November 26, 2022 Girls Out-score Nearest Rival by 68 Points to Claim 3rd Consecutive State Title; 51-Second Margin Keeps Boys on Podium
With conditions warming throughout the schedule at Saturday's CIF state championships on Fresno's Woodward Park 5k course, the Campolindo girls approached their race with a measure of optimism as they attempted to defend a 3-year title streak and claim a 1st-ever berth in the NXN national championships.
As has been the case all season, Ellie Buckley (23) and Shea Volkmer (24) provided the Cougars with an incomparable front-running tandem, completing the 1st mile in 5:27 to position themselves among the top 6. Rachel Moen (24) was also out aggressively in 5:37, leading a string of red and white that gave the team a gaudy 52-point advantage over San Diego's Cathedral Catholic at the early scoring check point. Makena Weberski (24) and Kate Kabenina (24) clung to Moen's heels as they crossed over the sensor in 5:38.
In the critical middle mile, Buckley and Volkmer each picked up places, but it was a heroic 8-position leapfrog from Moen that allowed the Cougars to maintain their impressive advantage in the team standings.
Buckley and Volkmer closed out the final mile to finish in 17:53 and 17:56, respectively, earning podium honors. Moen was next to cross the line in 13th place, crushing her previous mark on the course by over a minute. Caroline McCool (23) traded positions with Kabenina down the final stretch as the pair closed out the scoring among the top 30.
Ultimately, the performance was good enough for the 2nd-fastest team time of the day, behind division 1 winner and USA #3 Buchanan High School. The 92:08 mark is also 2nd-best in school history.
The final race of the day featured a historic run from the Central Section's Oakdale High School, which posted one of the lowest division 3 all-time team scores to claim a commanding victory. Nevertheless, the Cougar boys showed their determination as Alex Lodewick (23) sprinted to the font at the gun. By the mile mark, the Cal bound senior was positioned just behind the leader, crossing in 4:41.
Keeping the squad in contention was Connor McGhee (23) and Blake Webster (23), who each flirted with the top 10 for the duration of the race.
Paulo Trento (24) was once again most improved among the squad, making up an astounding 48 places from the 1st mile mark to the finish.
In the end, Campolindo managed to reprise their runner-up performance from the previous year and helped the Cougars to a 4th consecutive year with both squads on the podium.
November 19, 2022 Lodewick Captures Individual D3 Section Crown; Top Tandem Leads Girls' to Rout as Both Squads Earn NCS Championships
Blue skies and firm footing greeted harriers at the 2022 edition of the North Coast Section Championships at Hayward High School on Saturday, November 19. With excellent conditions, the Campolindo cross country juggernaut enjoyed another sweep of the team titles and double qualification to the state championships.
While the girls were propelled by a commanding 1-2 punch from runner-up Ellie Buckley (23) and 3rd-place finisher Shea Volkmer (24) in career best performances, the boys used an unprecedented 1-2-3 finish to secure the final team title of the day. Alex Lodewick (23) towed teammates Connor McGhee (23) and Blake Webster (24) past early leader Jude Devries of Montgomery in the final mile to provide the Cougars with just 5 points for its top 3 scorers.
November 12, 2022 Varsity Squads Prep for NCS with Mystery Fartlek on Hayward High School Course
The Cougar harriers toured the Hayward High School 3-mile cross country course on Saturday, November 12, in preparation for the 2022 North Coast Section Championships to be held on November 19. As per usual, athletes engaged in another Mystery Fartlek workout before wrapping up the morning with a stop at the taqueria in Montclair.
November 10, 2022 Girls Announced as Hoka Postal National Champions; Boys Ranked #9 in Country
As a result of their exceptional marks from the Mid-Season Mania 3200m Invitational, the Campolindo girls' squad has been recognized by Hoka as the 2022 Postal National Champions while the boys' team earned a #9 national ranking.
The virtual competition adds up 3200m marks from each school's top 5 performers. Led by Ellie Buckley (23) at 10:36.95 and Shea Volkmer (24) at 10:55.27, the Cougars averaged 11:07, just ahead of CIF D3 rival Cathedral Catholic of the San Diego Section.
The boys finished 3rd among California teams and 9th overall with a 9:43 average. Alex Lodewick (23) was the team's top performer in 9:19.41.
November 5, 2022 JV Boys Post Perfect Score; Individual, Team Title Sweep Completes DAL Season
While conditions were overcast on Saturday, Campolindo shined with its greatest league championship success in program history. The Cougars were 12 for 12, sweeping both the individual and team titles at Hidden Valley Park.
The junior varsity boys summed up the dominating performance by packing its 7 scorers across the line ahead of every other team's 1st finisher. The 15-point perfection added yet another year to the squad's title streak, which dates back to 2007. The trio of Cale Anderson (24), Thomas Singh (23), and Alessandro Paolieri (23), did the font running while Santiago Jordan (24) contributed a huge PR to close out his season as the 7th man.
October 26, 2022 Girls Rock Mid-Season 3200m Invite with 9 under 11:30; Dow Drops 3-Minute PR
Casey Dow (23) continued his unprecedented growth at Wednesdays's Mid-Season Mania 3200m Invitational by dropping 3 minute and 23 second from his 2022 time. Dow was the 14th finisher in his race, wedged in the middle of 4 teammates, including Daisy Penney (24), Rachel Moen (24), and Anya Houston (26), each of whom posted their own impressive marks as members of the deepest 8-lap squad in school history.
October 19, 2022 Frosh Soph Boys Regain Title Hopes with Division Sweep at Newhall Center Meet; Kabenina Breaks All-Time 2-Mile Record
After suffering defeat at the hands of strong College Park and Las Lomas teams in September's 1st Diablo Athletic League center meet of the season, the Cougar frosh soph boys' squad put together an impressive response on Wednesday, claiming the 4th, 5th, and 6th overall individual places with sub-13-minute finishes from Benoit Pelchat (25), Cody De La Cruz (26), and Josiah Beardsley (25). The trio helped Campolindo turn the tables on their rivals, earning a sweep of the division and positioning the squad for a title showdown on November 5th.
XCStats.com: This is our database for collecting athlete training and competition data as well as our tool for communicating to athletes and parents. All athletes must set up an XCStats.com account in order to participate in Campolindo cross country.
Do you enjoy the majestic landscape of the East Bay? We do. We are grateful for the opportunity to live and train in this region, rich in both cultural heritage and natural beauty. We encourage participants and their families to consider a contribution to the Sogorea Te Land Trust as a gesture of gratitude for the privilege to use this land and respect for its indigenous inhabitants.
2022 Parent Volunteer Signup: We depend on parent volunteers to staff various positions throughout the season. Each family is expected to cover at least 2 positions each season.
Cougar Cross Country stands in solidarity with BLM against racial injustice. We are committed to equity work on our campus and in our community. Our athletes and coaches are actively engaged in these efforts both through regular team discussions, presentations and service projects, and in collaboration with Positive Coaching Alliance educational workshops and the campus-wide Diversity & Inclusion project.
Facebook Group: The official team Facebook group is where you will find frequent announcements, notes about competition logistics, meeting times, helpful links to current articles and more. It is also a useful forum for asking questions!
HSU Distance Running Camp: This legendary week-long summer workshop is hosted on the Humboldt State University campus and provides an opportunity for athletes to learn from some of the top coaches and elite athletes in the sport today, all while enjoying the most spectacularly beautiful running trails in the world.
