Running start: Cross country places high at USF Invitational
Cal’s best and fastest didn’t have to run far for their first cross country meet of the season. Runners — old and new alike — ventured out to Golden Gate Park this past weekend to compete at the USF Invite.
As the team is warming up for the rest of the season — both metaphorically and literally in this weekend’s heatwave — its freshmen are warming up to the team: Cal’s newest cubs displayed great promise in their first bout for the blue and gold. Caden Carney, a Mill Valley local, finished first in his first-ever race as a Bear. The young Bear posted a 25:04.5 time for the 8,000-meter loop.
The Bears’ familial roots run deep, with one of Cal’s newest runners, Dylan Bissell, joining his brother Shane Bissell on the roster. The two are looking to give opponents double-trouble as the season ramps up, with the Pac-12 Championships on the horizon. Rowan FitzGerald, also took over for his brother, recent Cal cross country graduate Colin FitzGerald.
On the women’s team, Cal freshman Ellie Black was the first to finish out the race out of her blue and gold counterparts. As the team came in with an eighth-place finish, Black finished out her 6,000-meter race 22nd.
The male runners representing the Bears at USF came out with an overall better showing, going home in second place. Alongside the solid team finish, three sparks of blue and gold shone in the top ten as three runners placed highly. Junior Garrett MacQuiddy came in sixth, with sophomore Landen Lee coming up swiftly behind him in eighth to clinch the second-place team finish at 25:12.7.
The men’s team repeated last year’s result to the T: 2021 USF Invite saw three Bears finish in the top three, with the team coming in second overall. While not necessarily improving, the Bears, alongside their head coach Bobby Lockhart, feel confident in this result.
After all, a strong season opener is the first step in the right direction — but it is only just that: the first step.
The women are looking to improve on this weekend’s eighth-place finish in San Francisco. At next weekend’s UCR Invitational, Pac-12 host Riverside will be hosting the Bears almost a month ahead of the big championship. The UC Riverside Invitational will see both the men’s and women’s teams attempting to better their results from this weekend to gain confidence as the season ramps up.
While the blue and gold caught their running start close to home this past weekend, Cal will be venturing far and wide throughout California in its search for glory. Fans will be keeping a close eye on Cal’s newest and more veteran Bears in the meantime.
Maria Kholodova is the deputy sports editor. Contact her at mkholodova@dailycal.org.