Engelhardt, Ventura girls win CIF-SS cross country titles; Godsey wins 3rd straight title

In repeating as section champion, Sadie Engelhardt put more than a minute’s distance between herself and the field.

But the Ventura junior has never felt closer to her teammates.

Engelhardt won the Division 2 race in 15:25.8 to lead the Ventura High girls cross country team to its first CIF-Southern Section championship in 20 years on Saturday morning at Mt. San Antonio College.

“It’s awesome,” Engelhardt said. “It makes it a lot more fun to run with for the team.”

Melanie True finished ninth in 17:03.6, Tiffany Sax took 13th in 17:19.4, Aelo Curtis was 17th in 17:37.6, and Violet Hurguy placed 30th in 18:04.9 as Ventura won Division 2 with a team score of 61 points.

It is the third team title for the Ventura girls, who previously won in 2003 and 2004.

“Sadie ran really hard today,” Ventura coach Josh Spiker said. “By herself from the gun, that was fun to see her race that fast. She looked good. Her form held the entire race.

“Melanie has been running really well. … Tiffany had a solid day. I was really happy with her performance going into state.”

Oaks Christian senior Payton Godsey also defended her section crown.

The senior bound for Northern Arizona University won the Division 4 girls race for the third straight year with a time of 16:12.7.

Godsey is the seventh local runner to win three section titles.

“It’s a testimony to who she is,” Oaks Christian coach Wes Smith.

Godsey will finish her career 3 for 3, since the sectional finals weren’t run during her COVID-altered freshman season.

“I guess I haven’t really thought too much about freshman year,” Godsey said. “But after winning sophomore year, it was a goal of mine to keep getting better, which meant to keep winning.”

The pandemic kept Godsey from potentially joining Nordhoff’s Elaine Canchola (1994-97) and Simi Valley’s Sarah Baxter (2010-13) as the only local runners with four section titles.

“Honestly, it was a team priority this weekend,” Godsey said. “I knew winning would give them one point and that was my main goal.”

Oaks Christian placed second in Division 4 with 79 points to qualify for next week’s state meet.

Senior Grace Geyer was eighth (17:26.8), Elizabeth Walker was 14th (17:48.3), Delaney Napierala was 17th (17:52.7), and Alexandra Reierson was 40th (18:48.8) for the Lions.

“We’re pleased,” Smith said. “It was a good day.”

The race was run on Mt. SAC’s more forgiving rain course, which is flatter and mostly asphalt and track.

“Our coach has prepared us for any type of course,” Godsey said. “The course went by really fast. All concrete is a little different than we’re used to.”

Engelhardt appreciated the change.

“I really liked this course, it has good places to transition from uphill to downhill,” Engelhardt said. “As soon as we heard that it was going to be the rain course, we sort of knew that going faster wouldn’t necessarily beat me up as much.

“Even though it was all asphalt, it did have a little bit of rolling hills. Which was nice to simulate state a little bit.”

Ventura boys finish 2nd

Ventura was edged 86-88 by Channel League rival Santa Barbara for the Division 2 boys title.

“Today as a whole, they raced OK,” Spiker said. “As a coach, I did not have the best strategy. It was to go really hard through two miles and run a controlled last mile.

“I should have just let them race.”

Senior Anthony Fast Horse finished second in 14:05.1, nipped at the finish by Santa Barbara’s Andreas Dybdahl (14:04.5) in a showdown of Oregon and UCLA commits, respectively.

“Today turned into a kickers’ race and Andreas is a state champion in the mile,” Spiker said. “He’s got the best kick in the country in the mile.

“It was still a 14:05 (for Fast Horse), and if you’re disappointed, that means you’re having a good season.”

Micah Grossman finished fourth (14:21.8), Hollis Costa was 20th (14:46.4), Henry Hammel was 26th (14:53.2) and Nick DeGeorge, was 45th (15:16.7) for the Cougars.

“Micah had a great race,” Spiker said. “I still think he’s capable of more.”

