Claremont High School’s girls varsity cross country team won the Division Two CIF finals race Saturday in Riverside, the third consecutive title for the Pack, according to a news release from the school.

CHS runners finished 1-11-14-19-24, scoring 69 points to win the CIF Southern Section team title ahead of Mission Viejo, 114 pts, Serrano, 118 pts, Saugus, 131 pts, and 20 other teams.

Freshman Maddie Coles won the individual title to lead the Wolfpack. Coles clocked a record for a freshman at 16:54.2 to win by over 10 seconds on the twisty, dusty three-mile course. Behind Coles were senior Sydney Hwang, 11th at 17:26.9, junior Azalea Segura-Mora, 14th at 17:36.5, senior Kalinda Reynolds, 19th at 17:46.0, and senior Julia Marriott, 24th at 17:51.7.

The reigning state champion Wolfpack runners will defend their title this Saturday, November 24 during the CIF State Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

This will be Claremont High’s eighth appearance at the state meet, and the team’s sixth in a row. CHS girls won the division two state title in 2016 and 2017.

Boys cross country take second at CIF Southern Section

Claremont High School’s boys’ varsity cross country squad took second place in the Division Two CIF Finals race Saturday in Riverside to qualify for the CIF State Championships.

Claremont finished 9-12-17-37-38 to score 104 points behind winner Newbury Park at 51 points. Third place Loyola had 111 points, followed by El Toro, 188 points, and 20 other schools.

Senior Ryan Cowgill led the Wolfpack with his ninth place finish in 14:58.7. Behind Cowgill were junior Adam Trafecanty, 12th at 15:00.3, senior Jacob Moran, 17th at 15:05.9, junior Yoon Cho, 37th at 15:23 and senior Aaron Reyes, 38th at 15:23.1.

Cowgill ran the second fastest time in school history at 14:58, and is only the second boy to come in under 15:00. The team ran the fastest time in school history at 75:51.

This will be Claremont High’s ninth appearance at the state meet, and the team’s sixth in a row. CHS won the division two state title in 2016 and took fourth last fall.

—Steven Felschundneff

steven@claremont-courier.com