Nueva star Ryan Fitzpatrick repeats at Ram Invite

It would be 48 seconds before Prospect senior Caleb Entwisle crossed the finish line with a second-place time of 14:28. Even in the separate Boys Varsity 1 race, Bellarmine senior Dylan Connell’s first-place time of 14:01 was 27 seconds off Fitzgerald’s mark.

“Last year I ran it faster ... but I had people to push me,” Fitzgerald said.

Nueva finished third place in the team element of the Boys Varsity 2 race on the gusty Daly City afternoon. Monte Vista Christian-Watsonville took first place, while Bellarmine (split team) took second. Among country programs, San Mateo placed sixth, Woodside 10th, Capuchino 12th and Summit Shasta 14th.

In what was the gustiest race of the day, with winds averaging 23 mph, Serra senior Andrew Little was the top county finisher for the Boys Varsity 1 race in ninth place with a time of 14:24.

“It’s brutal,” Little said of the wind. “It’s really tough. I’ve never seen it like this before. But you kind of expect it in the City.”

University-SF won the Boys Varsity 1 race, Bellarmine (split team) took second, and Tamalpais-Mill Valley third. County finishers were Mills in fifth, Aragon sixth, and El Camino 12th. Serra did not place in the team element as its two top runners were out sick, leaving the team with four individual runners. Five runners are needed to qualify for a team score.

“I was pretty surprised,” Little said. “We knew one guy was going to be out sick. And we got a text today that our fifth guy was out. So, it was kind of a shock. But we just tried to hold back and focus on what we had.”

Little was running in the Ram Invitational for the fourth time in his high school career. He medaled in Boys Frosh race in 2022, and returned in 2023 to take second place in the Boys Soph 1 race. The senior found himself near the back of the pack Saturday through the opening lap and a half around the Jane Powell Stadium track, but made up ground after tackling Heart Attack Hill during the opening mile.

“I got jostled at the start,” Little said. “So, I just tried to stay relaxed. I fell back. I was way back on the track. And then I pushed on the hills and I caught right back up.”

Even had Serra brought its full complement of runners, University was uncatchable. The Red Devils had four runners place in the top seven, three of whom are juniors, paced by junior Ethan Kraska in second place just off the leader at 14:02. University’s fifth qualifying time was junior Vivek Narottam in 17th place at 14:38.

Fitzgerald flying high

Fitzgerald has now taken first place in three of the four races he’s run this year. The previous week, at the 44th Annual Woodbridge Classic in Irvine, he took first place in the White Varsity Boys-A race in a personal record 14:23.5 on the three-mile course. He also won the Private School Athletic League #1 meet Sept 21 in 17:58.6 on a 5,000-meter course at Bedwell Bayfront Park.

At Westmoor, he lead practically wire to wire.

“I got out front probably the first 200 meters,” Fitzgerald said. “The goal was to extend that, hold it, and I think I achieved that pretty well.”

Among Nueva’s top five finishers were junior Jonathan Ho (seventh, 14:40); freshman Brent Cromley III (15th, 15:07); sophomore Ashwin Prabhu (23rd, 15:28); and sophomore Lazlo Sin (42nd, 16:00).

Nueva girls take second

Nueva took second place in the team element of the Girls Varsity 2 race. Senior Ainsley Hsu led the way with time of 18:44, good for 14th place. Seniors Lila Pastor (20th, 19:22); Gabby Lou (21st, 19:32); Julia Randolph (25th, 20:06); and junior Bella Boday (28th, 20:30) rounded out the card.

Castro Valley took first place in the Girls Varsity 2 race, while Lick Wilmerding junior Caroline Chang took first in a commanding 16:39. Westmoor junior Jasmine Anne Combes (seventh, 17:51) was the top county finisher. Woodside settled for sixth place.

In the Girls Varsity 1 race, Mills senior Chloe Amayun was the county’s top finisher in sixth place at 17:38. Scotts Valley senior Ava Decleve was the meet’s fastest girl, taking first place in 16:19. Tamalpais took first place, while Mills took seventh and Notre Dame-Belmont 10th.