Pali High Runners Impress at Bell Gardens Invitational

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The Palisades High cross country team was back in action last Saturday at the 31st annual Bell Gardens Invitational and it showcased the team’s depth and talent.      

Setting the pace in the first race was ninth-grader Miranda Schriver, who took first place out of 159 runners in the freshman girls race, covering the three-mile course at Cerritos Regional Park in 18:47.12. Molly Tenenbaum turned in another strong effort, clocking 21:34.26 to place 25th, Sophia Klotz ran a personal-record 22:16.20 to finish 40th and Jennifer Karlan was one spot behind in 22:17.57.       

Palisades was runner-up in the freshman boys race, led by Schriver’s twin brother Lucas, who took second overall in a personal-best 16:01.68, one second behind Antonio Diaz of Claremont. Also running personal-bests were Mason Cadden (seventh in 16:17.96), Pablo Sandoval Rivas (24th in 17:40.17), Ivan Palma Gomez (35th in 18:00.46) and Jonathon Smiley (65th in 18:52.25).      

The Dolphins were third in the sophomore boys race as their top finishers all achieved personal records in a field of 126. Alec Stewart was fifth in 15:57.43, Mark Barbosa was 28th in 16:57.92, Hunter Steinman was 33rd in 17:03.34, Joseph Pollack was 34th in 17:03.72 and Trace Kasick was 42nd in 17:14.23.

Chloe Boldra was 36th in the sophomore girls race in a personal-best 21:24.69 and two Dolphins set personal records in the junior girls race: Skylar Smith (14th in 19:32.26) and Jessica Bierschenk, who was 15th in 19:33.80.

Brent Smith was second out of 251 entrants in the junior boys race, finishing in 15:17.44. Ryan  Breitman was 13th in 16:01.16, Emmett Kallmeyer was 61st in a personal-best 17:08.54 and Lucas Tagliati completed the course in a personal-best17:49.79.

Ben Hamer (14:50.05) was second in the senior boys race in a season-best time, Finn Cawley was 54th in a season-best 16:47.02 and Joey Reed gave a season-best 17:38.07 effort in a field of 226 runners.

In the senior girls division, Kimia Samandi was seventh out of 155 runners in a personal-best 18:24.71, Caroline Hall was 55th in a personal-record 21:01.88 and Ilaria Stewart was 59th overall in a season-best time of 21:12.69.