Engelhardt and Godsey were first and fourth, respectively, in the all-division merged results. Fast Horse was also fourth.

Eleven area boys and girls cross country teams qualified for the state championships next Saturday in Fresno.

Teams must finish in the top seven in their division to advance. The top five individuals who are not on qualifying teams also advanced, if they were inside the top 20.

Girls

Newbury Park placed sixth in Division 2 to qualify for state. Sophia Grant was 22nd (17:46.9), Maya Natarajan was 26th (17:58.1), Norah Lehto was 27th (17:59.4), Danielle Brotcke was 42nd (18:24.9), and Elyse Grant was 67th (18:53.2).

Thousand Oaks was sixth in Division 3 to qualify for state. Cassidy Kajita was fifth (17:23.9) Maggie de la Rionda was 49th (18:57.9), Madeline Cooper was 54th (19:11.5), Jessica Salas was 62nd (19:14.6), and Maegan Farrell was 67th (19:19.5).

Thacher placed second in Division 5 to qualify for state. Avery Lieb finished 11th (19:05.0). Taylor Gudebski was 19th (19:36.9), Julie Lui was 21st (19:41.7), Sarah Sonenshine was 27th (19:51.4), and Lily Clemens was 50th (20:46.3).

Westlake was 14th in Division 2 girls, led by Laura Castagna (47th, 18:32.7).

Oak Park was 10th in Division 3 girls, led by Katrina Modrzejewski (16th, 17:43.1) and Tate Creason (22nd, 1802.2).

Moorpark was 12th in Division 3, led by Kristen Gibbel (20th, 17:58.5) and Jenna Murray (50th, 18:57.9).

Agoura sophomore Jenna Johnson was 27th in Division 3 in 18:15.2.

Fillmore was ninth in Division 4, led by Nataly Vigil (26th, 18:16.0) and Niza Laureano (37th, 18:44.2).

Foothill Tech was 16th in Division 4 girls, led by Keera Wallace (43rd, 18:56.3) and Rebecca Walker (74th, 20:21.3).

BOYS

Newbury Park placed third in Division 2 to qualify for state. Dev Doshi finished seventh (14:29.6), Arnav Shetty was 23rd (14:50.0), Asa Fletcher was 33rd (15:05.6), Brandon Guevara was 38th (15:11.6), and Nate Porter was 43rd (15:15.6).

Hueneme junior JR Lesher was fifth in Division 2 in 14:27.0 to qualify for state as an individual.

Oak Park placed fourth in Division 3 to qualify for state. Grant Jones was 29th (15:20.0), Neal Pettit was 40th (15:30.7), Mark Hodges (42nd, 15:33.8), Kean Castaneda (47th, 15:40.3), and Ethan Marley was 51st (15:44.3).

Moorpark placed sixth in Division 3 to qualify for state. Hunter Lee was 11th (14:44.3), Thomas White was 12th (14:44.8), David Raigoza was 18th (15:04.3), Isaac Garcia was 79th (16:11.5), and Andres Uribe was 82nd (16:14.0).

Foothill Tech placed third in Division 4 to qualify for state. Chance Leandro was 14th (14:54.1), Conor White was 26th (15:19.5), Viggo Bortolin was 29th (15:21.2), Baker Carlisle was 31st (15:24.1), and Braeden Elliott was 36th (15:29.6).

Oaks Christian placed sixth in Division 4 to qualify for state. Cooper McNee was ninth (14:45.0), Christian Yoder was 11th (14:50.8), Joshua Mitchell was 22nd (15:09.4), Vin Krueger was 23rd (15:10.8) and Jaryl Chen was 99th (17:08.4).

Royal senior Samuel Bado was 22nd (15:10.6) in Division 3.

Agoura was 12th in Division 3, led by Darrick Jacob (32nd, 15:25.6).

Fillmore junior Eduardo Vigil was 25th (15:14.9) in Division 4.

Thacher was 15th in Division 5, led by Mateo Escalante (58th, 16:45.9).

Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Engelhardt, Ventura girls, and Godsey win CIF-SS cross country titles