Cross Country: Nike Cross Nationals on Saturday in Portland

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Many of the greatest high school cross-country runners in the nation will compete in the 7th annual Nike Cross Nationals on Saturday at Portland Meadows in Portland, Ore.

Three boys’ teams from California have qualified for the race: Arcadia, Dana Hills and Los Angeles Loyola. The four girls’ teams that qualified are five-time state champion Saugus, Mira Costa, Temecula Great Oak and La Costa Canyon.

The eight fastest boys runners from the CIF state finals last Saturday at Woodward Park have all qualified for the national meet -- five will run as individual qualifiers and three as part of team qualifiers.

Arcadia’s Ammar Moussa, who posted the fastest boys’ time in 14:42.5, leads the group. The other qualifiers are Ryan Urie from San Diego Patrick Henry, Lane Werley from Riverside King, C.J. Albertson from Clovis Buchanan, Elias Gedyon from Los Angeles Loyola, Kevin Durham from Lake Forest El Toro, Samuel Pons from South Pasadena and Sergio Gonzalez from Arcadia.

On the girls side, 10 of the top 16 runners from the state meet will compete -- five as individuals and five as part of a team. The runners competing as individuals are Macy Bricks of Clovis Buchanan, Camille Chapus of North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, Rebecca Mehra of Palos Verdes, Jessie Petersen of Belmont Carlmont and Kelsey Santisteban of Castro Valley.

Freshman phenom Sarah Baxter, who had the fastest girls’ time in any division at the state meet in 16:57, has decided to end her season and will not compete in Portland.

The girls race will be at 10:25 a.m., and the boys championship will be at 11:35 a.m.

-- Melissa Rohlin