takes a LOT of running to get good.  It gets easier as you build a base and before you know it you can do things you would have thought you could do.  I never would have thought I could run under 5 minutes for a mile or have a chance to run 3 miles in under 17:00 but I can.  Believe in yourself and trust the coaches' workouts because it's helping you improve. 

Q: Any hopes/goals that you have for yourself and for your team this season?

A: For myself to break 17 for the 3 mile and for the team to be competitive in TCAL and the NCS.

Girl’s Win F/S Girls Race @ Viking Opener

September 18^th, 2021

Santa Rosa, CA - Both the Girls and Boys Cross Country teams utilized their depth, talent and determination to win two of the six races they were entered in at the Viking Invitational at Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa on Saturday.  Along with the team victories, both squads featured individual champions and award winners as well as a slew of personal bests recorded.

The girl’s frosh-soph team began the day by placing 4 runners in the top 11 to secure a dominant team victory.  Sophomore Milan Jackson led the way with a PR 12:18 over the rolling 2.0 mile course, placing 3^rd in her race while running the 5^th fastest time of the day.  Freshmen teammates Alexa Lawson and Khaya Jackson were in hot pursuit, placing 6^th and 8^th individually.. while sophomore Annika Punz placed 11^th.  All of those times were also personal bests.

Junior Sofia Jackson opened her 2021 campaign with a solid 6^th place finish in the junior-senior race.  Her 12:59 was her fastest ever over a 2.0 mile distance.  Teammate and fellow 11^th grader Leiah Goode placed 18^th at 13:38, followed by senior co-captain Mallory Boell (14:07) and a pair of juniors – Georgia Rogers (15:29) and Cally MacIntyre (15:33).

Another trio of freshmen, running in the Open Race against a mix of runners from all grades, ran themselves into a first place tie with perennial power Maria Carrillo.  Aoife Shen, donning a Saint Mary’s uniform for the very first time, ran away from the field to win in 13:56.  Her sister, Sorcha, placed 7^th (14:44) while Lia Sullivan ran the best race of her young career to place 3^rd at 14:23. 

For the Boys, junior Mateo Malko-Allen ran 10:25 to place 2^nd in the junior boy’s race. That time made him the 2^nd fastest boy of the day, no matter the race or grade.   Senior captain Ryan Painter was also up to the task on Saturday, running 11:04 for the 2.0 mile course, which was the fastest race of his life.  Earlier in the day, a trio of sophomores ran very inspired races.  Colin Kopchik placed 11^th in the very fast, very competitive sophomore race.  His time of 11:39 was his lifetime best.  Charlie Higley was nipping at Colin’s heels the entire race, finishing 13^th at 11:41 while newcomer Darragh Westover continues to impress, running a minute faster (12:30) than he did just two weeks ago at the time trial. 

Next up for the Panthers is their TCAL opener against rivals Albany, De Anza, Salesian and Pinole Valley on Thursday, September 30^th at Point Pinole Regional Park.  

Stars Shine @ Ed Sias Invitational

September 11^th, 2021

Martinez, CA – After a pandemic created hiatus in 2020, the annual Ed Sias Invitational returned in 2021 with the usual cast of Northern California powerhouses, perennial stars, high-level competition, hot weather, and plenty of fast times.  Led by a couple of veterans and a bevy of young talent, the Saint Mary’s cross country team emerged from Ed Sias serving notice that they’ll be in the state meet conversation come November.

Junior Mateo Malko-Allen was the top runner for the boy’s squad.  Running in the Varsity Boy’s Small School Race, Mateo stayed with the lead group for the majority of the race in finishing 5^th overall.  His medal-winning run over the rolling 2.0 mile course was timed in 10:49 – which is his personal best at Ed Sias.  Teammate Ryan Painter also gutted out his personal best (11:41), running almost a minute faster than he did in 2019. Seniors Simon Moss and Andreas Pichardo also ran solid races according to assistant coach Ben Turman. 

The Boy’s JV Race was run in the early afternoon in almost 90 degree heat.  The hot weather, however, didn’t seem to bother sophomore Charlie Higley, who followed up his eye-opening time trial with another solid run at Ed Sias – finishing 6^th overall in 12:13.  Sophomore teammate Darraugh Westover, competing in his first-ever cross country meet, also received praise from the coaches for his gritty performance.

