Wilson’s Audrey Buckley comes in first in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Graham Feeble and Wilsons Rico Hollister race to the finish in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Jocelyn Jimenez, Emma Walsch, and Julia Silva compete in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Sawyer Chesnin comes in third in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Amberly McDowell comes in second in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Wilson’s Audrey Buckley leads with Millikan’s Amberly McDowell close behind in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Jocelyn Jimenez comes in third in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The girls Moore League Varsity cross country race gets underway at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Jack Walsh comes in second in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Wilson’s Shirayah Lewis- Williams races ahead of Millikan’s Dali Ramirez in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Hector Diaz comes in first in the boys varsity Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Wilson’s Avery Errecart races in fourth in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Wilson’s Nico Swanson comes in fourth in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Rosemary Morishita is cheered on as she races to the finish line in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Hector Diaz leads in the boys Cross Country Meet at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Ricardo LInarez Gutierrez, Eric Villicana, and Long Beach Poly’s Sawyer Chesnin race in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Charlotte Rivera races to the finish line in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners finish the first half to the Moore League cross country race at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The boys Varsity Cross Country race gets underway at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The boys Cross Country race gets underway at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
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Wilson’s Audrey Buckley comes in first in the Moore League Cross Country meet in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
LONG BEACH — Audrey Buckley wanted to feel like she earned it this time.
The Wilson senior did so emphatically, winning the Moore League girls cross country cluster meet by nearly 25 seconds at El Dorado Park on Wednesday.
Buckley finished in a time of 17 minutes and 16 seconds on the flat, fast 3-mile course.
She finished first in the league race at Heartwell Park on Sept. 30, but only after the leader ran off course in the later stages of the race and had to double back.
“After the last race, obviously I was happy that I won but it didn’t feel like I earned it and I’m really big on doing the work to earn it,” Buckley said of her victory in the first league cluster meet. “So going into today I was like I’m going to get out there and I’m going to cross in first. I let whoever wanted to take it out, take it out and I let them do the work and when it was time, I made my move. I was really happy, I feel like ran really smart, so I was super proud of it.”
Buckley led for most of the race and pulled away for good after Mile 2.
“I knew that first (place) wasn’t going to come easy today and I really had to work for it,” Buckley explained. “So I feel like every mile is like, if you really want to be in first, you gotta make it hurt.”
Millikan sophomore Amberly McDowell finished second in 17:40.5. McDowell’s teammate Jocelyn Jiminez was third in 17:59.4.
The Bruins showed the depth on their team by placing five runners in the top 10 and claiming their second team victory of the season.
“I’m so proud of everyone,” Buckley said. “I’m always proud of everyone, but the past couple of weeks everything has really come together. At Clovis, we did amazing and then today for that to transfer over on to the flats, especially with racing with familiar faces, it can be a little bit harder and more anxiety with that. So I’m really proud of everyone for pushing through and doing their best work.”
Long Beach Poly was led by junior Sienna Young’s fifth-place finish in 18:29.4 and finished second in the team standings.
Millikan, which was missing one of its top five runners due to injury, finished third.
In the boys race, Millikan senior Hector Diaz won with a time of 14:59.6.
“This one, I was definitely trying on this one,” Diaz said after winning his second league race of the season.
Diaz, who built up a large lead early, said it takes a lot of mental strength to keep pushing the pace when running solo.
“You definitely gotta be used to running by yourself,” Diaz said, “which I think is something that I’m definitely used to by now.”
Rams senior Jack Walsh, the defending league champion, was second in 15:24.1.
Millikan had five runners in the top 8 and secured its second team victory this season.
“I’m happy,” Millikan coach Pedro Ramirez said. “It’s a good second step on our way to Moore League Finals. Hopefully, we can keep it going in Moore League Finals and beyond.”
Long Beach Poly sophomore Sawyer Chesnin finished third in 15:28.
Wilson junior Nico Swanson was fourth in 15:39.3 and led his team to a second-place finish.
The Jackrabbits finished third in the team race, a few points behind Wilson.
The Moore League Finals will be at Heartwell Park on Nov. 4.