8/27/26: Breakers Sweep Brian Rogers/Peninsula XC Jamboree

Pacific Grove Cross Country opened the season in impressive fashion at the Brian Rogers/Peninsula XC Jamboree on August 27, with both the boys’ and girls’ teams taking first place on the challenging three-mile course at York School.

The boys earned a narrow victory over Marina, finishing with 37 points to Marina’s 41. Senior Betinho Zunguze led the Breakers with a second-place finish in 17:27.6, followed closely by junior Bennett Paterson, who placed third in 17:37.8. Sophomore Ricardo Vargas finished eighth in 18:52.8, while sophomore Gabe Alt took 10th in 19:13.1. Freshman Rio Del Castillo completed Pacific Grove’s scoring five with an outstanding high school debut, placing 14th in 19:51.8. Freshmen Sawyer Boyle and Jackson Dempsey also turned in strong performances in their first races for the Breakers.

The girls captured the team title with 36 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Marina’s 48. Sophomore Eleanor Holt led Pacific Grove with a third-place finish in 21:55.9. Fellow sophomores Gabi Amsler and Lucia Troy crossed the line ninth and 10th in 23:39.7 and 23:41.5, respectively. Pacific Grove’s freshmen made an immediate impact in the girls’ race. Soleil Bautista placed 11th in 24:01.4, and Maya Sharma followed just behind in 12th at 24:04.3. Both recorded personal bests and completed the Breakers’ five-runner scoring lineup. Freshmen Ellie Gaudette, Maggie Devine, and Ayah Soekardi also ran strong debut races and posted personal bests.

With two team victories, tight packs near the front of both races, and an exciting group of freshmen already contributing, the Breakers could not have asked for a stronger start to the season.