The talent-heavy girl’s squad also had several top notch individual performances.  Sophomore Milan Jackson, quickly emerging as one of the unscripted stars in the East Bay running corridors, picked up a medal of her own with her 5^th place finish in the Girl’s Varsity Race.  In the history of our school, her time of 13:02 “has only been bettered by a couple of girls” according to longtime head coach Denis Mohun.  “Milan has the potential to be one of the best we’ve ever had,” beamed her coach.   Juniors Leiah Goode (14:48) and senior Mallory Boell (14:51) also ran very well according to coach Mohun.

The Girl’s JV race was completely dominated by the Panthers up front, placing 3 girls in the top 10.  Freshman Khaya Jackson took charge of the race late and pulled away to win (13:36), while freshman Alexa Lawson finished 4^th (14:06), and sophomore Annika Punz placed 5^th (14:27).  The strength of those three places, combined with the runs of freshman Lia Sullivan and junior HoneyRose Smith, propelled the Panthers to a 4^th place team finish.

“Overall, I thought the runners competed well today,” concluded coach Mohun.  “For many of them, it was the first time they’ve run since 2019 and for some it was the first time they’ve ever run a race in a Saint Mary’s uniform.  Couple that with the hot weather and stiff competition, and I think they represented themselves and our team very well.”

Next up for the Panthers is the Viking Opener next Saturday, September 18^th, in Santa Rosa. 

Youth Serve Notice @ 23^rd Annual Time Trial

September 7^th, 2021

Each year since 1999, the Saint Mary’s Cross Country team has kicked off their season with a team time trial at Tilden Park.  The course -  a winding, rolling 1.9 mile run through the trees and trails of the beautiful Berkeley park – both challenges runners and serves as a peak into the runner’s fitness level, talent, determination and competitiveness. 

“This is one of my favorite days of the year,” said longtime varsity girls coach Denis Mohun.  “It helps develop team chemistry, allows the runners to finally get a race in after a long summer of running, gets the younger runners a chance to experience a competition, and offers us coaches a preview of who’s ready to go.”

On Tuesday, many of the runners let the coaches know that are certainly “ready to go.”  Junior Mateo Malko-Allen, forecasted to be one of the top runners in Division IV, became the 6^th fastest runner in school history on the course, blazing to a personal best 10:20.  That time also makes him the 4^th fastest junior ever.  Sophomore Charlie Higley also cracked the all-time list, running almost 2:00 minutes faster than he did a year ago… crossing the finish line in 11:30.. which was the 4^th fastest time of the day.  Freshman Brandon Bosio also secured a spot on the all-time 9^th grade list, finishing as the day’s fastest newcomer in 12:52.

The headliners of the day, however, had to be the 9^th and 10^th grade girls.  Combined, they placed 8 different girls on the all-time list – including 6 in the top 10 all-time!  Leading the way was sophomore sensation Milan Jackson.  An accomplished hooper, Milan is also an outstanding runner who showed her talent and competitiveness with her 12:42 scorcher.  Milan now ranks as the 4^th fastest sophomore ever and the #7 girl to ever run the course. 

“Milan runs with such courage; such guts,” remarked Coach Mohun.  “She’s a great model for both the younger runners, older runners, girls and boys on what it looks to run tough.”

Another sophomore, Annika Punz, delivered a remarkable run herself which may have made her the most improved runner of the day.  Her 13:19 makes her the #7 sophomore ever, ahead of runners who have state meet medals! 

Freshman Khaya Jackson, Milan’s sister, also announced her arrival to the storied Panther squad.  Her 13:06 makes her the 2^nd fastest freshman ever, behind only state meet award winner and former UNLV star Spencer Moore.  Teammate Alexa Lawson, whose family and legacy is well documented on the Saint Mary’s campus, was close behind in 13:15.. making her the 4^th fastest 9^th grader in school history.  Sorcha Shen (13:58) and Jing Li-Chou (14:16) ran themselves into the record books and won themselves a “Tilden All-Time Top 10” t-shirt for their efforts. 

