October 18, 2026

Written by Mario Machuca

FULL RESULTS

RANCHO CUCAMONGA:  The Wolves competed at the Inland Empire Challenge on Saturday, taking on some of the best competition from Riverside and San Bernardino counties. With personal records falling across nearly every level and two team trophies earned, the Wolves continued to showcase the progress they have made throughout the season.

The freshman girls kicked off the day with a series of impressive performances, as the group continues to find its footing in the sport. Leah Goodman returned to racing against her grade level for the first time in a while and made the most of the opportunity, securing a dominant victory by over a minute. Her performance also earned her All-Freshman County honors! Jaylin Ibarra continued her breakout season with a massive two-minute personal best, finishing sixth overall. Sofia Dineshbabu Usharani also made significant strides, cutting roughly 90 seconds off her previous best to finish 13th, her highest placement of the season. Evany Ruffin and Jacqueline Adkins each recorded personal bests by approximately a minute, while Camila Martinez delivered one of the biggest improvements of the day, taking an incredible three minutes off her previous best. The freshman girls’ hard work paid off with a third-place team finish, earning the Wolves their first trophy of the day!

The freshman boys followed with another strong showing, led by Chris Quezada, who finished fourth and broke the 17-minute barrier for the first time, also earning a spot in the top 7 freshmen for Riverside county. Andrew Thomas and Urijah Castro also made significant progress, each taking approximately a minute off their personal bests to break 20 minutes for the first time. The group continues to build momentum as the season progresses, with the young Wolves showing what consistent work and determination can accomplish.

Next up were the sophomore boys, who entered the race at full strength with every sophomore on the team ready to compete for another victory. Abdu Alqaza once again led the way with a second-place finish, while Maverick Machuca followed closely in fourth with a 30-second personal best. The trio of Caleb Lua, Jacob Gamino, and Isaiah Gallardo worked together to round out the scoring, finishing eighth, 11th, and 12th, respectively. The Wolves put together a dominant team performance, scoring just 35 points to defeat league rivals Roosevelt and Santiago, who finished second and third. The victory marked the sophomore boys’ third win of the season, further demonstrating the strength of their pack and the importance of running together.

The varsity girls took the course next in the sweepstakes race, continuing to show steady improvement against a competitive field. Jude Abu-Ghazaleh led the Wolves with her best race of the season, finishing seventh overall and earning All-Riverside County honors. Seniors Jordyn Ramirez and Natalie Drewitz also delivered their best performances of the year, each finishing among the top seven seniors in the county. The Lady Wolves finished fourth overall, another encouraging step forward as they continue working toward their goals. With the postseason approaching, this group remains focused on improving each day and building toward the bigger opportunities ahead.

The varsity boys closed out the day’s championship races with what may have been their strongest team performance of the season. Andrew Moyo led the way with a third-place finish and another personal best, crossing the line in 15:47. Mason Stehmeier and Ethan Pendleton followed with fifth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively, with Pendleton adding another impressive 30-second personal best. The depth of the squad proved to be the difference, as the Wolves scored just 33 points to secure a commanding victory by nearly 50 points. After continuing to make progress throughout the season, the varsity boys earned their first win of the year in convincing fashion, providing a clear indication of just how far this group has come.

The final highlight of the day came in the JV girls race, where newcomer Kaya Ochoa continued to make her mark. Ochoa recorded a new personal best of 22:27, finishing 18th overall and adding another encouraging performance to an already productive day for the Wolves.

Overall, the Inland Empire Challenge was another successful outing for King Cross Country. With personal bests falling across the board and multiple athletes earning county recognition, the program continues to build momentum as the season moves forward. The work is far from finished, but the Wolves are beginning to see the results of their efforts—and they will continue their season next week at the Mt. Sac Invitational.