Ventura’s Sadie Engelhardt turns in record performance at state cross-country finals

Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura turned in a record performance on a cool, clear Saturday morning at the CIF state cross-country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

She won her second straight Division II championship by finishing the three-mile course in 16 minutes 40.7 seconds, breaking the Division II course record established by Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley, a four-time Gatorade state runner of the year more than a decade ago. Engelhardt, only a junior, was more than one minute faster than the second-place finisher.

She helped Ventura win the Division II girls’ team championship.

It was nervous time in the Division IV boys’ race.

Defending champion Emmanuel Perez of L.A. Cathedral held the lead heading to the finish line, but Lucas Cohen of Albany kept in relentless pursuit.

“Manny had to dig deep,� coach Martin Farfan said.

Perez held on for the victory in 14:45.5. Cohen was second in 14:45.9. Perez, a junior, can come back next season looking for a three-peat.

St. Francis won the Division IV team championship. JSerra won the girls’ title.

The fastest boys’ time of the day belonged to Dana Hills’ Evan Noonan, who won the Division III race for the second consecutive year in 14:35.3. Dana Hills won the team title.

In Division I boys, Jason Parra of Long Beach Millikan fought off a challenge from San Clemente’s Brett Ephraim to win in 14:56.8. Ephraim finished in 14:58.6. San Clemente ran away with the team championship by having runners place second, ninth and 13th.

In Division I girls, Rylee Blade of Corona Santiago ran a scorching 16:48.5 to win the individual title and lead the Sharks to the team championship by a single point, 57-58 over Clovis Buchanan.

Eyan Turk of Woodcrest Christian won the Division V boys’ championship with a time of 14:59.2