In all, the day was a successful one for sure.  “For the most part, we’re proud of the effort,” concluded boys head coach Jeff Rogers.  “As a coach, all we can ask for is their best effort.  If they’re willing to give that, we feel like we can coach them to times and performances that will make us all proud.”

The Panthers first invitational meet is the Ed Sias Invitational this Saturday, September 11^th at Hidden Valley Park in Martinez.  Come out and support the Panthers as they open their 2021 season!

Excitement and Uncertainty Usher in 2021 Cross Country Season

August 12th, 2021

Each cross country season brings with it an air of uncertainty and the 2021 season will be no different.  Having graduated 7 varsity runners from the boys and girls 2020 teams, this year’s teams are hoping that those voids will be filled - in numbers

and performance, - by a young group of hungry, dedicated, talented runners. 

“Anytime you lose the kind of talent and depth that we did, a bit of uncertainty is sure to follow,” said boys head coach Jeff Rogers.  “The jump from JV to Varsity is substantial, both physically and psychologically.  So the challenge certainly lies in front of us.  Still, I am optimistic that this group can carry on the strong tradition we’ve established over the past two decades.”

These feelings of optimism are fueled by the combination of several returning runners and a group of talented up and comers.  Leading the way for the girls will be the two top runners from last year’s squad:  Milan Jackson and Sofia Jackson.  Along with sharing the same last name, Milan and Sofia also share an abundance of drive, determination and talent that make them two of the top runners in the TCAL.  “Our two fastest runners to start the season will most certainly be Milan and Sofia,” said longtime coach Denis Mohun.  “Those two were are top two last season and both had strong track seasons.  I look for both of them to lead the way early on.”

In addition to Milan and Sofia, Coach Mohun’s squad has some solid upperclassmen leadership is senior co-captain Mallory Boell as well as a bevy of talent in underclassmen Alexa Lawson, Khaya Jackson and Annika Punz.  Add to the mix juniors Leiah Goode, Georgia Rogers, Olivia Tarango and what appears to be a feisty, eager freshman class and the 7 time defending TCAL champions seem more than capable of defending their title. 

For the boys, the 2021 team’s hopes rest on the ability of some of the younger runners to transition to varsity as quickly as possible. The team will be led by one of the top NCS runners in Division IV, junior Mateo Malko-Allen.  Mateo - fresh off a 4:25 (1600), 9:38 (3200) track campaign- enters the 2021 season as one of the individuals vying for a medal at the NCS Championships meet in November. 

“Mateo’s talent and desire are a gift,” said boy’s varsity assistant and former CAL Bear Ben Turman.  “I’ve been in the running world for 4 decades now and can say that I haven’t come upon many high schoolers like Mateo.  His determination and passion for the sport will take him places.  We’re excited to have him on our team.”

After Mateo, the Panthers will rely on their captain, senior Ryan Painter as well as senior Simon Moss and junior Adrian Licea.  Ryan’s commitment to running this summer – on the heels of his 4:51 mile in the spring – suggest he’s ready for a breakout senior campaign.  Likewise, Simon’s run a significant amount this summer and should be ready to contribute “significantly”, according to Coach Turman.   Junior Adrian Licea, whose summer was derailed with injury, is back and should provide the much-needed depth a good team needs.  After that, senior newcomer Andreas Pichardo is “intriguing” according to Coach Rogers, while sophomores Colin Kopchick and Charlie Higley… along with juniors Jurgis Vass and Vale Johnson Vigeant hope to make that much talked about jump from JV to Varsity. 

“My hope for our 2021 team is that their appetite for running continues to grow,” says Rogers.  “I think that is the prerequisite for improvement and success in this sport.  I see a few of the guys already chomping at the bit but we’ll need everyone to match their enthusiasm.  I’m equal parts excited and uncertain heading into this season.”   Which, in many respects, is what most runners feel as they get on the starting line of a race… excited and uncertain. 

The season opens on with the 23^rd annual time trial at Tilden Park on Tuesday, September 7^th, followed by the Ed Sias Invitational on Saturday, September 11^th.  Come out and support the Panthers as they kick off their 2021 campaign.

Cross Country Schedule & Results (2021)