Cross Country Royal High School Simi Valley California 1970

With a star-studded cast topped by seniors Angus Fitzgerald and Matthew Russell, the Royal High boys cross country team never got its chance to chase its ultimate goals last season.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellations of the CIF-Southern Section and CIF-State championship meets.

A season later, the rebooted Highlanders are still aiming high.

Jonah Bazerkanian, leading a new wave of Royal standouts, dominated the boys varsity race at the Coastal Canyon League cross country finals with a winning time of 16 minutes, 2.3 seconds, and the Highlanders completed the team championship by taking four of the top seven spots in a powerhouse showing Thursday.

So what's ahead for Royal? You can guess the quest.

"I want to finish in the top 3 in state," said Bazerkanian, a junior. "I think the team has a chance to do well in CIF and state."

He also noted that the Highlanders, with four underclassmen among the five scorers, ride old-fashioned hard work to maintain the program's tradition. Royal is ranked No. 6 in the CIF-SS Division 2 polls.

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"There's a lot of trust for the coaches, a lot of belief in what we can do," he said. "We have confidence in what we can do if we continue to work hard."

The girls varsity race also featured dominant performances. Madison Parrone of Oak Park powered her way to the individual title — finishing over 1 minute, 12 seconds ahead of the second-place runner — with a winning time of 18:40.8.

Oak Park won the girls team championship with 37 points.

Parrone, a senior, earned her second consecutive individual title with a focused mindset.

"I make myself comfortable by running my race and not worrying about anything else," she said. "I do what I do and enjoy the race."

The boys race figured to be another chance for Royal to shine. It didn't disappoint.

Bazerkanian won all three Coastal Canyon meets, including the finals at Mission Oaks Park. Same for the Highlanders, who posted 26 points to outdistance second-place Camarillo (44 points). Royal, Camarillo and third-place Oak Park all advance to next week's CIF-SS Prelims.

Silous Ramelli of Camarillo placed second in the individual standings at 16:33.5, followed in the top five by Noah De La Rionda of Royal (16:36.7), Luc Lepin of Oak Park (16:37.2) and Asher Frizzell of Royal (16:39.9).

Ramelli was ecstatic by his second-place finish and the opportunity to compete in the CIF-SS.

"I'm extremely happy," he said. "He (Bazerkanian) is such a good runner, and I just tried to keep pace with him as long as I could. This is my time in CIF, so I can't wait for that. There's been a lot of hard work for myself and the team. It's really great to have this chance."

Ramelli noted that Camarillo's runners kept working even during the height of the pandemic when there was nothing but unknowns on the horizon. The Scorpions used the Pleasant Valley soccer fields as a makeshift course.

"We didn't know if we'd have a chance to run again, but we kept working," he said. "Nobody else would be out there, and we'd run around those fields."

Parrone, the girls winner, said much the same. Her workouts during the worst of the pandemic was largely therapeutic.

"I'd run just to get outside and get out of the house," she said. "I love running, because of the way it makes me feel physically and mentally. I enjoyed the opportunity to get out and run."

Annie West of Camarillo finished second in the girls race in 19:52.2, followed in the top five by Royal's Leanna Olivas (20:13.1) and Olivia Sullivan (20:14.0) and Camarillo's Brittany Widerburg (20:31.1).

Oak Park, Royal (55) and Moorpark (58) take the top three team spots to advance to CIF-SS competition.

Camarillo's West and Widerburg will compete in the prelims as individuals.

"It's an amazing feeling," said West. "There was so much uncertainty last year. We kept working. Now it's onto the D-2 prelims. I'm so happy."

Bazerkanian and Parrone had a common element to their winning races. They were front of pack virtually from the start, with no one to push them.

"I just tell myself that I'm running for my goals and for the team," he said. "Pushing myself have become second nature."

Ditto, said Parrone.

"It's hard, but I tell myself that the race is so important to the team," she said. "I have to run my best."

Rounding out the top 10 for the boys are sixth-place Peter Gotto of Camarillo (16:43.6); Samuel Bado of Royal (16:49.5); Brandon Guevara of Oak Park (16:49.6); Ethan Kuske of Camarillo (16:53.3); and Cole Ponce of Royal (17:02.0).

The top 10 for the girls is completed by sixth-place Alexa Pinon of Oak Park (20:36.8); Evelyn Robertson of Simi Valley (20:44.7); Miriam McGregor of Moorpark (20:50.8); Emma Perez of Moorpark (20:56.0); and Tate Creason of Oak Park (20:58.8).

Loren Ledin is the Prep Editor for The Star. He can be reached at loren.ledin@vcstar.com or 805-437-0285.

Cross Country Royal High School Simi Valley California 1970

Source: https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/high-school/cross-country/2021/11/05/royal-boys-oak-park-girls-dominate-coastal-canyon-cross-country-finals/6257736001/

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