Cross Country (Boys/Girls) | 10/7/2025 3:55:00 PM

Boys win Western League Cluster; Girls Freshmen claim Invitational title

It was a packed week for Cathedral Catholic Cross Country, as the Dons competed in two major meets, Thursday's Western League Cluster and Saturday's 45th Annual Sundevil Invitational, both held at the historic Morley Field course in Balboa Park. The Dons demonstrated impressive depth, with some strong finishes and numerous personal bests across all divisions over the two days of competition.
 

Western League Cluster – Thursday, October 2nd

Cathedral Catholic's Boys Varsity team took first place in a close race, finishing with 33 points to narrowly beat Scripps Ranch (40). Leading the way was Nathan Wilber '26, who captured the individual title with a time of 15:50.10. The Dons were closely grouped behind him, with Teddy Lang '26 (16:04.90), Aiden Angeles '27 (16:28.20), and Andrew Martinez '26 (16:30.90) all finishing in the top ten. The team's depth showed with six runners finishing under 17 minutes.

On the girls' side, the Varsity team finished 3rd with 53 points, just behind co-winners Scripps Ranch and Point Loma, who tied with 36. Calliandra Schulteis '27 (19:19.20), Grace Keefe '27 (19:34.00), and Kristine Bickler '27 (19:38.90) led the Dons with top-10 finishes. Eva Smith '27 and Lindsay Zimmer '26 rounded out the scoring, showing consistency across the board.
   

45th Annual Sundevil Invitational – Saturday, October 4th

Two days later, the Dons returned to Morley Field for one of San Diego's largest and most competitive meets, the 45th Annual Sundevil Invitational, which featured over 2,500 runners from 85 schools. Cathedral Catholic rose to the challenge, earning podium finishes in multiple divisions.

The Boys Varsity team placed 3rd in the Division 1 Senior/Invite race with 108 points, competing against powerhouse programs including the host, Mt. Carmel, which took first with 40 points. Nathan Wilber '26 once again led the Dons with an outstanding 3rd place finish in 15:22.10, followed by Teddy Lang '26 (15:44.80) and Aiden Angeles '27 (16:25.40). The team's depth continued to shine as Zachary Albers '27 and Conner Ransom '27 closed out the scoring with times under 17 minutes.

The Girls Varsity team also finished third in the Division 1 Senior/Invite race, earning 68 points in a close contest for the podium, just one point behind Poway (67) and within reach of first-place Canyon Crest (49). Grace Keefe '27 (18:53.50), Kristine Bickler '27 (18:56.80), and Calliandra Schulteis '27 (19:08.30) once again led the charge, all finishing in the top 25. Eva Smith '27, Phoebe Brink '28, and Ava Barrientos '26 provided crucial support to secure the team's top-three finish.

One of the weekend's biggest highlights came from the Girls Freshman team, who captured 1st place in their Division 1 race with 96 points, narrowly beating Westview (103). For many, it was their first time running the full 3.1-mile distance, and every second counted. Lainey Rall '29 (21:17.00) led the group, followed closely by Adeline Santos '29 (21:30.50) and Delphine Rivera '29 (21:37.90). All six runners achieved personal bests, which is undoubtedly the first of many more personal bests.

In the Girls Junior race, Cathedral Catholic also finished in 3rd place as a team. Sadie Lang '27 (20:39.40) led the Dons with a new personal best, joined by strong performances from Mya Connolly '27, Tylee Held '27, and Nadeen Dessouky '27, each contributing to the team's scoring effort.
 

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With a first-place league victory, multiple top-three invitational finishes, and several personal records, it was a standout week for the Dons. The team continues to build momentum as the season progresses, with the intention of peaking in November.