Vista del Lago's Madeleine Ankhelyi, one of the state's top distance runners, turned in another dominating performance but it wasn't enough to prevent her team from being upset at the Sac-Joaquin Section cross country championships on Saturday in Folsom.
Ankhelyi won the girls Division III race, covering the 3.1-mile Willow Hills Reservoir course in 17 minutes, 44 seconds, the best time of the day among those competing in the five girls divisions. It also was the senior's second section title, having won in 2010.
But even with Ankhelyi and teammate Clare Carroll (18:46) finishing one-two, Del Oro upset the Eagles for the team title, 45-47.
A third-through-six finish by the Golden Eagles' Megan Gentes (19.00, 3rd), Lizzie Meredith (19.20, 5th) and Maddy Lyons (19.21, 6th) led the way, snapping Vista del Lago's two-year reign as champions. It also was Del Oro's 13th girls section banner (nine at D-III and two each at D-I and D-II), second best in section history.
Vista del Lago was ranked No. 3 in the state by PrepCalTrack.com entering the meet.
In other meet highlights:
DIVISION I
* Davis freshman Fiona O'Keeffe won the girls race in 18.08 and St. Francis' Lauren LaRocco (2nd, 18:22), Madison Rawson (3rd, 18:34), Eleanor Ferguson (6th, 18:51), Miranda Myers (7th, 18:52) and Peyton Bilo (8th, 18:54) finished among the top eight to lead the Troubadours to the team title over Davis, 23-43, in a battle of state-ranked teams. St. Francis was No. 4 and Davis No. 5 entering the race.
* Davis senior Jack Scranton led the Blue Devils to their eighth boys team title in nine years by finishing first in 15:50. It also was Scranton's second consecutive section individual title. Sheldon's Abdul Hamid took second in 15:53.
DIVISION II
* Granite Bay senior Trent Brendel ran the fastest boys time, all divisions, in placing first in 15:35. Del Campo seniors Sean and Patrick Jagerson finished second (15:44) and seventh (16:10), respectively, to lead Del Campo to the division's team title for the fourth consecutive season.
* Granite Bay freshman Maggie Bell, with the second-fastest girls run of the day, all divisions, won in 17:45. Bella Vista won the team title as freshmen Kendall Derry finished second (18:57), Sedona McNerney ninth (19:45) and Kaitlin Derry 11th (19:49). Sophomore Renny Castanon was eighth (19:42).
DIVISION III
* Placer's Toby Qualls (15:49) finished second and El Dorado's Sean Gregg third (16:05) in leading their respective teams to first and second place finishes in boys. Placer, in winning its second straight section banner, had 65 points; El Dorado 69. Will C. Wood of Vacaville's Tyler Sickler won the individual title in 15:44.
DIVISION IV
* With Dixon's Coy Chance placing third (17:24), the Rams won the boys title with 67 points.
* Freshman Sophie O'Neal's ninth place finish (20:51) led the Dixon girls to a second place finish. Amador placed first with 91 points to the Rams' 94.
DIVISION V
* After helping lead his Sacramento Country Day boys soccer team to the Division VII championship earlier in the day in Elk Grove, Logan Winfield placed second in the D-V boys race in 17:29. Matt Spring of Tioga won in 16:54.
* Sacramento Waldorf's Mary De Aquino won the girls race in 20.54.
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