Barker produces best girls performance in Friday race in meet history, along with achieving fastest mark by a California freshman and second all-time for ninth-graders at 16:27.4; Wilson’s Gudiel only male athlete to run sub-15

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

NORCO, Calif. – With the top freshman female competitor in California, if not the entire country, scheduled to run Saturday night in the girls sweepstakes race at the 40th Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS, few expected one of the fastest performances by a ninth-grader in meet history to occur Friday night at SilverLakes Sports Complex.

WATCH RUNNERSPACE LIVE WEBCAST OF WOODBRIDGE CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ASICS SEPT. 18

But Holly Barker of Laguna Hills High achieved a new standard of excellence for all California freshmen with her performance in a red division varsity race, covering the 3-mile layout in 16 minutes, 27.4 seconds to grab the spotlight in the return of one of the nation’s most prestigious events following last year’s cancellation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Barker produced the fastest female mark ever in a Friday night race, since Woodbridge expanded its schedule from one day to two in 2011, in addition to running the second-fastest freshman effort in meet history, trailing only the 16:09.8 posted in the 2019 sweepstakes competition by Lauren Ping of Desert Vista High in Arizona.

Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura High, who ran 15:59.9 in her high school debut Sept. 3 at the Cool Breeze Invitational at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, is set to race in the girls sweepstakes Saturday, looking to challenge Ping’s all-time ninth-grade performance.

Barker, who began her prep cross country career Sept. 11 by running 16:59.2 against only her freshman peers on her 3-mile home course at the Laguna Hills Invitational, was equally dominant in her first varsity race, winning by more than a minute against senior Jadyn Herron-Jonap of Casteel High in Arizona (17:34.3).

Despite Barker’s exceptional effort, Casteel prevailed in the team competition by a 91-100 margin over Brea-Olinda of California.

Another impressive performance came in the first girls white division varsity race, with reigning Colorado 3A state champion Katelyn Maley of Basalt High running 17:07.1, the sixth-fastest mark produced during Friday races in meet history.

Maley was listed among the sweepstakes entries earlier in the week, but with Basalt scheduling a team beach trip Saturday before returning to Colorado, the junior competed with the rest of her teammates Friday.

Fellow junior Ava Lane took third for Basalt in 18:02.5, helping the Longhorns take third overall with 88 points.

Junior JiaLian Mackey was runner-up in 17:18.9 for Viewpoint High of California, which took second to Division 5 rival Linfield Christian by a 55-86 margin. Senior Ryley Burns was fourth in 18:32.1 to lead Linfield Christian.

Senior Luis “Gio” Gudiel of Hacienda Heights Wilson from California was the only male competitor Friday to eclipse the 15-minute mark, running 14:57.8 to triumph in a boys varsity white division race, with Ocean View senior Diego Gonzales producing the second-fastest time of the night at 15:01.6.

Burroughs Ridgecrest of California emerged victorious in the competition by a 118-143 margin over Hacienda Heights Wilson.

Senior Juan Ramos and junior Jimmy Dominguez of Santa Ana took the top two spots in their boys varsity red division race to lead the Saints to a 43-77 victory over Trabuco Hills and the fastest team time of the opening day at 77:52.

Ramos clocked 15:08.4, passing Dominguez (15:11) in the final mile, with junior Andrew Specht of Bishop Gorman High in Nevada taking third in 15:12.5 to help the Gaels also place third overall with 157 points.

Sophomore Emmanuel Hernandez ran 15:09.1 in his boys varsity white division race to lead Cathedral High of California to an 80-93 triumph over Menlo School, led by junior and individual runner-up Justin Pretre (15:18.6).

Junior Caleb McDaniel won the opening boys varsity red division race in 15:17.2, helping the Diablos take third overall with 117 points. Laguna Hills edged Brea-Olinda in a battle of two more Orange County programs by an 82-85 margin.

Senior Sydney Morrow of South Pasadena won her girls varsity white division race in 17:58.2, but El Segundo earned the team victory over the Tigers by a 66-84 margin.

Sophomores Tatum Olesen and Annie Pflaum of Menlo-Atherton led six athletes for the Bears placing in the top 13 in the final girls varsity red division race.

Olesen prevailed in 18:03.1, with Pflaum clocking 18:21.2 to place fourth for Menlo-Atherton, which earned the team win with 25 points, well ahead of runner-up Temecula Valley with 82 points. The Bears also produced the fastest girls team time of all programs competing Friday at 92:31.