Senior Trinity Ruelas clocks 17:39.5 for second-fastest 5-kilometer effort in meet history for host Titans, who edge Claremont-Mudd-Scripps; Karl Winter becomes first Pepperdine athlete to earn invitational win at Carbon Canyon Regional Park

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

BREA – If the season opener is about making a statement, then the Cal State Fullerton cross country teams were heard loud and clear Saturday morning.

The Titans began the 2021 season by earning men’s and women’s team victories in the Mark Covert Classic at Carbon Canyon Regional Park, marking the third sweep for Cal State Fullerton in meet history, along with 2003 and 2019.

INTERVIEWS

Both wins were by impressive margins, as was the women’s invitational triumph by Titans senior Trinity Ruelas, who won by more than 30 seconds while covering the 5-kilometer course in 17 minutes, 39.5 seconds, the second-fastest performance ever by a Cal State Fullerton female competitor in meet history, trailing only the 1994 mark of 17:33 by Heather Killeen.

Pepperdine’s Karl Winter was the only obstacle to an additional individual Titans sweep with his men’s invitational win on the 8-kilometer layout in 24:49.7. It marked the first invitational victory in either gender for a Pepperdine athlete in meet history.

Sophomore McKaylie Caesar was second in the women’s race in 18:12.8, as the Titans totaled 36 points, ahead of second-place Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, which scored 56. USC was third with 106.

Two years ago, the Titans enjoyed a breakthrough performance that earned the program’s first Big West Championship at UC Riverside. Ruelas placed third that day behind league champ Samantha Huerta, who has since graduated.

Without a true college season from a year ago, due to COVID-19 fears, Saturday marked a return to normalcy. Though she said he was nervous, Ruelas didn’t look the part, taking a commanding lead early in the race.

“... It’s been two years since a cross country race,” Ruelas said. “It’s a lot different than track. So just getting myself mentally in the zone before and during a race was a bit of a challenge. The first half mile, I just tried to settle in and think about how my body felt and I kind of had an instinct to just go and take the lead pretty early on.

“Usually, that’s not my typical racing style, unless I know I can do that. I took the lead and felt really strong and confident the whole time.”

Her time was a personal-best performance at Carbon Canyon, a course she said she’s run seven times as Saturday’s meet was a home event for the Titans. It marked her third career sub-18 effort on the course for the Titans.

Caesar battled to the front near the end, eclipsing Maggie Shearer of Cal Coast Track Club near the finish. Shearer, also an assistant coach at Moorpark College, placed third in 18:16.0.

Junior Dana McGrath was Fullerton’s other top-10 finisher, placing eighth in 18:25.1. The Titans also had four freshmen scoring and still others later in the race, a development that has Ruelas excited.

“This is my fifth (year),” Ruelas joked, “so I’m feeling pretty old now.

“I’m just trying to take every day and make it a good one and never take any day for granted,” she added. “Especially with these new girls – just try to teach them everything I’ve learned since I’ve been here in these five years and pass down my knowledge to them. I hope that when I leave, that they’ll continue to keep passing down that knowledge.”

Following Shearer was Sacramento State senior Cagnei Duncan (fourth, 18:17.3). Then came the first two of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ four top-10 runners, with senior Emily Clarke placing fifth in 18:19.9 and sophomore Natalie Bitetti finishing sixth in 18:20.0.

Ranked 10th nationally in Division 3, including No. 1 in the West Region, the Athenas are looking forward to their own success in 2021.

“The team finish is super exciting,” Clarke said. “We’re really thrilled about where we’re at this season and what we could potentially do.”

Junior Meredith Bloss (ninth, 18:33.0) and senior Riley Harmon (10th, 18:36.6) rounded out the Athenas’ top four. Sandwiched among the collegiate standouts was Cal Coast’s Sara Van Dyke, who was seventh in 18:21.0.

The men’s race was a closer competition, with Winter edging two fast-charging Fullerton runners – senior Sam Ayala (second, 24:52.0) and sophomore Alexis Garcia (third, 24:54.4).

Winter was pushed for much of the race by teammate Kyle McCabe. He ran at or near the front until the last two kilometers, and settled for fifth in 24:59.1.

“I’m generally a 1,500 runner, a miler, and I went to the NCAA regional in the 1,500, so I’ve been grinding all summer because I have to work that extra bit harder to improve in cross country,” Winter said. “So to just come out here and win individually and have my teammates up there helping me push the space is huge confidence boosters for both us and the team.”

Fullerton’s men topped the field with 58 points, while Pepperdine was second with 81. The Master’s College earned third by a point over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 94-95.

Ayala and Garcia said the Titans ran strategically in opting for the faster close. Cal State Fullerton was in fourth place at the 3-kilometer split and didn’t take a lead as a team until well into the race’s second half.

“We don’t take it too aggressive,” Ayala said. “We want to get a good spot, and then the grass loops are pretty tough on the legs, so you run three of them, so you want to make sure you’re being conservative. When you get on the dirt loops, that’s kind of where you like to make a little bit of a move.”

The rest of the individual top 10 enjoyed plenty of representation.

Loyola Marymount had junior Miguel Barerra-Lopez (fourth, 24:58.0) and freshman Estanis Ruiz (ninth, 25:09.3). Whittier’s Benjamin White was sixth in 25:02.3 and Cal State San Marcos senior Shea Vavra placed eighth in 25:08.5.

Pacing the third-place finish for Master’s College was junior Daniel Rush (seventh, 25:06.2) and senior Davis Boggess (10th, 25:09.8).

The meet also featured two open races. The men’s 8-kilometer race was won by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps senior Will Kimball, who outsprinted runner-up Declan O'Neill, as well as three other C-M-S teammates, to run 26:26.2.

The women’s 5-kilometer open race was even closer, with C-M-S senior Chloe Taylor (19:38.3) outsprinting Chapman sophomore Maddie Mirro (19:39.3) to the finish to secure the win.