Who needs three tries to get it right?
The first time was a charm for North Hollywood senior Ananya Balaraman, who repeated as the Division I girls’ champion in Thursday’s City Section cross country finals at Elysian Park.
It was the first time in section history the finals meet was held on the hilly course near Dodger Stadium and despite the lack of familiarity Balaraman clocked 19 minutes, 28 seconds on the approximately three-mile route to win by more than nine seconds over runner-up Samantha Pacheco of Granada Hills.
“This is my first time … I didn’t even get to do a run-through, although my coach pointed out a few things to look out for,” said Balaraman, who was a surprise winner in a personal-best 17:38 last year at Pierce College. “It’s a harder course than Pierce. Even the downhills are steep … you never really get a break.”
Balaraman started the race in the lead group and conserved as much energy as possible.
“Around the two-mile mark, I started to pull away,” she said. “It means so much. I came into the season feeling fatigue. I had a lot of ups and downs.”
Balaraman has already been to the state championships in Fresno twice, running 20:12 as a sophomore and 18:29 last fall.
“It’s my last time going to state and I’d like to drop even more time,” she said. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
For her, defending the City title was harder than winning it.
“Last year I was the underdog — nobody knew who I was,” she recalled. “Everyone was wondering ‘Who’s that?’ This time, I had a target on my back. It was mentally tougher for sure.”
In the Division I boy’s race, Palisades senior Zach Cohen set the early pace and held off Granada Hills’ Joaquin Ortega-Tomaselli in the final strides to take first in 16:24.40 — the fastest time on the new Elysian Park course that has been used since 2022.
Zach Cohen nears the finish line to win the City Section Division I boys’ race and lead Palisades to its fifth straight team title.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Palisades swept the boys’ and girls’ team titles for the second time in three years, the boys winning their fifth in a row and both claiming their eighth overall.
Experience paid off for Marshall’s Fausto Noboa, who won the Division II boys’ race in 17:21.20.
“I’ve run this multiple times. It’s become a bit of a home course,” said Noboa, who was first at the Northern League finals on the same course. “I’ve always had someone in front of me. Today, I tried a new strategy that I might have to stick to.”
The Division II girls’ race was a duel between two Eagle Rock sophomores as Olivia Corrigan (20:11.40) and Fiona Walts (21:14.10) finished first and second.
“We run together in practice, we push each other and it helps us so much,” said Corrigan, who took the lead on the second mile. “I’ve never had the competition by my own teammate and it’s the best competition ever!”
Olivia Corrigan led a one-two finish of Eagle Rock sophomores in the City Section Division II girls’ cross-country championship race.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
The future looks bright for Larchmont Charter freshman Avery Cavalier, who won the Division V girls’ race in 20:45.50 despite being new to the sport.
“I’ve only been running since May — I used to play tennis, but l ran track for my middle school in the spring and liked it. Our home course in San Pedro is very flat, so this was very different. I’m surprised how much grit I had.”
Angel Solorio won his second straight individual title and led Sun Valley Magnet to the Division V team title at the City Section cross-country championships on Thursday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Sun Valley Magnet senior Angel Solorio won the Division V boys’ race a second straight time in 17:20.10.
“I won last year at Pierce in 16 flat, but here the trails were just draining the energy right out of me,” Solorio said after leading the Pioneers to the team title.
Verdugo Hills sophomore Hannah Gallidoro won the Division III girls’ race in 21:51.10, while Franklin sophomore Yael Meza (18:06.10) won the boys’ title.
Belmont dominated both Division IV races. Sergio Guarchaj (17:55.00) and Edwin Gomez (18:00.70) were first and second for the boys (who secured the Sentinels’ record 21st City team title), while Gabriella Zarat (21:03.90), Jessica Tecum (21:55.50), Daisy Guix (23:05.40) and Ashley Perrusquia (23:07.40) took the top four spots for the girls.