Santa Ana winds this past weekend heated up the course at the Brooks 71st Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Cross-Country Invitational.

This course has challenged even the most elite runners due to its terrain that tests their ability to adapt to the switchback trails, the up and downs of the hills, and the flat runway at the start and finish.

Beginning on Friday and finishing on Saturday, more than 300 schools sent their best runners with the hopes of earning a place in the record books. Mt. SAC is well-known for being the world’s largest cross-country competition. Offering a variety of 71 races this year, it hosts races for community colleges, high schools, middle and elementary schools. Mt. SAC continues to maintain its schedule of a race every 15 minutes, which is often grueling, from early morning to the late afternoon.

The CV varsity boys entered Sweepstakes Race No. 48 that has the best runners in Divisions 1 and 2. For CV’s Manan Vats, this race was a chance to settle a score with this ultimate giant. As a ninth grader in 2014, running a time of 16:31 then returning in 2016 as a sophomore when he ran (15:52), Vats hoped, as a senior, to bring in an even lower time on this course.

Keeping his eye on the competition, Vats maintained a strong presence with the second group of runners. Hitting the switchback trails hard, he ran the down position to the well-known part of the course known as Poop Out Hill. Working hard up the steep hills, both he and teammate Dylan Wilbur managed to pass some of their competitors. Wilbur typically has the edge when it comes to most of the flat course. His natural ability to maintain a quick pace was demonstrated last season when he ran both the half-mile and mile on the track. Nevertheless, Vats could not be counted out when it comes to experience.

Crossing the finish line first for Crescenta Valley was Vats who came in 13th running 15:16 followed by Wilbur in 21st running 15:33. The CV team members who helped post encouraging marks were Grant Lauterback scoring 36th (15:47), Evan Doloszychi 70th (16:20), Ameer Mohammed 77th (16:29), Eric Faeustle 85th (16:35) and Chris Cubias 88th (16:40). The Falcons are half way through their season and will soon face their conference league championship and CIF prelims.

Over the last few weeks, the Great Oak boys’ varsity team has proven to be the best in the state. Their lead runner Tyler Tichner took second place running 14:44 behind Crayton Carrozza of St. Stephen Episcopal who took the win at 14:35.

Final top 10 boys’ team varsity score: Great Oak 50, La Costa Canyon 113, Long Beach Poly 145, Loyola 162, Thousand Oaks 166, Bellarmine 185, Desert Vista (Arizona) 208, Crescenta Valley 217, Arcadia 237, and St. Stephen’s Episcopal (Texas) 278.

The Falcon varsity girls performed well in Division 1, Race No. 51. Sophia Atin, who has had a strong season so far, grabbed the lead for her team and placed seventh running a time of 18:48; teammate Samantha Moore placed 24th (19:45), Ily Nelson 37th (20:22), Gabby Borraez 39th (20:26), Reese Sion 48th (20:40) and Tali Sherwood-Kong 55th (20:57).

Final top 10 girls team score: El Camino (OCE) 77, Davis 89, Santiago (COR), Granada Hills 140, Crescenta Valley 155, Vacaville 181, Palisades 190, Temecula Valley 192, Torrey Pines 209 and Eastlake (CV) 244.