Gregori’s Kackley runs to section title, among locals qualifying for State Meet
Gregori High’s Madison Kackley qualified for the CIF State Cross Country Meet in dominating fashion on Saturday.
On the 5-kilometer Willow Hill course in Folsom, the junior finished in 18 minutes, 27.9 seconds, more than 23 seconds ahead of runner-up Abigail Fletcher of Oak Ridge, to win the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I race.
She becomes the first Stanislaus District female runner to win a Division I individual title since Enochs High graduate Faith Makau, who won in 2011.
Kackley, who last year finished eighth in the section meet, advances to the State Meet at Fresno’s Woodward Park on Nov. 30.
Her Gregori teammate, Chloe Cook, also qualified for the State Meet by finishing eighth in 19:31.9.
Kackley wasn’t the only runner to come away victorious as the best boys and girls in five divisions converged with a chance to reach Fresno.
Sonora’s Brianna Personius won the Division IV girls race, completing the course in 19:32.6, less than two seconds ahead of runner-up Mahalia Quintana of Woodland. The Ripon girls, meanwhile, won the team race and will qualify for Fresno.
Also qualifying in Division IV was Elizette Ysais (20:23) of Hughson.
A total of 12 Stanislaus District individuals and three teams advanced.
In other races:
- In Division III girls, Oakdale’s Beth Norman (eighth, 20:25.1) and Kayden Legan (10th, 20:56.9) qualified individually.
- In the Division IV boys race, Sonora’s Clayton Franco (16:25) and Adin Dibble (16:30.2) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to qualify. Hughson, which finished third, also qualified for Fresno.
- In the Division V boys race, Waterford’s Jonathan Staley (17:28.1) and Evan Espinoza (17:28.5) finished second and third, respectively, to qualify. Also reaching the State Meet was Daniel Lopez (17:48.6) of Big Valley Christian, who finished ninth overall. The Waterford team finished second to qualify.
- In the Division V girls race, Central Catholic’s Ashley Sams finished in 21:58.1 to qualify.