Del Oro boys, girls take first at Bulldog Invitational

Del Oro's cross country teams are hitting their stride at the right time. The Golden Eagles swept the varsity small-school team titles Saturday at the Bulldog Invitational at Willow Hills Reservoir, with the boys and girls teams both taking first place as the postseason approaches. Senior Ethan Kelly led the way for the Del Oro boys, winning the 5,000-meter race in 16 minutes, 37.3 seconds. Kelly finished 20 seconds ahead of Union Mine's Patrick Pinjuv and more than 44 seconds ahead of third-place finisher Strummer Beckett of West Campus. Kelly wasn't the only Golden Eagle near the front. Alden Reck finished ninth in 17:42.6, Alex Kelly was 15th in 17:53.3, Ty Christian placed 20th in 18:15.2, Connor Perry was 23rd in 18:30.6 and Levi Ruhkala finished 29th in 18:42.7. Del Oro's depth helped it claim the team title, while coach Dustin Fee credited the team's preparation for the hilly courses that await later in the season. "We have been putting in a lot of hill training," Fee said. "We know that the last part of our season comes down to courses that all have pretty tough hills. We try to put that into our training so our kids are prepared." Kelly's victory came shortly after he returned from an illness, making the performance particularly encouraging for Fee. "Ethan has been working hard all year," Fee said. "Anytime he shows up I'm not surprised as to what he can accomplish. He had just come off of being sick, so this was a great race for him to come back on." Kelly's future also could extend beyond Del Oro. Fee said colleges have begun reaching out to the senior, who is open to his options as he considers continuing his running career. On the girls side, junior Stacie Holbert led Del Oro with a third-place finish in 20:35.3. Teammate Sophia Rhoades was 12th in 22:37.3, Maddison Fuller finished 14th in 22:54.1, Olivia Rhoades was 18th in 23:33.3 and Claire Imrie placed 32nd in 24:52.7. Fee singled out Holbert for her performance and consistency throughout the season. "Stacy Holbert was amazing on the girls side and has been amazing all season," Fee said. The two team victories come as Del Oro eyes a potential trip to the CIF State Championships in November. "Our team goals are to try to qualify to the CIF state meet with both boys and girls teams," Fee said. "There is amazing talent in Division III and it won't happen easily, but we are in the running and it will be close between four teams for both boys and girls." Fee said the program's growth has extended beyond its top runners, with increased numbers and a team culture that has helped push the Golden Eagles forward. Said Fee, "Our team has become like a large family. We all work hard together and push each other to be our best versions of ourselves."