Nueva’s Fitzpatrick makes his mark at Westmoor cross-country meet

Fitzpatrick recorded the top time at the annual Ram Invitational, running the 2.7-mile race at Westmoor High School in 13 minutes, 21 seconds. While he took the championship in the Boys’ Varsity 2 race, the times are not calibrated with the Boys’ Varsity 1 race for an overall champion. But his time was not only 14 seconds better than the second-place finisher, Piedmont Hills senior Yosef Berhan, in his race, but was 28 seconds better than the Boys’ Varsity 1 champ, Menlo senior William Hauser, who won his race in 13:49.

“He’s realizing what his potential and his abilities are, and he’s taking charge ... and he has a goal,” Nueva head coach Robert Lopez said. “He wants to be one of the best, if not the best, in the division.”

That’s a tall order, since Nueva, as a Division V program, runs in the same CIF division with the powerhouse small schools Menlo and Crystal Springs Uplands.

Fitzpatrick, though, has long been the class of the Private School Athletic League. As a sophomore last season, he swept the league’s three regular-season meets, then won the PSAL championship, held Nov. 2, at the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course, one week prior to taking fourth in the Central Coast Section Championships Division V meet, finishing behind Crystal’s Benjamin Bouie (first); Menlo’s Landon Pretre (second); and Crystal’s Tarik Baker (third).

All three of those top CCS Division V finishers were juniors in 2023, and Bouie ran away with the championship in 15:11.6, well over a minute better than Fitzpatrick’s time of 16:23.1. But the then-sophomore was only 14 seconds off the pace of Pretre’s second-place time. Fitzpatrick kept pace when the two raced Sept. 21 at Woodbridge, with Pretre taking the title in 14:16.7, just over 10 seconds faster than Fitzpatrick.

“Again I think it was a lot of growth for him,” Lopez said. “And then he just put it all together for Ram. And I think he’s going to do that for the rest of the year.”

Fitzpatrick was left shaking his head after the 2024 Lowell Invite season opener, running out front of the pack for much of the 2.88-mile course at Golden Gate Park. Las Lomas senior Nate Griffin-Yeh stayed with the leader, though, drafting him for much of the race, only to overtake him at the finish to win the Boys’ Varsity 1 title in 14:11.4.

Lopez said he was convinced Fitzpatrick could have given Pretre a run for his money on the three-mile course at Woodbridge at Orange County Great Park, but was more preoccupied with holding off another runner who was drafting him. Fitzpatrick didn’t allow the runner to pass him as he did at the Lowell Invite, but wasn’t able to put any heat on Pretre as a result.

Fitzpatrick entered his junior cross-country season with one previous track-and-field invitational title to his credit, winning the 3,200-meter championship at the 104th Russell Cup crown at Carpinteria High School in Santa Barbara County. He also dominated the PSAL championships as a sophomore, winning four titles at the league meet — the boys’ 800, 1,600, 3,200 and the 4x400 relay.

The wins in the PSAL finals 1,600 and 3,200 were repeat championships.

“His freshman track season is where he really came alive,” Lopez said.

Nueva enjoyed a solid day Saturday at Westmoor, with sophomore Jonathan Ho winning the Boys’ Sophomore 2 race in 15:12. Ho previously ran at the varsity level at Lowell and Woodbridge. Nueva senior Teddy Gaillard took 13th in the Westmoor Boys’ Varsity 2 race, in a field of 100 runners.

Nueva’s top finishers in the Girls’ Varsity 2 race were junior Julia Schlamp (16th in 17:41), and senior Natalie Sepulveda (25th in 18:07).

Prospect senior Kylie Hoornaert won the Girls’ Varsity 2 race in 15:41. The top county finisher was Oceana senior Lara Scanziani-Grijalvo in fifth at 16:52. Tamalpais senior Emma Gardner won the Girls’ Varsity 1 race in 16:03, with Menlo senior Veronica Taira second in 16:11; Mills senior Miya Cheng third in 16:16; and Menlo junior Ariya Kaushek fourth in 16:20.