Harrison becomes first back-to-back boys winner since 1998-99, Fahy follows older brother Darren in becoming only siblings to secure titles in meet history; California represented by five finalists in each gender

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

For Kashon Harrison, it was about the repeat.

For Kristin Fahy, it’s all about the finale.

They might have ultimately had two very different journeys to reach San Diego next week, but for Harrison and Fahy, the road leads to the same place and similar goals.

They were the winners Saturday at the 40th Foot Locker West Regional, with Harrison becoming the first repeat regional boys winner in 19 years, and Fahy looking to finish her high school cross country career at home, competing at Balboa Park.

Only the top 10 Saturday in each gender moved on to next week’s national championship at Morley Field. While both regional races contained some heated jostling for position, Harrison and Fahy owned the day, which also featured two-time regional and national champion Claudia Lane of Malibu CA in attendance as a special guest starter for the girls race.

Fahy, a senior from La Costa Canyon CA, entered the regional coming off a convincing Division 2 title won Nov. 24 at the CIF-State Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

She said this was not the week to try for the win – remember, too, that she suffered a knee injury in the third mile last year and didn't finish. But she didn’t run a tame race at all, and she hasn’t this year, running the 5-kilometer course at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., in 17 minutes, 52.8 seconds.

“I knew I had a great chance to get into the top 10,” Fahy said. “I wasn’t necessarily going out to win the whole thing. I knew that first is as good as 10th at this point, for regionals. But I felt really good. I wanted to stay with the top pack. I just happened to keep moving up through the hills.”

She outlegged sophomore runner-up Allie Janke, the Class 3A state champ from North Central in Spokane, Wash., by five seconds. In doing so, she joined her older brother Darren Fahy, the 2011 winner, in becoming the only siblings in regional history to both capture individual titles.

And yes, Darren was on hand Saturday at Mt. SAC.

“It was so cool to see him there supporting me,” she said, “and with him knowing that he did that before.”

Fahy turned down a Nike Cross Nationals berth to run Foot Locker, as she relished the chance to finish in what is essentially a home game in her prep cross country finale.

“It was hard to turn down NXN, but I knew I was really looking forward to ending my season at my home course in San Diego.”

Harrison became the first back-to-back regional boys winner since 1998-99, when Provo, Utah standout Josh Rohatinsky doubled. Like Fahy, Harrison also turned down an NXN berth to chase history at the regional.

“I chose Foot Locker over NXN because I feel the love from Foot Locker and everyone has been treating me so well here,” Harrison said. “The first thing I thought about after I won was that I’m going back to Foot Locker Nationals.”

The Kirtland Central NM senior won in 15:33.6, five seconds faster than last year, and he needed every bit of it to hold off Long Beach Poly CA senior William Frankenfeld, also a runner-up in Division 1 at last week’s California state meet.

“I think last year, I was kind of holding myself back with the pack for the first mile and then I took off from there,” Harrison said. “This year, I went out hard and I took off before the first mile and wanted to run with the front group, and then, when I hit the hills, I wanted to really take off from there and keep up my pace.”

Holding off Frankenfeld was no easy task on a day when the Poly standout felt much better about his performance than last week in Fresno. Saying he “couldn’t have asked for a better race,” Frankenfeld ran 15:34.4.

“Patience and discipline,” he said, when asked what was the biggest difference from a week ago. “I think I said last week, that at state, I was a little impatient and I really pushed up that for hill no reason. I think I could’ve gotten a better time, and a better place.”

Patience during the Valley Loops of Mt. SAC’s course was key, he said, knowing the three big hills that awaited him.

“I just made sure to stay controlled,” he said.

Nicholas Russell, a senior from Bishop Kelly High in Boise, Idaho, was third in 15:35.5. He joined 10th-place finisher Zack Erikson in giving Idaho its first finalists since former Pocatello standout Elijah Armstrong won the regional title in 2014.

Russell won Idaho’s 4A state title and said he enjoyed the challenge of Mt. SAC’s hills. Erikson held on to the final qualifying spot after finishing 28th here a year ago.

“I love that course,” Russell said. “It was a little hot today, but you know, it’s cross country. You go with what you’ve got.”

Later, he turned to Erikson said, “I’m more proud of him.”

California was well represented, with five qualifiers Saturday. JSerra junior Anthony Grover, who just missed a year ago with an 11th-place finish, was fourth in 15:37.3.

Arroyo’s Noah Hibbard followed right behind in 15:37.8. Concord De La Salle senior Connor Livingston was seventh, sandwiching sixth-place finisher Thomas Boyden (15:38.5) from Skyline High in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Golden State’s final qualifier was Mission Hills senior Jonathan Velasco placing ninth in 15:48.5.

Then there was Daniel Bausch of Eagle River, Alaska. He worked his way up from about 30th place to finish eighth in 15:46.4.

Bausch lives about 10 miles from Anchorage, where a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook the area Friday.

While unsettled and anxious to get home, he reported good news.

“Everyone was pretty shaken up,” he said. “My house, there was no damage, luckily. No one I know was hurt or injured. But with the continuing aftershocks, everyone’s on edge.”

On the girls’ side, Janke moved on after missing with a 15th-place finish a year ago. Her time of 17:57.9 was more than 45 seconds better than a year ago.

She also finished ahead of two well-decorated runners. Lehi junior Anna Martin set a Utah state girls meet, 3-mile course record Oct. 17 in Salt Lake City; Saturday she was a formidable third and qualified for her first national final in 18:06.5.

Oddly enough, she’s only raced once since then. But she’s excited to run again next week.

“It’s definitely hard to have to such a long break and then get yourself ready for such a high-pressure race,” she said.

Mountain View junior Lexy Halladay joined the Idaho party by placing fourth in 18:11. Halladay competed at NXN the past two years and was the state-title winner in Class 5A, but just missed qualifying for Portland again this year.

Instead, she’ll head to San Diego next week, becoming the first Idaho girl to do so since 2013.

She said she felt ready for Mt. SAC’s hills, but still the switchbacks after the Valley Loop “hit me in the face.”

“Preparing for this race, we did a lot of hill work,” she said. “I’m super happy with how I finished.”

The California contingent was there in the girls race, as well. A pair of state champions followed Halladay, as last week’s Division 5 winner, Gabby Peterson of Healdsburg was fifth in 18:12.4, while Division 4 winner, Audrey Suarez of Pasadena Mayfield, was sixth in 18:18. San Clemente junior Hana Catsimanes, 16th last week in Division 1, was seventh in 18:20.7.

Granada senior Colleen McCandless, third last week in the Division 2 state final, was 10th in 18:25.6 and moved on to next week. Her older sister, Megan McCandless, qualified for NXN in 2015.

Washington had three qualify for the national final, and two were in back-to-back spots. Bear Creek senior Olivia Markezich, a third-place finisher in the Washington 1A state final, placed eighth in 18:21.1.

North Central sophomore Erinn Hill, Janke’s teammate who placed third in the Washington 3A race, was ninth Saturday in 18:24.1.