LOUISVILLE, KY — More than 3,000 kids from across the U.S. made their way to Louisville, Kentucky for the 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships at E.P “Tom” Sawyer State Park to compete for national titles and all-American status in six age divisions. Near perfect weather conditions graced the park for much of the day Saturday, but lightning and heavy rain came in just ahead of the boys 15-18 start, delaying the race until Sunday morning.
The first race of the day was a sprint to the finish between Sadie Hamon (Sun City) and Morgan Codrington (VO2Max Track Club). The pair went stride for stride in the final stretch, as Codrington fought to hang on, it was Hamon who reigned victorious with her 7:32.31 over Codrington’s 7:32.61. Led by Lily Tapper in eighth place, a 71-point tally for the California Comets was good for the team title over the Louisville TigerSharks with 100.
Deshawn Turner (Unattached) became a back-to-back Junior Olympic Cross Country champion in the boy’s 8 & Under division as he sped to a 6:54.11 win, shrugging off the competition at the finish as if it were just another walk in the park. Three seconds behind, Ean Hernandez (Mount Diablo Heat) crossed the finish in 6:57.51 to take silver in the division. The California Comets completed a successful sweep of the age division, tallying 77 points on the boys’ with Atlas Quinonez leading the way in 7:46.26. The Rain City Flyers finished second with 89 points with a narrow-margin win over Whittier Warriors Track Club’s 91.
Making the most of a trip all the way from Seattle, Washington, Martina Rodriguez-Villen (Rain City Flyers) took a clear victory in the girls 9-10 division. Clocking a 10:42.57, Rodriguez-Villen won by more than three seconds over Avery Piala’s (Peak Performance Running) 10:45.88. The West Seattle Road Runners, led by Baeu Sitzmann’s 13th place 11:32.60, totaled 91 points to take a decisive win over the North Idaho Distance Project’s team tally of 116.
Perhaps one of the most impressive wins of the day came in the boys 9-10 race as Robert Stepanov (Unattached) left no room for doubt on the Louisville course. Stepanov was the only runner in the 363-athlete race to run sub-10 with his 9:58.94. His nearest competitor, Samuel Weinraub (Quick Track Club) trailed by nearly 50 seconds, finishing in an impressive 10:48.25. In total, six runners cracked the 11-minute barrier at the distance, including Cyrus Boschen (VO2Max Track Club), Xayvien Rudd (Sentinel Striders), and Wyatt Hughes and Rylan Riggert of Creekview Youth Track. Led by Camden Spade’s ninth-place finish, the California Comets earned their third team title of the day as they totaled 86 points in a large-margin victory over Valley United Track Club’s 157.
Addison Kegel (Yellowstone Rapids) went out strong and led from the start to take the crown in the girls 11-12 division. Kegel clocked a 10:19.06 over Isla Rahmer’s (Albuquerque Athletics Track) second-place time of 10:41.97. It was a tight race for the team trophy between Thompson Training A, Valley United Track Club A, and Lakeland Track Club. Ultimately, just seven points separated the three teams from first to third, with Thompson Training A coming out on top with 160 points to Valley United Track Club A’s 166 and Lakeland Track Club’s 167.
Victor Jaimez-Solorio Jr. (Pacific Coast Shockwaves) took the boys 11-12 title in 9:44.67 as he ran away from the pack to win by nearly five seconds. Eli Hernandez (Mount Diablo Heat) steadily made up ground throughout the race to finish second in 9:49.21. Palatine Pack TFCC A earned the team trophy with 179 points over the Kokopelli Kids’ 195. Valley United TC snagged third with a 213 total.
Breaking the 14-minute barrier for a decisive win, Grace Smith (Chino Hills Flash) sprinted to the finish in 13:55.13. Summer Muxlow (Unattached) and Graceleen Mabry (Palatine Pack TFCC A) went head-to-head in a race for silver, but Muxlow outkicked Mabry at the finish in 14:01.07 to 14:02.11. Mabry’s third place finish ultimately led her Palatine Pack TFCC A team to a clear victory with 43 points. Rain City Flyers A tallied 120 points for second with Thomson Training A close behind with 135.
The largest field of the day came in the boys 13-14 division with a whopping 449 runners. Calvin Seitz (Teamorange Distance Running Club) came out on top as he clocked 12:02.91 - 14 seconds faster than his nearest competitor. Miro Parr-Coffin (North Idaho Distance Project A) covered the course in 12:16.47 for second and Karanveer Patil (Palatine Pack TFCC A) finished third in 12:19.75. The Cleveland Youth Running Club took the team title with 114 points over North Idaho Distance Project’s 142.
Bailee Montgomery (Thompson Training A) led her team to a 15-18 title with teammate Savannah Mooney close behind in third overall, taking the top two spots in the girls 15-16 division in 18:22.87 and 18:34.17. Margaret Powers (Soca Speed Track Club) won the 17-18 division with a second overall placing in the 15-18 race with her 18:27.37. Thompson Training A took the 15-18 title with a 38-point total over New England Elite Track Club’s 50.
Isaac Lamprecht (Unattached) took the top spot in the boys 15-18 race to win the 17-18 division. Lamprecht sprinted through the finish line in 16:00.20 with the 15-16 division winner, Sam Laverdiere (Unattached) close behind in 16:03.60. Patrick Noonan (New England Elite Track Club) was third overall in the race to take second in the 15-16 division in 16:24.87 ahead of Grady Jenkins (Jenkins Running Crew) in 16:27.32. Christopher Pottle (Unattached) was fifth overall for second in the 17-18 division in 16:36.48. New England Elite Track Club tallied 26 points to take the boys 15-18 trophy with Arkansas Track Club in second with 96. A full list of results for each age division can be found here.