Diaz runs away for Sundevil Invite win

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 6, 2026

Santana's Harper Diaz approaches the finish on Saturday at Morley Field.

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP CROSS COUNTRY

Santana senior turns three-runner duel into 32-second victory; Sultans finish fourth in Division I team race

SAN DIEGO — For the opening mile, Harper Diaz, Grace Keefe and Sophia Haslhofer were nearly inseparable.

By the finish, Diaz was alone.

The Santana senior broke away during the second half of Saturday’s three-mile Division I girls invitational, then continued widening her advantage to capture the championship at the 46th annual Mt. Carmel Sundevil Invitational at Morley Field.

Diaz crossed in 18 minutes, 6.4 seconds, finishing 32.4 seconds ahead of Cathedral Catholic senior Keefe, who placed second in 18:38.8. La Costa Canyon sophomore Haslhofer was third in 18:59.9.

The three leading runners cleared the opening half-mile in approximately 2:50 and remained together through a 5:49 first-mile split. The trio maintained its separation from the field while beginning the second trip around the spectator-friendly Morley Field course.

Diaz made her move on a small rise during the second circuit. Keefe initially followed, while Haslhofer began falling into third.

By the two-mile mark, Diaz had opened a 10-second advantage and crossed in 12:08. Rather than protect the lead, she increased it throughout the final mile and entered the finishing stretch without another runner in view.

The victory represented another step forward at the same invitational for Diaz, who placed fifth in last season’s race. She also entered Saturday after running a three-mile personal-best 16:31.10 at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic and winning the Bronco Roundup Invitational.

Diaz’s range extends well beyond cross country. She owns track personal records of 2:11.62 in the 800 meters and 4:59.11 in the 1,600.

Her individual championship led Santana to fourth place among 17 scoring teams with 127 points.

Sophomore Natalie Rodriguez was the Sultans’ second finisher, placing 14th in 20:31.0. Seniors Janelle Agana and Megan Messick followed in 24th and 30th, respectively.

Agana finished in 20:46.5, with Messick close behind in 20:53.0. Senior Brooklynn Glider completed Santana’s five-runner scoring group in 24:34.3.

Grossmont senior Jane Telliard delivered another strong performance, placing 26th in 20:49.7. Christian sophomore Brooklyn Drips finished 45th in 21:47.0, while Grossmont senior Raya Dann crossed in 23:01.0.

The invitational’s featured races were moved to the morning because of the excessive-heat forecast, with the time between starts also shortened.

Five of the scheduled 14 races were completed before triple-digit heat and increasing Santa Ana winds forced a delay. Meet officials later canceled the remainder of the program under the state’s extreme-heat safety regulations.

NARANJO PLACES SEVENTH IN LOADED FIELD

Grossmont senior Luis Naranjo produced East County’s leading boys performance, placing seventh in the Division I senior/invitational race.

Naranjo completed the three-mile course in 16:34.8, finishing three-tenths of a second ahead of Cathedral Catholic freshman Lukas Derheimer.

Mt. Carmel senior Jaxon Northcutt won in 15:36.0, with teammate Joshua Bell placing second in 15:42.1. Their one-two finish helped the Sundevils win the team title with 61 points.

Santana senior Dylan Chappelle placed 45th in 17:41.7. El Capitan sophomore Miles Garcia finished in 18:25.9, followed by teammate Tyce Barker in 18:40.8.

Granite Hills senior Jack Digenan recorded a 18:59.4 finish. Teammate Francisco Perez crossed in 19:58.0.

WEST HILLS, MOUNT MIGUEL LEAD DIVISION II FINISHERS

Three Grossmont Conference runners finished consecutively among the first 13 in the Division II boys senior/invitational race.

West Hills seniors Helio Cortez and Ryan Revak placed 11th and 12th, respectively. Cortez finished in 17:43.7, followed by Revak in 17:49.5.

Mount Miguel senior David Gonzalez was next across the line, placing 13th in 17:59.0.

Matadors senior Jose Mariscal added a 23rd-place finish in 18:22.7. Marcelino Esquivel placed 41st in 19:16.3, and Iker Quintero was 42nd in 19:24.7.

Valhalla senior Ozioma Iwuaba finished 43rd in 19:34.7. Mount Miguel’s Alexander Payne and West Hills’ Christian Marquez followed in 48th and 49th.

