Pio runs to CIF title

Despite wet weather and a change in the course, Mira Costa’s Savannah Pio outpaced a pair of runners from top-ranked Saugus to win the CIF Southern Section Division 2 girls cross country title at Mt. SAC, the first individual girls CIF title for the Mustangs since Laura Cattivera White accomplished the feat in 1982.

With the race moved from the conventional course to a flatter, concrete path, Pio finished the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, seven seconds, ahead of Saugus harriers Stephanie Bulder (18:09) and Kaylin Mahoney (18:11).

Pio’s victory helped Mira Costa to a second-place team finish. Saugus scored 29 points (1:32:25), followed by Mira Costa with 62 (1:33:37) and Redondo with 75 (1:34:43) who was led by Lyndsey Mull’s seventh-place finish (18:37). All three teams advance to the CIF State Championship to be held Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Pio looks to improve her 8^th-place finish at the 2009 State Championship where Mahoney placed third and Bulder was 10^th.

Aryn Foland (18:17) finished fifth for Mira Costa, who was helped by strong performances by Kelli Sugimoto (12th, 18:50), Vivian Cherrette (19th, 19:02), Shannon Hagedorn (31st, 19:21), Jenna Tong (33rd, 19:24) and Sara Locke-Henderson (92^nd, 20:48).

Rachel Bush (13^th, 18:51) was the second finisher for the Redondo, ahead of teammates Kelly Ryan (16^th, 18:57), Kayla Ferron (21^st, 19:05), Cara Ulizio (26^th, 19:13), Laura O’Neill (27^th, 19:13), Olivia Loveland (51^st, 19:47). Bush placed 12^th at the state meet last year. ER