Naranjo gives Hillers Stampede victory

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 24, 2026

Luis Naranjo

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP CROSS COUNTRY

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE (8-22-26) — Grossmont High senior Luis Naranjo captured the junior/senior boys championship at the season-opening Vaquero Stampede, leading the East County performances Saturday at Lindo Lake Park.

Naranjo completed the two-mile course in 9 minutes, 59.56 seconds, becoming the meet’s only runner to break 10 minutes. He held off Eastlake junior Anthony Manquero-Mendez, who finished second in 10:01.08, by 1.52 seconds.

Grossmont also produced one of the area’s leading performances in the junior/senior girls race. Senior Jane Telliard placed fourth overall in 12:47.40, finishing behind only three runners from High Tech San Diego. Telliard was the top East County finisher in the race by more than 20 seconds.

Monte Vista senior Melissa Velazquez Varela followed with another strong East County result, finishing in 13:08.48, while Mt. Miguel junior Nadia Aguilar ran 13:56.60. Christian senior Gracie Peterson finished in 14:27.65.

In the junior/senior boys race, Mt. Miguel senior Jose Mariscal led the East County contingent behind Naranjo with a time of 10:49.81. Teammates David Gonzalez (11:11.85), Iker Quintero (11:38.43), Marcelino Esquivel (11:43.92) and Alexander Payne (12:42.24) helped the Matadors finish 10th in the team standings, the best showing by an East County boys team in the upper-division race.

Other leading East County boys included Steele Canyon junior Abednego Cruz (11:23.91), Granite Hills senior Jack Digenan (11:42.00), Grossmont senior Sawyer Hankins (11:36.05), Grossmont senior Marshal Rhine (12:06.68) and El Capitan junior Chris Misak (12:02.44).

Host El Capitan had its strongest team performance in the freshman/sophomore girls race, placing seventh among 21 scoring teams. Sophomore Marcela Zamudio-Ortega led the Vaqueros in 13:36.40, followed closely by sophomore Riley McGhen in 13:43.80. LaBella Franco finished in 14:54.10, and freshman Delilah Werdick recorded a 15:07.30.

Christian sophomore Brooklyn Drips was another East County standout in the freshman/sophomore girls competition, running 13:31.30. Steele Canyon freshman Olivia Cookson finished in 13:50.90, followed by teammate Maja Saja in 14:11.90. Monte Vista sophomore Mariella Ferrer clocked 13:56.30.

In the freshman/sophomore boys race, El Capitan sophomore Miles Garcia was the leading East County runner with a time of 11:26.01. Santana freshman Lucas Chappelle followed in 11:50.63, while Steele Canyon sophomore Caiden Christiansen broke 12 minutes with an 11:59.13.

Steele Canyon placed 11th in the freshman/sophomore boys team standings, the top East County finish in that race. El Capitan was 17th, Grossmont 20th and Santana 23rd.

Monte Vista recorded the area’s best girls team finish in the junior/senior competition, placing sixth overall, one spot ahead of Steele Canyon.