FRESNO -- Sarah Baxter couldn't decide what was the greater honor: meeting four-time state cross country champion and University of Oregon standout Jordan Hasay or winning her first Div. I championship.
"That's a hard question," Baxter responded. "But it was really cool to meet Jordan."
If there were any questions about how Baxter would handle the pressure of competing at the state final, the Simi Valley freshman answered them in convincing fashion Saturday at Woodward Park.
Baxter created a sizeable gap on a quality field after she passed the mile mark and never looked back, recording the fastest time by a ninth-grader on the prestigious 5-kilometer course to capture the championship in 16 minutes, 57 seconds and lead the Pioneers to a fourth-place effort with 174 points, trailing Great Oak (102), La Costa Canyon (110) and Buchanan (163).
"(Coach Roger Evans) and I didn't discuss time, just place, because I really wanted to win," said Baxter, whose mark improved on Hasay's 2005 freshman standard of 17:02 at the Clovis Invitational.
"It was a tactical move. I wanted to make it after the first mile and I was expecting for people to go with me, so I was kind of surprised I was ahead (by 24 seconds at the 2-mile mark). I didn't look back though. I didn't see anybody until after I finished the race."
Baxter and Harvard-Westlake junior Cami Chapus, who once competed in the same age-group race in elementary school at Pierce College, shared more in common with their performances on California's biggest stage.
Baxter, the fourth female in state history to eclipse the 17-minute barrier at Woodward Park, became the area's first freshman to win a state title since Agoura's Deena Drossin Kastor in 1987.
Chapus, who defended her Div. IV crown in 17:45, joined Hoover's Anita Siraki (1999-2000) and Kastor (1989-90) as the only local female runners to secure back-to-back state championships.
"Before I finished, I heard everyone cheering and clapping. It was impossible to tune it out," Baxter said. "It was really exciting. I'm still waiting for it to sink in."
Although Chapus couldn't help Harvard-Westlake repeat last year's state championship effort, her victory -- in the second-fastest time in division history -- helped the Wolverines place fourth with 186 points, trailing JSerra (75), La Reina (147) and Flintridge Sacred Heart (183).
"The pressure (of being champion) is really hard to deal with," Chapus said. "But I just had to remember all of the training I had done and all of the support I've received from my family and coaches and teammates, and how everybody has made so many sacrifices to help me, so I knew I had better do my part."
Chapus surged past JSerra's Kat Delaney (17:48) in the final 800 meters, and after briefly passing out following the race, finally celebrated becoming the third female to repeat in the 21-year history of the Div. IV final.
"She ran a great race and I'm really glad she was there to push me," Chapus said. "I knew I had to just go. I dug down and relied on the strength from all of the training I've done because I didn't want to look back with any regrets. I still can't believe I won it again."
The resurgence of La Reina and Flintridge Sacred Heart offered a glimpse into a bright future for the division, with both teams returning all seven runners next year.
"They deserved it. They worked incredibly hard," said Flintridge Sacred Heart coach Kirk Nishiyama, who was led by a 14th-place effort from Paulina Antaplyan (19:03). "They're a really good group and it finally came together for us in the last month."
La Reina, which won the 2008 state title, was led by Rachel Brajkovich's 17th-place result (19:09). Krista Andreassen (19:38) provided crucial support for the Regents by finishing 33rd, just behind Flintridge Sacred Heart's Riley Gilmartin (19:35) and Harvard-Westlake's Nikki Goren (19:37).
"We're a young team and we had a lot of learning to do," said La Reina coach Robert Lopez, whose team finished sixth Nov. 20 at the Southern Section final. "When we saw the spread last week from third to sixth was 11 points, we knew we had a chance. We didn't want to hand it to them, so we decided to throw it down and let them beat us at our best. I'm so proud of how they regrouped."
Simi Valley, whose previous best showing at a state final was a ninth-place effort in Div. II in 2001, produced one of the top 10 team times in Div. I history by clocking 92:13. But despite Erika Barr (18:34) placing 35th and Chelsea Feller (18:38) taking 41st, the Pioneers couldn't secure a spot on the podium.
"I told the girls they picked the wrong the year to run that fast of a time, because in other years, we could've been state champs," Pioneers coach Roger Evans said. "But for a team who had one girl who ran varsity last year to come this far and run with that much confidence is amazing. They never had a bad race all year."
Oak Park's Kaycee Holcomb (18:05) finished sixth in Div. III and Royal's Sophie Mateu (18:35) was 24th in Div. II, with Thousand Oaks' Melanie Joerger (18:40) taking 35th.
