The cross-country season stepped off in a very positive way for East County teams at the Vaquero Stampede held Aug. 20 at El Capitan High School.
Team highlights:
•Steele Canyon finished runner-up in the Division 1 boys junior/senior race to team champion Patrick Henry while Grossmont finished third and El Capitan finished fifth.
•Steele Canyon finished second to team champion Poway in the Division 1 girls junior/senior division while El Capitan placed fourth.
•Christian finished runner-up in the Division 3 boys frosh/soph division behind team champion Mission Vista and also finished runner-up in the Division 3 girls frosh/soph division behind team champion Mission Vista.
•Steele Canyon finished third in the Division 1 girls frosh/ soph race behind team champion Eastlake and runner-up Del Norte.
•Liberty Charter finished fourth in the Division 2 boys frosh/soph division while Monte Vista was fifth.
Among individuals:
•Liberty Charter senior Micah Sanchez (9:27) finished first in the Division 1 boys junior/senior race while Grossmont seniors Ian Rosen and Russell Blakely (both 9:41) finished second and third while Santana senior Jayson Oliver (9:51) placed fifth in the two-mile race.
•Christian sophomore Faith Patterson (13:11) finished second in the Division 3 girls frosh/ soph race.
•Monte Vista senior Finn McClure (10:11) finished second in the Division 2 boys junior/ senior race while Mt. Miguel junior Garrett Cloyd (10:40) was fourth.
•Steele Canyon freshman Micah Senn (10:36) finished second in the 127-deep Division 1 boys frosh/soph field.
•Liberty Charter sophomore Cambria Sanchez (13:24) placed third in the Division 2 girls frosh/ soph race while Liberty Charter junior Elizabeth Ludwick (13:19) placed third in the Division 2 girls junior/senior race.
•Christian freshman Cade Fischer (12:11) and sophomore teammate Louis Green (12:12) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Division 3 boys frosh/soph race.
•Steele Canyon sophomore Dania Lopez finished fifth in the Division 1 girls frosh/soph race.
•Grossmont junior Suhey Arce (12:28) finished sixth in the Division 1 girls junior/senior race while El Capitan senior Amber Chase (12:29) placed seventh.