VELAZQUEZ VARELA SETS PACE FOR LOCAL D-II GIRLS

Monte Vista junior Melissa Velazquez Varela turned in East County’s top Division II girls performance, placing seventh in the three-mile junior/senior race.

Velazquez Varela finished in 21:53.2, crossing less than 14 seconds behind fifth-place Elisha Hill of Burroughs.

Mount Miguel junior Nadia Aguilar placed 21st in 23:03.3. Matadors freshman Aracely Sanchez was 25th in 23:55.9, and senior Roxanne Ocampo finished 30th in 24:29.4.

In the two-mile Division I junior girls race, Steele Canyon’s Analucia Guzman led the local contingent by placing 29th in 15:56.0.

Granite Hills junior Yumi Martinez followed in 33rd at 16:00.8. Steele Canyon’s Grace Binsfield finished 44th in 16:52.9.

The Cougars placed fourth in the junior girls team standings with 82 points.

46TH ANNUAL MT. CARMEL SUNDEVIL INVITATIONAL
At Morley Field
Saturday, Oct. 3

GIRLS DIVISION I SENIOR/INVITATIONAL
3 miles

East County finishers — 1. Harper Diaz, Santana, 18:06.4; 14. Natalie Rodriguez, Santana, 20:31.0; 24. Janelle Agana, Santana, 20:46.5; 26. Jane Telliard, Grossmont, 20:49.7; 30. Megan Messick, Santana, 20:53.0; 45. Brooklyn Drips, Christian, 21:47.0; 78. Raya Dann, Grossmont, 23:01.0; 104. Brooklynn Glider, Santana, 24:34.3; 105. Sovina Deitchman, Santana, 24:35.0; 110. Natalie Schneider, El Capitan, 25:08.5.

Team — 4. Santana, 127.

BOYS DIVISION I SENIOR/INVITATIONAL
3 miles

East County finishers — 7. Luis Naranjo, Grossmont, 16:34.8; 45. Dylan Chappelle, Santana, 17:41.7; 81. Miles Garcia, El Capitan, 18:25.9; 96. Tyce Barker, El Capitan, 18:40.8; 108. Jack Digenan, Granite Hills, 18:59.4; 136. Francisco Perez, Granite Hills, 19:58.0; 146. Sawyer Hankins, Grossmont, 20:15.9; 159. Michael Lopez, Steele Canyon, 20:37.7; 164. Julian Koczwara, Steele Canyon, 20:46.5; 182. Fisher Mora, Steele Canyon, 22:03.7; 187. Charles Lavigne, Granite Hills, 22:15.9.

BOYS DIVISION II SENIOR/INVITATIONAL
3 miles

East County leaders — 11. Helio Cortez, West Hills, 17:43.7; 12. Ryan Revak, West Hills, 17:49.5; 13. David Gonzalez, Mount Miguel, 17:59.0; 23. Jose Mariscal, Mount Miguel, 18:22.7; 41. Marcelino Esquivel, Mount Miguel, 19:16.3; 42. Iker Quintero, Mount Miguel, 19:24.7; 43. Ozioma Iwuaba, Valhalla, 19:34.7; 48. Alexander Payne, Mount Miguel, 19:48.4; 49. Christian Marquez, West Hills, 19:49.3.

GIRLS DIVISION II JUNIOR/SENIOR
3 miles

East County finishers — 7. Melissa Velazquez Varela, Monte Vista, 21:53.2; 21. Nadia Aguilar, Mount Miguel, 23:03.3; 25. Aracely Sanchez, Mount Miguel, 23:55.9; 30. Roxanne Ocampo, Mount Miguel, 24:29.4.

GIRLS DIVISION I JUNIOR
2 miles

East County finishers — 29. Analucia Guzman, Steele Canyon, 15:56.0; 33. Yumi Martinez, Granite Hills, 16:00.8; 44. Grace Binsfield, Steele Canyon, 16:52.9; 52. Mila Lucas, Steele Canyon, 19:17.2; 54. Makaila Rodriguez, Steele Canyon, 21:06.5; 55. Jaylah Smith, Steele Canyon, 22:22.5.

Team — 4. Steele Canyon, 82.